chapter two: now do you think you love me mary jane?
We sat in Reed's basement. It's a spacey room, with a big screen floor TV located near the front of it. To the side of it was a bookcase full of movies, and in the middle of the room were two couches across from each other with a wooden table in between them.
On said wooden table, were magazines and an ashtray, as well as a large bowl full of snacks that we were about to go through because as we're sitting on the couch, Reed, Eli, and me were passing a blunt back and forth.
"Aren't you scared your parents are going to walk in on us?" I ask as I exhale the smoke and pass it to Eli.
"Nah. They're too busy being mad at each other to even care about what I'm doing." Reed shrugs.
"What are they mad about?" Eli asks before he takes a hit.
When he exhaled, he blew out three smoke rings, then blew the rest of the smoke in between the O's.
"Show off." I whisper to him jokingly, and he simply rolled his eyes.
"I don't know. They've been mad at each other for days now. Just completely ignoring each other." He said as he took the joint from Eli.
Reed's parents are so in love it's almost sickening. They met in high school, and have been together ever since. It was almost hard to believe that they've been together for so long. So it was kind of unusual for them to be so mad at each other that they're just avoiding each other.
"You don't think they're getting a divorce, do you?" I question.
"Divorce isn't even an option for them." Reed said as he blew the smoke. "They'll work it out."
I decide not to speak more of it, and I took the joint from him and inhaled. The soothing feeling hitting me with every ounce of smoke filling my lungs. I leaned against the couch and closed my eyes, feeling completely at ease.
"Yo, I think Ghost Boy is high already."
I opened my eyes to glare at Reed. "I'm not high. Just peaceful."
Eli nodded at Reed. "He's high." He leaned over and reached for the package of cinnamon wheels and handed them to me.
I love cinnamon wheels.
I opened the pack and grabbed one, shoving the entire thing in my mouth. The sweet flavor only added onto the high. I was in heaven.
"Are you guys seriously getting high without me?"
My eyes shot open, bringing me out of my daze. It doesn't hit me that I fell asleep until I realize that I hadn't finished the semi-chewed cinnamon wheel in my mouth. I finished the soggy, now flavorless pastry and turned to the steps to see who was speaking. Blake. He was dressed in his work uniform and held his book bag over his shoulder.
"Shut up before my parents hear you." Reed snapped at him, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And Casper's already high, so you're late."
Blake walked down the steps and around the couch to where we sat.
"I'm not high." I repeat.
Blake took a seat next to me, and examined my face. I merely sat there, staring at him while he stared at me. Blake shook his head and let out a laugh.
"Ghost is high as a kite." He announced the obvious, then looked at Reed. "His eyes are redder than that time you got sunburned at the water park."
"Shut up." Reed said.
I reached into the package of cinnamon wheels again and stuffed another in my mouth. Blake pulled his "Quick Stop" short sleeve shirt over his head, the place he worked (a gas station), as well as the long sleeve he wore under it. Now that he was wearing a tank top, his numerous tattoos on his chest, arms, and shoulders were able to be seen.
"I know you get hot in that goddamn shirt everyday." I comment, staring at Blake.
He took it upon himself to roll another joint, put it in his mouth, and lit it. As he exhaled the smoke, he passed it to Reed.
"Of course I do." He said. "But it's work rules. Can't risk exposing —" He used air quotes next, "bad things to children."
Reed scrunched his face up at Blake. "Dude, I've seen all of your tattoos. I don't see how any of them pose a risk to a child's development."
I turned to face Blake and tell him, "I lost all my respect for you when you got that butterfly tatted on your stomach, just so you know."
Blake grabbed one of my cinnamon wheels and took a bite from it. "That's because you don't understand the symbolic meaning behind butterflies." He took the blunt back from Eli, took a drag, and exhaled smoke before speaking again.
"Butterflies represent transformation. New life. Change. You assholes wouldn't understand anything about that."
Reed grabbed one of the pillows he was laying on and threw it at Blake. "Shut up, you pothead."
**
"I'm thinking about writing a TV show pilot and selling it to Hollywood. " Blake said, stuffing a Dorito in his mouth. "Get this — Middle aged man, high school chemistry teacher, diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, three years left to live even with chemo. He has a teenage son, and a wife who's pregnant with their next child. He partners with a former student of his, and they make pure meth out of an RV and build one of the largest drug empires in the world."
We all stare at Blake like the idiot he is.
"You mean Breaking Bad, moron?" Eli asked bluntly.
"Yeah." Blake nodded. "That's what I want to name it."
Reed, Eli, and I all exchange looks. This is typical Blake when he's high. Any other time when he's not on cloud nine, he behaves like he has a functioning brain. And he should because he's an honor student. Blake's the oldest out of all of us, a senior, and he's getting ready to head off to college next year. He's got a full scholarship to NYU, where he plans to major in Film. Sometimes, he pitches us his ideas on what he wants to direct or write. And when I say sometimes, I mean when he's high. And often, these ideas of his are shows and movies that already exist. Last week, it was The Walking Dead, and the week before that was Westside Story. We have yet to hear something of his own creation.
"Breaking Bad already exists, dipshit." Reed tells him as he makes his way through his third bag of chips.
"Really?" Blake asks, his tone one of disheartening. "I tell you, writers these days can't come up with their own ideas."
I look at my phone and see that it's eight at night. Any other time I would be panicking right now, but these donuts I'm eating are absolute heaven that I can't even bring myself to be worried. Underneath the time, I see a message from Caden.
Caden
i know you're high as shit because you would have been in the house by now. mom and dad think you're already here but i need to know right now if you need me to pick you up before they notice
"Hey Eli," I say monotonously as I read the message.
"Caden's picking me up. You want a ride home?"
"I would appreciate it." He replies.
To: Caden
c an you take eli home too ?/??
Caden reads the message instantly and texts back.
Caden
yeah but i'm going to have to drop you off at the house first and then take him home. i'm on my way. be there in 10
I stand up from the couch. "Alright, Eli. Caden's on his way. He's dropping me off first before you."
Eli stands as well. "Cool with me."
We say goodbye Reed and Blake and head upstairs. Mr. and Mrs. Omen aren't anywhere in sight and I don't want to take the risk in saying goodbye and have them see us looking like stoners. So we wait outside on the porch for Caden to arrive.
"I'm so hungry right now." Eli says.
"You shouldn't be." I snort. "You went through a whole can of Pringles in under five minutes."
"You have no room to judge." Eli said with a grin. "Mr. I-Got-High-After-Nine-Hits."
"Dude, that stuff had to have been laced." I shook my head.
"It's not laced you're just terrible to get high with." Eli jokes.
Caden's 2002 grey Mercedes pulls up, and he honks the horn loudly.
"Come on, stoners!" Caden shouts. "Hurry up. We need to get going."
Eli and I walk to the car, me in the front and him in the back. The sound of the radio playing a Kanye West song fills the entire car.
Caden passes me a water bottle as well as one to Eli
"Drink that. And quick." He instructed. "Make sure your eyes aren't too red."
Caden, like I said before, is my brother. He's older than me by two years. I can come to him for anything. He's had my back since the beginning and he always will. He's nineteen, and should be at college right now, but he fucked up in his senior year and didn't get enough credits before final grades were made. He didn't walk across the stage with the other students because he had to go to summer school to get the other credits he missed out on. Currently, he's taking classes at a community college a few miles away from the house. He's doing this because he's not quite sure what he wants to major in and he doesn't want to waste mom and dad's money on slacking off and being an undecided major. The community college gives him time to think before he makes the decision to go to a university. I know he doesn't think it, but Caden's a smart kid. He just needs to stop fooling around.
"Can we go to McDonalds?" I whined, still feeling hungry.
Caden frowns. "No, you potheads. We're on a strict time limit. Maybe next time."
We drive for the rest of the time not saying a word, just listening to the songs on the radio. It only takes five minutes to get to our house, and Caden unlocks the door for me. Before I get out, he gives me more instructions.
"Last time I checked, mom and dad were in the kitchen. They could be anywhere by now. Be careful, be quiet, don't let them see you, and take a shower as soon as you get upstairs."
I nodded and opened the door. "Text me when you get in the house." I say to Eli, and he nods. I get out and closed the door behind me.
The car pulls off as I'm walking up the porch steps. I reach into my pocket and grab my key, and unlock the door. I push the door open slowly, and keep my walking light. The TV in the living room is on, an episode of Criminal Minds playing. As soon as I hear it, I begin to say my prayers and mentally prepare my will because I know for a fact that my parents are there watching it.
When I muster up the courage to get in, I see that they aren't there. But there is talking in the kitchen. Quickly, but quietly, I make a dash up the stairs. I made it. I throw my bag in my room and begin stripping so I can get in the shower.
I empty almost the entire bottle of body wash on my body to rid the smell of weed. I shampoo my hair just in case any of the smell still lingered.
I step out, wrap a towel around my waist, and walk out of the now steamy bathroom. The first person I see is my dad, and I immediately start panicking. My heart race picks up as I'm staring him eye to eye. Me and my dad were the same height, six feet. But Caden was taller than the both of us. Growing up, Caden would rub it in my face how he was always at least three inches taller than I was, and it made me mad to no end. I did everything to try to make myself taller. Stretching, vegetables, dairy products, and even praying to God. While I never got to be exactly six feet two like him, I took the best I could get.
"Didn't hear you come in earlier, son." He said. "Where were you?"
I shrugged a shoulder and came up with the best lie I could in my impaired state. "I was at Reed's. We were chilling at his place and I got back at around six."
Dad nodded. "How are his parents doing? Still fighting?"
"Yeah." I told him. "I didn't see them, though. But Reed says they'll sort it out themselves."
My dad was about to say something, but he stopped himself. He stared me in the face, like he was examining something.
"Your eyes are a little red, Cas." He commented, still looking. "Are your allergies messing with you?"
I shook my head. "Nah, It's just the steam from the shower. No big deal."
Dad let out an "ah" and slapped me on the shoulder. "Well, if you're hungry, there's food in the kitchen. Your mom made spaghetti."
"Thanks. I'll be down in a minute."
He says okay and walks off into his room, and I head into mine to get dressed. I rummage through my dresser and pull on a pair of joggers and a tank top. I open the door and see that Caden's coming up the stairs and going into his room. Before he goes in, I thank him.
"Cad." I say.
He turns around when he hears me, his eyes landing on me.
"Thanks for tonight." I say.
He merely shrugged it off. "No problem, bro." Then he went in his room and closed the door.
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a/n: sorry this sucked, but it gets better!!! also #fuckdonaldtrump