When Different Worlds Collide ✔️

Space- Erik's POV

Erik's POV-

"Erik..." I heard someone call from behind me. "Erik!"

"What?!" I snarled and turned around aggressively.

"Woah dude," Chris said with raised eyebrows and held his hands up in a surrender position.

"Sorry, sorry," I sighed. "I just..."

"I get it, dude. T was a dick to you today, making you take care of all the grunt work and shit. Plus, that punch was totally unnecessary; you just asked a question. You're gonna have a nasty shiner though. Guess he didn't like you two beating him yesterday, huh?" Chris rambled.

"He doesn't like that I've found something that I'm willing to fight him for," I said as I made it to my car that was parked on the curb outside of the trap house. "Need a ride?"

Chris got in without a word, answering my question. As soon as he got into my car, he pulled out a joint and held it up to me. "Wanna light up? Looks like your ass could use it," he said.

I scoffed but nodded. The stench of weed filled my car easily as I drove through the hood to Chris' house, passing the joint back and forth between us. I hoped that the weed would make the stress lessen. I was so stressed out.

"What's up, bro? You don't seem like yourself today."

"A lot on my mind," I answered blandly as I inhaled the smoke into my lungs.

"Erik..." Chris chastised. "It's me. What's up? What's going on?"

"I just..." I sighed and shook my head. "A whole hell of a lot," I answered. "Too much." I pulled up to Chris' house and shrugged, "I'm fucking tired, but not in a physical sense."

"You're overwhelmed," he acknowledged.

"Completely overwhelmed."

"Well, come on dude. Take a load off. I'll listen or not if you don't want to talk. Come not think and just chill," Chris told me easily.

"I can't. I gotta go to Kat's," I told him as I took the last drag off the joint.

"Barbie can make it without you for a few hours. Come hang and chill... Away from her, from your family, from T. Just come chillout. Have a drink, another joint, mom made gumbo last night so we can heat that up," Chris told me breezily. "Stop worrying about everyone."

I looked down at my phone. Kat hadn't called yet, my mom was at home working, Nia was at the shop working, and I had just left T's... At that moment, it seemed that no one actually needed me right then. So why did I feel still feel the heavy load?

"Alright," I finally agreed and shut off my car. "Let's hangout. At least until Kat calls. I need to take a load off.

----

It was seven P.M. by the time Kat called me, not that I was complaining. I had no concept of time by the time she called. Four hours with my best friend had me lit. I was drunk as hell, and he kept rolling fat spliffs too.

"What's up, baby?" I answered the phone with too much of a slur for her to not be tipped off on my intoxication.

"Well, it sounds like you're having fun," she said in a light voice.

"Not as much as we could be having."

"Yo! What up, Kat!" Chris called from across the room while rolling another joint.

"I guess you're hanging out with Chris," she noted.

"Yeah, but I'll ditch him. I'll be over in-"