Mischievous

1: Marijuana and the Importance of Proper Radiator Maintenance

Jonny instantly felt the intense rush of euphoria as he pulled the slider out from the bong, which he'd cradled between his legs on the seat. In less than a second, his lungs became filled with smoke as he'd tried his best not to cough. His knee hugged the steering wheel firmly, keeping the car straight as his right hand scrambled towards the shifter. The pressure was building up inside his chest, causing him to finally let out a series of deep coughs. A cloud of smoke emanated forth, which was then cast in an eerie, green glow by the dim lights of the gauges.  "You pussy, I knew you couldn't hold that shit in", Zach's snide voice beckoned from the backseat. Jonny ignored him, keeping his eyes on the darkened road as he passed the bong and lighter to his right. "This would be a hell of a lot easier if your car actually had cruise control", Rick had remarked from his perch up at shotgun. "Oh yeah? Are you gonna pay for a new car?", Jonny shot back, still exhaling smoke as he downshifted for a tight corner. "No power steering, no airbags, no power locks, no power windows, a fucking stick-shift, and it's rustier than my old man when his drunk ass tries to trim our hedges. You need to upgrade, my friend", mused Zach from the rear as he gazed out at the endless sea of trees. "My ass", was all that Jonny could think to respond with as he guided the car through the night. His blatant inebriation had brought a thick glaze over his eyes, preventing the need to blink while simultaneously increasing his peripheral. "DEER!!", screamed Rick as he pointed out the windshield, but Jonny had already depressed the clutch and mashed on the brake. The ancient VW Rabbit screeched to a halt with the ass end nearly sideways, directly in front of the three doe who'd decided to make their own crosswalk upon the two lane blacktop. All three of the boys paused from the sudden jolts of adrenaline that were surging through their bodies like shockwaves, combined with the added paranoia from the weed they'd been smoking. Rick had decided to break the silence. "So, that shit they taught us about this bud giving a delayed reaction time...I guess you're fucking exempt from that?", he'd pointed out, almost rhetorically. "Guess not", Jonny tried his best to act cool, only to be taunted and mocked further by his friends for doing so.

These nightly drives had become something of a routine for the group during the final weeks of summer, which had just ended a few days earlier. Jonny had just started his senior year, the final stint of high school before being cast out into the Real World. On the other hand, Rick and Zach had just graduated a few months prior. With each set to begin their college courses in only a few days, they seemed to be exuding an increasing sense of arrogance as the summer had dwindled. The three had known each other for years and looked forward to these nightly cruises through the middle of nowhere. As they'd all still lived at home, it was a bit hard to keep their weed habits a secret from their families. So, they hit the backroads and prayed for the best. These three, like their contemporaries, had a deep-seeded hubris that caused them to firmly believe the notion that marijuana did not hinder their motoring abilities...especially the one at the helm. Even though it had made him sound like a complete and utter moron, Jonny had always professed that weed had actually, in fact, made him a better driver. Although he had no evidence to support this, he still maintained the conviction to any ears that cared to listen. Jonny wasn't necessarily the type of kid who was good at sports, he'd given those up years ago for lack of interest. He'd also tried band during middle school, but detested the uniform and robotic marching, so he'd quit that, too. In short, Jonny's sole extracurricular activity consisted of sending himself into the highest form of intoxication possible. In school, he did the absolute bare minimum, barely passing each class. This was mainly due to his refusal to perform homework or study for tests, two wastes of time that limited his schedule for getting as twisted as his meager budget would allow. In the actual classroom, he tended to act like a model student and gave the teachers his full, undivided attention. However, Jonny only did this to avoid future backlash from the faculty for his other shortcomings, which had only befuddled his teachers further.