Chapter 2

I didn't feel like I was any different, really, until the first time that I got high. Before that, I was still just Arden Krank, high school freshman, little sister of Dylan and Dalton. But after that May afternoon, I was different. I felt more like who I wanted to be. It wasn't because of getting high - but that day changed my perspective in a lot of ways. Everyone at my high school smoked pot. We were in a small beach town in North Florida - there wasn't much else to do.

When the lunch bell rang that day, Kaden met me at my locker, like any other day. I'd known him almost an entire school year by this point, and, honestly, I considered him my best friend. He texted me funny memes - all the time - and we hung out outside of school, sometimes. Now it was so close to the end of our freshman year, and we really were close.

"Missy," he called out, rounding the corner to meet me. He always called me Missy, for some reason. His thick, brown hair was always too long, shaggy even, but he was really looking less like a little boy. He would be turning fifteen in July.

"Kade," I said back, giving him a hug.

"Let's go, I'm starving. Dane bought us pizza," Kaden went on, grabbed my hand.

I closed my locker quickly and followed along beside him until we reached the back doors that lead us out to the field.

The parking lot was like two hundred feet away, but it was a beautiful day. Hot, even. May and June were my favourite months of the year - when it was warm and sunny but not uncomfortably hot.  My hair was back in a braid, and Kaden tugged at it playfully as we approached Dane's truck. In the back, two pizza boxes were open, some paper plates in a pile next to them.

"What's the occasion?" I asked, my stomach rumbling.

"Our six month anniversary," Lola answered, kissing Dane's cheek. "Plus, I was just craving pizza."

"Oh, well, congrats," I said, smiling at Dane.

He rolled his eyes and tossed Kaden and I plates. "We are skipping fifth period, because I have four joints today and I can't bring them home. Our dad's been checking my bag and drawers."

I swallowed hard, as Kaden dropped a piece of pizza onto the plate in my hand. "I can't. I have a math test."

"Shit. Well, it's not like you participate in getting rid of the weed anyway," Dane went on, teasing me.

And then, out of nowhere, Carson was there. He leaned against the back of the truck, his big eyes were so dark and expressive. I felt happy to see him, as I hadn't seen him all week. I was only fifteen, he was sixteen. But that was one of the first times that I felt so very attracted to him. It wasn't fun being attracted to someone who barely talked to you.

He reached in and grabbed a piece of pizza, without a word.

"Sure, dude, go ahead," Dane laughed.

Carson shrugged. "Thanks. I haven't really eaten in a few days."

Lola smacked Dane, then got a plate with another piece to give to Carson. He took the plate, turning his back to us while he ate both pieces, quickly. When Dane was lighting the first joint, a few minutes later, he turned around to face us again.

"Carson, when are you going to have your own weed?" Kaden asked him, his mouth full of pizza.

Carson took the joint from Lola, taking a long drag. "Next week?"

"Right," Tristan laughed, finishing another piece of pizza. "Well, you owe us, a lot."

Carson just took another drag, then grunted. I noticed a moment later that he was holding it out to me.

"She doesn't smoke," Kaden said right away, as if he should have known this.

"Why not?" Carson asked, looking at me.

"Uh..." I didn't know what to say, so I twirled my braid in my fingers.

"Stop pressuring her," Lola said, but I could tell she was totally joking.

Carson was still just holding out the now half-joint. All I had to do was take it. I looked at Dane, questioning this.

"If you want to, you can," he said, knowing what I was looking at him for. I wanted his approval.

I hadn't thought too much about it before this moment. I'd been around it since September, almost daily. But I knew that Dane and Lola knew my brothers, as they had classes together. Dylan and Dalton were possibly the only two guys at school who didn't smoke pot, as far as I knew. They definitely would not approve if they knew I did.

Lola and Dane must have thought I was a goodie -two-shoes girl who had no friends, when the met me. Or they didn't want to corrupt me. Either way, I took the joint from Carson, avoiding his eyes, and I didn't hesitate to put it too my lips. I sucked in, hard, and held it there, but coughed almost immediately. Kaden laughed, but took it from my fingers, smiling at me. It felt like everything sort of went foggy, almost right away.

"So?" Lola asked, after a minute. "What do you think?"

I couldn't really understand the question, so I just laughed, then reached for another slice of pizza. I took another hit when it came back around to me, then I lay my head back, resting on the cab of the truck.
It felt like I only shut my eyes for a minute, but when I opened them again, I noticed that Tristan and Kaden were gone. Across from me, Dane and Lola were making out, her in his lap again. I let out a sigh and sat up, already moving to get out of the truck. I guess I had to get back to school.

"Don't you have class? Freshman don't usually get free periods," a voice - Carson - asked me.

I felt completely out of it, but shook my head at him. I tried to focus on him, on his beautiful eyes.

"I don't... have to go," I told him, not thinking at all. I was trying to impress him, I guess.

"No? So you skip?" he asked, looking curious.

"Sometimes," I shrugged.

"They call home, you know? Don't your parents care?" he went on, now really looking at me.

"I have it covered," I spat out, shaking my head.

I jumped down off the bed of the truck, hitting the ground harder than I would have liked. When I took a step, I stumbled.

"You don't look like a girl who gets in trouble much," Carson told me, narrowing his eyes.

This was our first real conversation.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," I told him, looking at the school. I felt like I was forgetting something.

We were both quiet for a few minutes, and I watched as he looked at his phone for awhile. When his eyes were on me again, I looked away.

"Why do you hang out out here, with these guys?" he asked, leaning against the front of the truck.

"Why do you care?" I asked back.

He grinned, adjusting his beanie. It was too warm outside for it and I wondered why he was wearing it.  "I don't."

Suddenly I heard the bell ring, off in the distance. I wasn't sure which bell it was, but it sort of snapped me back to reality. Lola leaned over the side of the cab and called to me.

"Arden, didn't you have a test?"

Test. Did I have a test? My brain still felt foggy.

"You skipped fifth? You missed your math test, kid," Dane called.

Shit, yes. I had a math test, and I'd missed it.

"Go," Lola said to me, pointing at the school. "Tell him you were sick."

I nodded, feeling actually sick to my stomach now. I'd never missed a test. But I still just stood there, like I'd forgotten how to use my legs.

"Arden, go," Dane repeated. "Text us later."

"Yeah, okay," I said quickly, tossing my bag over my shoulder.

I didn't even glance at Carson again before running off towards the school.