This wasn't your scene. Not in the slightest. You'd think being a sophomore at UCLA, you would have gotten used to the parties right now. Spoiler warning: you weren't. You'd only come because your friends pressured you. You loved them to death, and you know they just wanted you to have fun, but you were seriously regretting saying yes.

You wipe your sweaty palms on your jeans, as people bump into you from all sides. Your ears were ringing from the music, you arm was sticky after someone spilt a drink on you, and you felt your head spinning because of the lights flashing - or your anxiety, you weren't too sure of anything right now.

You needed to get out. Now.

You swallow and make a beeline for the only exit you see, a glass sliding door that leads to the backyard of the frat house. You squish through throngs of drunken dancers, couples grinding on each other, and big senior boys with booming voices. You feel your heart racing faster, and your vision blurring.

You finally reach the door, force it open, and stumble out into the dimly lit porch, cool air washing over you. You slam the door shut and walk over to the fence of the porch, gripping it tight as you try to regulate your breathing.

You were used to panic attacks, you had them all the time. They were always the same. You'd feel your hands go clammy, and your head spin. Then your breathing came quicker, and your eyes welled with tears. In a few minutes, you'd be okay again - just like you always were.

It was frequent, predictable, and expected.

What wasn't expected, was the deep voice that echoed from behind you, interrupting the mantras you were reciting in your head.

"Can I help you?" It asks.

You spin around, startled. Your eyes land on a boy. Matthew Harlow. He's comfortably sprawled on a camp chair, one hand tucked into the pockets of his gunmetal grey hoodie, the other dangling off the armrest, with a lit cigarette between his index and middle finger.

He raises an eyebrow, his dark eyes trained on you as he takes a lazy drag, clearly waiting for an answer.