MONEY TREES, gossip girl [DISCONTINUED]

14

tw! kinda graphic drug use, romanticization of said drug use, morbid thoughts

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
LIVED AND LEARNED
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CRISTIAN has rules for when he uses. He tries his best to stick to them, and if he happens to stray from them, he holds himself accountable and puts himself back on track.

Rule #4:
Do not operate machinery.

This is not only limited to large equipment or cars, but also his skateboard. One night of percs, a skatepark, and a sprained wrist deters him from ever touching his board while inebriated again. Public transport or walking is the way to go.

Rule #3:
Use the bathroom. Frequently.

Cristian absolutely does not want a repeat of that night. A simple rule, but a total lifesaver, in his humble opinion.

Rule #2:
Pace yourself.

The last thing Cristian wants is another overdose. He learned from the first one. Take it slow. It's better for him to underestimate how much he can take than overestimate.

Rule #1:
No matter what, don't get worse

This rule sounds stupid, Cristian is fully aware of that, but within his mind it makes perfect sense. It may not seem like it, CJ's rather stubborn about what he ingests. He has a strict list of dos and don't.

The do's include: weed, nicotine, opioids like Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Codeine, and the occasional hit of E or drop of acid. He can handle these, and he would even stretch to call them cool, if it weren't for his near-death experience.

The don'ts? Cocaine, Fentanyl, Heroin— the hard stuff, essentially. Cristian is scared shitless of becoming dependent on those drugs, so he never lets himself even tempt the idea of it. Even he knows there's no coming back from that. He has the D.A.R.E. program to thank for those fears.

Cristian is past the point of denial. There is no more trying to pretend he's not using again, no pretending he doesn't want to. CJ is back where he started, and he figures the best thing to do is put his safety net back in place and pray it catches him this time.

Cristian can do it better this time. He knows he can. He found his flaw and he fixed it. It won't happen again. He's lived and he's learned.

Maybe Cristian didn't learn the right things, but he learned regardless.

CJ brings the key to his nose, inhaling the crushed Oxycontin. He falls back against the wall of the bathroom stall, head hitting the hard, plastic barrier as the chemicals flood his system.