Love, Drugs, and High School

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Ryan

          Every ounce of me willed to go upstairs and comfort her, but I knew that it would only make things worse. This was the exact reason that I didn’t want her uncle to find out. I knew that he hated me. Why wouldn’t he? And of course he was going to hate even more that his niece is dating me.

          After walking far enough away from her house, I lit up a cigarette. How did he even know that they were in ‘danger?’ It was just the fire alarm.

          It wasn’t a far walk from my house to Annabelle’s. Maybe seven blocks, ten at the most. Once I was walked in the door, I could smell the alcohol, a smell that I had acquired at a young age.

          “Oh Ryan, you must be home. I was just about to order food, but make me something.” She slurred. I was having a difficult time understanding and he had dealt with this every day for years.

          “I’m not staying home.” I said flatly. “I’m going out, right now.” That was all I said as I walked back out of the house. Dealing with her today was not something that I was up for. Plus, Derek just texted me and asked me to meet him. That was always a good sign.

          “You wouldn’t leave your poor old mother alone, would you?” She slurred, tripping over her own feet and face planting onto the couch.

          “Actually, yeah, I would.” I muttered quietly, shutting the door behind me.

          The car ride to the cemetery, I heard a pestering voice in my head. “You promised her that you wouldn’t do anything that severe again.”

          “Yeah, and I don’t plan on it,” I thought. Why did voices have to pester me about doing the right thing? When did I ever care about doing the right thing? Oh that’s right…never.

          “So what you are driving to isn’t anything bad?” The voice in my head mocked. Why did this have to be so damn difficult! I was just going to pick up my stuff, get the high that I really needed, and continue life. It had been working fine for me so far.

          “Listen, I’m just getting a little high. Nothing bad.” Wow. Now I’m talking to the voices in my head. Damn I really am going insane.

          Doing the best that I could to clear my head, I pulled my car over in a parking lot of an abandoned building and walked a quarter mile up the road to the cemetery.

          Derek was standing right outside, exactly where he said he would be. Relief washed away any doubt that I would have had.

          There was a buzzing in my pocket, but I couldn’t check my phone now. “How’s it going?” I asked. Hopefully he wasn’t pissed.

          “Well, I know that you turned me into the cops, you little snitch.” His voice was harsh, but he deserved it. “This is the last batch that I will be able to get to you directly, now with the cops up my ass, but I can make connections happen.” He said, handing me a bag that could fit in my back pocket.

          “So I see you’re getting in trouble with the cops now, huh? Stepped it up to the big leagues?” My phone started to buzz again, but this time, it was a call, not just a text.

          “Ha, yeah…I’m really sorry about the thing with the cops. That was nothing against you. And I got to go.” Derek just nodded his head in recognition and in forgiveness.