Page 17 of Lost in Life

Me

*eyeroll emoji* *middle finger emoji*

Hollis

*kissy face emoji* See you at the party babe.

Setting my phone down, I shake my head as I boot up my laptop, clicking open the email from Hollis. The computer screen fills with every aspect of West’s life since he left three years ago. My heart aches at the sad picture the information paints.

Shortly after leaving, he turned to selling opioids on the streets to survive. From there he fell into an even rougher crowd, having recently served eight months after getting caught with a small amount of product in his possession. Luckily for him, his lawyer was able to talk down the judge as it was his first offense, with the spin that he was just holding the drug, not selling.

For whatever reason, the public defender was able to get the bleeding heart judge to believe the lie, reducing his sentence greatly from the potential ten years he could have gotten.

My heart aches for all that he has had to go through. Life hasreallynot been kind to him.

Pushing away from the table, I walk toward my room, pulling out a joint from my small stash. Inhaling from the rolled marijuana, I feel a calmness spread through my body. My mind sharpens as my body relaxes. Only a couple puffs, that’s all I need to center myself enough to focus, but not too much that I veg out on the couch all day.

Giggles erupt from my chest as West doubles over coughing so hard he almost pukes.

“Not-” He coughs, wheezing in small puffs of air. “N-not funny, Nova.”

I laugh harder, my vision hazy from the effects of the weed. West shoots me a glare, tears streaming down his face from the force of his hacking. Wiping his cheeks with his sleeve, he hands me the joint, demanding, “Your turn, giggles.” Sinking back into the couch, he watches me with hooded eyes as I take another hit.

Blowing out the smoke, I examine the rolled paper in my hand. “Just how mad do you think our moms would be if they found us right now?” I giggle again, rolling the joint between my fingers.

West watches as the smoke swirls in front of our faces. “Pretty fucking mad. They might even ground us.” He holds my gaze, his expression deadly serious for only a second before his lips twitch. The small break throws us both into a fit of laughter.

Getting caught up in the joy, I forget I’m holding onto something literally on fire. “Ouch.” I hiss, the cherry falling off and landing on my knee. My focus remains fixated on the red glow burning it’s way through my jeans.

“Nova, what the fuck?!” West exclaims, shooting up and swatting the ember away, stomping on it with his shoe. He rips the joint from my hand, putting it out on the small ashtray sitting on the ground next to us. “Are you okay?” He asks, examining my knee.

I wave off his concern, pulling him back down next to me. “I’m perfect.” I murmur, leaning my head on his shoulder, the drug-induced calm settling a lifetime of anxiety.

In moments like these, I feel the most like who I was meant to be. The concerns of our everyday lives can’t affect me, not when we’re here together and able to let go of it all.

I shake off the memory, snatching my keys from my nightstand.

Go time.

West

Lying back on the bed, I stare up at the ceiling. A thin layer of smoke swirls around me from the cigarette dangling between my fingers. My mind wanders as I watch the tendrils move and dissipate. Their existence feeling about as meaningful as my own.

Drowning in the melancholy feelings, I can’t keep my mind off ofthem. Off of my once best friend. No matter how hard I’ve tried, I can’t stop. Like a man possessed. My every waking moment is spent thinking of all the ways to win them back into my life, no matter how detrimental that promises to be.

I need them.

My eyes drift toward the small dresser tucked in the corner of my room. I cringe at the sight of the box sitting atop it, a stupid plan I’m sure.

They probably don’t even like them anymore.

Groaning, I fling my arm over my eyes, ignoring the stabbing pain the movement causes. I might have gone a little hard on the booze last night, but I needed something to numb this increasingly painful ache I feel at knowing Nova is so close yet too far all at once.

My phone buzzes beside me, the sound thundering loud in my hungover brain. Squeezing my eyes shut, I lift my arm from my face and slap it around the bed until my fingers brush against the cell phone. Slowly pushing upright, I blink my eyes open and try to focus on the text.

Rex

Go time jailbait

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