Page 31 of Golden Goal

My apprehension skyrocketsas a thick cloud of smoke smacks me in the face. Leia promised we'd be discreet, but we're anything but that.

"I'm not sure we should be doing this here; what if the smell leaks into our room?" I voice my concern in a hushed whisper, eyeing the bathroom door anxiously.

Leia gives me an incredulous look, her eyes glinting with a mischievous glimmer. "The window is cracked, and we have candles burning," she reassures me with a grin, making a cross-motion over her heart. "I swear we're good."

It's not the most reassuring response, but I decide to take her word for it. We're huddled together under the window in our dorm bathroom. Leia deftly lights the blunt, takes a hit, and then shoots me a sly, mischievous smile before taking another drag and holding her breath. As expected, she soon starts coughing and then offers the blunt to me.

I accept it, pinched between two fingers, and take a drag. The sensation is incredibly relaxing. I hold it in my lungs for a few seconds before exhaling toward the crack in the window. We pass the blunt back and forth until we're both in fits of laughter on the bathroom floor. When the giggles start, we know we've had enough.

We gather our items into the glass jar, the same one that Elliott and Marcus passed down to us when they made it to the NHL. They gave it to us when we were just fourteen, far too young for such things. They insisted that we'd be grateful to have it when the time came.

It was highly inappropriate of them, considering our age and inexperience with the activities that high schoolers are known for. We stashed it deep in Leia's closet, and when we finally wanted to use it, I was amazed we could even find it. It was jammed in the back corner beneath a pile of shoes Leia never wore.

Leia grabs me by the arms and pulls me upright. She holds my face in her hands and squishes my cheeks together like a goldfish. "Let's go get our snacks and put on a movie," she says, her tone playful yet firm.

I yank back out of her hold, a grin spreading across my face at her suggestion. "Hell, yes!"

Leia's hand shoots out, heading for my shoulder. "Oh my god!"

It takes me a minute to register it, but, oh yeah, I said a rather uncharacteristic word. I don't usually swear unless I'm really worked up, because my parents drilled it into my head not to. But when I'm high, all restraint goes out the window.

I can't help but chuckle at her reaction, and in response, she starts laughing too. Before I know it, we're both in the throes of hysterical laughter, doubled over, clutching our aching stomachs.

Once we manage to pull ourselves together, we exit the bathroom. Leia shoves me onto my bed and hops onto her own, snuggling in.

I truly cherish having her company in this shared living arrangement. Back home, it was usually just me and my brother, so having someone around all the time is a revelation. I genuinely love sharing a room with Leia, and I'll be genuinely sad when the day comes that we no longer have to.

I'm aware she doesn't feel the same way, but she never complains. She knows how much it means to me. She claims we're dorming together for the experience, but I understand it's something she did for my sake.

Whoa, I'm thinking way too deep. I need to steer clear of such thoughts before they threaten to bring down my high.

And speaking of being high, it always makes me incredibly hungry.

Oh no! We totally forgot about the snacks.

I fidget around in my bed, restless and eager to satisfy those munchies.

"Leia," I call out.

Silence.

"Leia!"

Still, nothing.

"Leia!"

My shout startles her, and a thud instantly follows her reaction. I sit up to get a better look, noticing her rubbing the back of her head. She must have flinched when I yelled, and it seems she bumped her head against the wall.

"You scared me!" She takes her hand off her head, which I'm sure is concealing a racing heart. "What?"

"We forgot snacks!"

God, yes, snacks. The mere thought brings a wide grin to my face.

Leia lets out a series of moans and groans, grumbling about having to get up and trek down to the common room, where the vending machine resides. Just as she heaves her body into a sitting position, a sudden buzzing sound fills the room, making us both jump, our eyes wide with paranoia.

We lock eyes, panic temporarily overtaking our desire for snacks. "What's that? Find out where it's coming from," Leia instructs.

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