SHE SAID LOVE IS FOR THE BIRDS // ADDICTION

The Night Begins

It was around midnight, the time before the night begins and the neighborhood was much more alive now, as long as I could remember it's always been dead during the day, there was just something about the night that was never the same in daylight. They way people talked, the way you felt about a person, those moments that always seem to slip away when the sun comes up.

As we walked we passed numerous houses that had music blasting out all the windows and drunk people who were probably beyond fucked up, along with groups of boys walking down the road with that intimidating auora to them. When you pass those types of guys it's best to just mind your own business, to not even look in their direction, I would know because I used to be one of them. That's just the way it's always been; you can't look at someone a certain way, it's considered disrespectful, and I'm pretty sure you get what happens by now if you disrespect someone.

We made our way to 13th steeet, passing through dark alleys and in between houses, Maddie held tightly onto to my arm, blabbering about some girl she didn't like and why she was such a 'dumb bitch' as Maddie put it. I usually just nod and that's enough to make her think I have any interest in what she's talking about. Sure we joke and have a lot good fucked up conversations, but from what I've seen it seems every girl always finds their way to the irrelevant rant. Maddie's basically the only girl I'll let blabber on about whatever she's talking about, other girls I won't even stay long enough to have a decent conversation.

***

We finally arrive at house 594, or what most people would call a 'crackhouse.' No one really lives here, its just a place where people go to party or get high, there's usually a lot of fiends here, but there's also a lot of drug dealers, it's like the jackpot for the both of them.

Back when I was homeless I would stay here most of the time, I'd sleep in the room down the hall with two other boys, we'd always have to put something against the door to prevent the tweakers from bothering us, and hide our bags that had all our belongings in it. I learned that the hard way, the first night I slept there I fell asleep in the same room as some old guy, he was already passed out so I didn't give it much thought. The next morning I woke up and almost everything I had was gone from my backpack, including all my clothes.

It's not as bad as it seems though, there's always a lot of cool people who hang around, like some of the boys I used to party with, and a lot of hot girls.

We walk up the steps and are greeted with nods and drunken smiles, a couple guys giving me a broshake even though I didn't know them. Every time we come here we end up making new 'friends', considering everyone's always high or on some shit that makes them in a good mood it's not hard to get along with each other.

I missed this, being locked up for an entire year with nothing to do but work out or play cards is fucking boring compared to what I used to do. At least in the pen I put on a couple pounds, before I went in I was a bit of an addict, skinny as fuck and looked like a zombie. When you get addicted to that shit you dont even know it, I always used to say 'I can stop if I want to, I'm not gonna end up like her, I'm not gonna end up like him.' But I was wrong. I didn't even see the way I was changing, I couldn't even start the day without a hit, the only motivation I had was what the dealer was supplying.

Being locked in a literal cage for a year kept me away from it, I was sick for the first two months, fucking feigning for the high, I'd lay in bed all night tossing and turning from being dopesick. But I got my act together, started eating again and working out, and now I feel better than ever. One thing I'll miss about the pen is the three meals a day.

"Maddie!" A girl squeals from the front door, I look up to see a short girl with brown hair running down the steps in her red heels. Maddie smiles and run towards her as they embrace each other in an overdramatic hug.