Page 203 of As the Rain Falls
Two red pills. I’m supposed to take one of each, but I’m not brave enough to do that. I swallow down just one.
“It tastes a bit funky,” I laugh.
I blink hard, waiting for time to pass.
A couple of minutes later, I’m drawing butterflies against the bathroom mirror with my fingers, ignoring some girl who keeps pounding on the door, telling me to get out. As I listen to her yelling, I also start to realize that I don’t know what time it is anymore.
“Come on, Rivera! I really have to pee!”
“Go to the second floor. There’s a bathroom there, too,” I lie, holding back a teary laugh. A guy offered me the pills as soon as I went back to the party.
Let’s have some fun.
I said.Bet.
“There’s no bathroom upstairs, dude.”
I roll my eyes, wiping my tears with the backs of my hands. “Then, go pee behind a bush!”
She lets out another curse before stomping away, and I breathe in and out frantically. I feel worms all over my lips, down my throat, worms where he touched me.
Stop thinking.
My leg keeps bouncing up and down, up and down.I take a bunch of toilet paper and clean up around my eyes, fixing up the smudged mascara.
A few minutes later, the pills start to kick in.
I’m starting to feel good.
Really good.
It’s this nice, buzzy feeling underneath my skin, the nicest feeling in the world. I feel, feel, feel, until I forget what I’m even so fucking upset about. I’m happy and energized like I haven’t been in weeks.
Drugs.
I wanted to try them just once.
What could go wrong? I’m a very strong girl.
Painkillers do nothing to me; they never have. I stopped taking them after the second time Nathaniel hit my head against the wall, almost giving me a fucking concussion. Mom had to keep me in bed for days. My vision got blurry, and I felt so confused.
Just smile, Cassandra. That’s all you need to do today.Mom’s words of advice echo in my head. The thought keeps me going.
I blink again.
Someone enters the bathroom. The noise of the door unlocking is so abnormal, so loud, that I even think the pill is messing with me too much. It’s a girl, as far as I can tell.She’s holding a credit card, the edges slightly bent. Her brown eyes are covered with large-framed black glasses, and there’s just a hint of pink lip gloss on her lips.
Angelina Cardoso.
She didn’t put much effort into getting ready for tonight. In fact, she looks like she just rolled out of bed. Her purple sweater is oversized, hiding her soft, cursed, and tall figure. She’s wearing dark, long pants, concealing her ankles. Every single bit of her is hidden underneath some kind of clothing, and it’s way too hot to be putting on this many layers.
“Oh, it’s you.” She rolls her eyes. “Of course, it is. Like my night isn’t bad enough.”
I wince. “The door was locked.”
“Yeah, that’s why I unlocked it. Make some room, Cassandra.”
“Get out!” I grit out.
