Light Me Up

6: Goodnight, Stoner

"What are you guys talking about?" Beth asks, and my head snaps up in her direction. Alex does the same, but he easily tells her it's nothing. The way she's narrowing her eyes at us tells me she doesn't believe it, but Alex doesn't care. He stands up, and that's our signal to go. Danny, Beth, Brooke and Jamie are all staring at me, so I smile at them, waving as I put my bag on my shoulder.

"Where are ya going?" Brooke asks me. Jamie knows the moment she looks at Alex, I can tell by the look on her face.

"You ass," she smiles at him. All he does is smile back and makes sure I'm next to him before walking outside the cafeteria and toward the back of the school. I knew Jamie would explain to the other three, and Brooke and Beth would probably be mad at me; and Danny... I automatically regret leaving him there with alone, but he's not alone. When I finally stop thinking about my friends, I realize that I'm alone with Alex. I'm alone with a guy who I think is cute, and that makes my heart pound even harder. Once we finally reach the shrubby, hidden area in the back of the school we sit down on the ground. I sit my water bottle next to me so I don't have to cough like crazy.

"Today," Alex begins. "We will be smoking out of a pen."

I laugh, "Oh God."

And we do. I only cough the first time I take a hit, after then I'm fine. We pass it back and fourth, relighting when we need to. At one point it hits me hard and I lean back, "Whoa."

"You good?" he smiles. I nod, and I can't stop the helpless grin on my lips. "I can tell just by looking at you."

"Really?" I ask, and he nods. When we're done smoking, I'm giggling for no reason. Alex is explaining to me why he didn't tell anyone else about what we were going to do.

"Because they would've wanted to come," he says.

"And you're selfish," I smirk, bumping into him as we begin to wander off school property. I giggle when he looks at me.

"I just wanted you to have fun," he says. "Don't call me selfish."

"I'm having fun," I tell him. "I didn't mean it." He grabs the tops of my arms, which makes me giggle again, and he pulls me a little closer to him. I staring into his eyes and I want to kiss him, but everytime I purse my lips I settle into a fit of laughter. I bury my face in my face and soon he's laughing too.

"That Danny guy was like glaring at me because I was sitting next to you today," Alex says. I feel myself pout. "I think he likes you."

"No, no," I shake my head. "You were just in his seat."

"Well, I like his seat."

I giggle, "I like you in his seat."

We wandered around until it was time for us to catch the bus home, and when we got back to school Brooke walked over to us.

"Ryley, I'm very disappointed in you," she was smiling, and that still made me laugh. I wasn't sober yet, but I knew when I went home and took a nap I would be when I woke up. The three of us walked until we found my bus, and I turned to Alex.

"Thank you so so sooo much," I look up into his blue eyes. "You let me know what I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything," he says, and I hug him goodbye, although I want to kiss him. I hug Brooke and walk on to my bus. That's when the panic sets in, the consequences build inside my brain and I'm drowning in them. The walk to where Kaylee, Brad, Frank, Larissa, and Danny are sitting is far too quick, and I'm through contemplating running right off the bus. Danny won't look at me, but Larissa is glaring. Kaylee is oblvious, talking with Brad and Frank. Laughing. I don't want to walk past all of them, and Danny already knows, so I take the empty seat next to his. He still won't look at me.