Clouds As Witnesses (RUBY DA CHERRY/$UICIDEBOY$)

Chapter 15

Shay didn't ever expect to be the kind of girl who took emergency contraception in the church bathroom on a Friday afternoon, but here she was downing a plan B with lukewarm tap water in her cap and gown, mere minutes before they had to line up for the graduation ceremony. She gagged as it slid down her throat and stared at herself in the mirror. Not even her makeup could hide the dark circles under her eyes. She really hadn't slept well the night before once Ari had left, but now she could breathe a little easier. The box said to take it within 72 hours, and it had only been eleven. Not that anyone was counting.

She sighed deeply before shoving the empty box as far down into the garbage can as she could. Hopefully whatever janitor emptied it this afternoon would say a prayer for her redemption.

Thankfully, she was able to complete her secret mission alone. She had seen Kate and Mikey a few minutes earlier and had to hide the box in her bra, which was difficult to do with a small chest. But she was glad she got to see them, since she was almost certain it would be one of, if not the last time she would. That sudden realization caused a healthy mixture of sadness and relief. Maybe it was Ari's not-so-subtle influence, but they had been starting to irritate her.

Speaking of Ari, he was eagerly awaiting her outside the bathroom door. If anyone could calm her down, it was him. She could tell he had been anxious about everything that transpired the night before, but he was trying to hold it together for her.

"You okay?" He asked sincerely, loosely wrapping his arm around her waist as they proceeded to the front of the church where the rest of their classmates had amassed.

"Better now." She nodded quickly. "Are you okay?"

He bobbed his head in response, adjusting the cap on his head with his free hand. "Yeah, I know it'll be fine. Just ready for this shit to be over with."

"Are you ready for round two of pictures?"

"No, fuck." Ari tilted his head back in frustration. "I just want to go home and smoke until I pass out."

"That does sound amazing." Shay agreed. "But don't we have that graduation party or whatever tonight? I already told my mom we were going."

"We cooooould..." Ari said casually, side-eyeing her as they situated themselves in line. "Or Scott's homie is throwing a party near UNO, if you'd rather get fucked up."

Say no more.

"I'd definitely rather get fucked up." Shay grinned. "Count me in."

Shay sent a silent thank you to the universe for giving them alphabetically similar last names so they were always together: classes, lockers, shitty school events. She fondly recalled the first time she met Aristos, trying for a solid four minutes to open "her" locker, which was actually his. The office had somehow printed the wrong number on her schedule. He sat and watched her try, too, scaring the ever-loving shit out of her when he finally said "Umm, that's my locker." Then proceeded to compliment her Blink-182 shirt, forever sealing their fate as best friends. By the next school year, they were sharing her locker anyway. It was hard to believe they went from that to this, whatever they were now, in just a few years.

"Okay, students! Listen up!" Their principal's voice rang out from the front of the line, which Aristos silently mocked. She smacked him as hard as she could in the shoulder. As much as she was also under the impression that their principal was an annoying religious headcase, she didn't want to be disrespectful by laughing. She also had no idea what to do since they had skipped the rehearsal to smoke weed. Couldn't blame Ari for that one, though, because it was her idea.

She nudged him in front of her so they could properly get in line, but he objected. "I go behind you, I think."

"U doesn't come after W, idiot." She hissed.