Markus Enters his apartment refreshed, Not only was he going to a party that night but also to put the cherry on top a certain girl was nowhere to be found during his shift today.

As soon as he entered he immediately started preparing for his first banquet in a lifetime. 

[markus] Maybe i’ll finally make some friends in this rat's den of a neighborhood.

He opens the  miniscule space that the landlord had called a closet and pulled out the dress shirt and pants that he wore to every job interview he’s ever had (which wasn’t very many) and finally to top it all off he opened the little safe he had invested in, and pulled out the lone item inside. A watch, you could tell how old it was because of the rust it had acquired over the years. 

Markus stopped, stared at it for a moment and took a breath.

He puts on the watch and leaves his apartment.

He walks down his street and arrives at the banquet. The Banquet in itself was nothing markus expected it to be, It was an

 Open lot between a couple of buildings with orange tinted lanterns interwoven between them. Chairs and tables were donated from the other local businesses around town and music was also done by the denizens in the town. 

Markus walks into the Banquet lot and all the excitement he previously had,left him.

In its place a feeling of fear took him over

[Markus] Oh,Now i remember why i hate parties

He looks among the sea people feeling as if the walls are closing in despite the fact they were in a lot. Markus franintically rushes to an empty table in the corner of the lot, bumping into the other attendees, Apologizing his way to that empty corner table. In those moments he never felt so small,and by the time he finally made it to his corner he had never felt so weak and childish before in his life. He simply sat down at the table and held his head in his hands. The horrible feeling of dread and vexation was gone but now he felt embarrassed at himself so  he sat there in silence with his head in his hands and spirit almost broken.

[Markus]I never should have came here

He was so frustrated with himself that he was about to cry and he probably would have, but instead of hearing nothing but the sweet sounds of the local jazz bands and his own melancholy sobs he instead hears a gruff sounding voice coming from behind him. 

“So you’re the new kid that bruno told me about huh” The voice asked Markus,

 Markus lifted his head out of his hands and looked to the source of the voice. He saw an old man with glasses and an usually large scar on his neck. 

[Markus] no I’m not uh I’m not new here I just don't get out much heh.

Markus, still very much crestfallen tries to smile but all 

He can manage a weak grin.

[old man] What's your name kid

[Markus] I’m Markus

 [old man] well Markus my name is langston

Langston offers a handshake to which Markus hesitantly accepts.

[Langston] So Markus why are you here sittin the back of venue with an old dog such as myself

[Markus]  I don't know, I'm just not a people person I guess.

Langston studies markus for a moment.

[Langston] Ah you’re the newbie bruno told me about.

[Markus:thought] I told him lived  here for a year.

[Markus] yep that's me

[ Langston] What do you do  for a livin kid

[Markus] well i work at Ramirez burger-

[Langston] Nah son, not your job. What’s your passion kid? What do you want to make with your life?

[Markus] Well I write,or at least I try to.

[Langston] What do ya mean you try

Markus's face saddened, the real problem of the  day had arisen. He had no ideas. He couldn't think of anything to write about, not one  single aspect.

[Markus] I couldn't really start. Even when I want to write, I just can't do it. I can't even think of a setting.

[Langston] All the more reason to get out there.

[Markus] huh

[Langston] I was once an amateur author myself,and I've found that when you're able to connect to the stories of other people. That's where the best inspiration comes from. 

“ for instance"

Langston points over to a woman on the dance floor. 

 "That's Ms Williams,she lost her husband to one of the local gangs that roamed the streets. And that man sitting over there,Sam, Sam used to be one the richest men in the city, until his big head got into a fight with his boss and got fired on the spot. In the end,on some base level every story and the people in them are just like the stories and people out there. So you should join them kid”

Langston had put it all in perspective for me. Ever since I came here I had kept myself in the shadows,hiding from everyone else in plain sight. Well not any more! Starting tonight i was going to get out there and be a functioning piece of society.

Markus stood up from his chair abruptly 

[Langston] I don't know what happened in that head of yours.But I feel like your agreeing with me so go be great out there kid. 

Markus confidently walked on to the open space they called a dance floor. However despite my current bravado. I had two left feet so immediately I tripped flat on my face. And fell right in front of my worst enemy,Remi. 

"Maybe we could be real  friends" I thought to myself. So while I was on the dancefloor somehow not being noticed. Out of all the things I said I said

[Markus] Hey.

That's it, that's all I said for a solid 2 minutes.

[Remi] Markus, get up.

 At Least she remembered my name.