Ganja on Fourth Street

Chapter Five

Laken Rivera

EJ took me into another building, away from where I was staying. It was a whole different group of buildings with a similar setup. I think it was all considered the projects, though.

"Where are we?"

"My second crib." He answered, taking me up the steps.

We were on the top floor, going to his apartment number, 5E. He took some keys out his pocket and opened the door to a hazy, small apartment that smelled like bare weed. Small kitchen, small living room space with one bedroom. It was barely furnished-only a black couch near the window, a furry rug and a stereo. The walls were plastered with posters of old school rappers and singers like Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Tupac, etc. He also had old records thrown over his rug.

He closed the door behind me and walked over to his kitchen, opening the cabinet above the stove, taking out a bag of weed. I walked over to the couch and sat down, still taking inventory of the place.

"Welcome to EJ's." He said coming over with the bag full of weed, a tray, rolling paper and a lighter.

"This is where you live?"

"I don't live here, but I come here when I just need to get away from everything." He said, sitting next to me.

"Why don't you just live here permanently?"

He shrugged, "Shade would come looking for me. If people found out where my crib was, they'd always bother me and know where I'm at. Wouldn't be a getaway anymore."

He began to prepare his blunt, "Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Have you tried?" He looked at me.

"No...I've never really been exposed to any of that. What is it like?"

"Just know you'll feel like a fucking unicorn." He chuckled as he dabbed the paper with his tongue before rolling it up. He put it up to my lips. At first, I kept them shut. As I looked at him, I slowly parted them as he rested it between them. He took up the lighter and lit it.

"Now just breath."

I inhaled the smoke and immediately grew an awkward sensation that made me cough. A bunch of thick smoke came our my mouth as I continued to cough away the feeling. EJ laughed at me as he took the blunt and began puffing away.

"You suck." He said as he blew out the smoke.

"Well I'm sorry if I've never smoked before."

"Want to try again?" He held it up to me again.

I took it and took another drag. I got the same feeling, but tried not to cough too much. As EJ realized I was getting the hang of it, he rolled up another blunt for himself. He leaned back as he took a drag and closed his eyes. I watched as he did it so relaxed. I tried to mimic him in the same way, leaning back in the couch, taking long slow drags. I closed my eyes and let the high kick in.

_

I opened my eyes to a dim lit apartment and a calm old school instrumental. I looked next to me and saw EJ knocked out. I tapped his leg and shook him a bit, instantly waking him up.