the EDGE OF THE KNIFE [original]

chapter five

Casey is sitting on Rory's floor, rolling a blunt one of the girl's books as Kimberly walks into the room with a few beers. She looks down at Casey, who is obviously rolling up a blunt.

"So are you suspended now?" Casey nods, muttering the lyrics to the song as she licks the paper, before placing a filter inside and rolling it up. She looks up at Rory and Lily who are playing UNO on the former's bed.

"You guys got a lighter?" Rory shakes her head, but Lily nods, pulling out one from her bra. Casey blurts out a response, before kissing the now warm lighter.

"Just how I like it." Lily scoffs. "Ugh, give it back!"Casey snatches it away from Lily's reach, lighting the blunt. She tosses back the lighter, sits her back on the side of the bed.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to be smoking with a cop outside?" She looks over at Kimberly, who just opened her beer by slamming the edge of the cap on Rory's table. Putting it in between her lips, she gives Kimberly a questioning look.

"Enough about my very legal activities, and 8th high school suspension, what happened with the Ghostface?" Kimberly and Rory share a look.

"None of your business." Casey scoffs, blowing out smoke.

"I would like to know! I'm friends with you guys, I could be next!" Kimberly chuckles, handing the uncapped drinks to Rory and Lily.

"Nobody would wanna touch your ugly ass with a 10-foot pole anyway." Casey smirks, taking another drag.

"You know..." She pauses to blow out smoke. "...that's a lie! Anna Kennedy likes me a lot." Rory's jaw drops. Anna Kennedy had a boyfriend, and hates "sin.". At least that's what her mother said when she insensitively told Rory the attack was a learning lesson.

Rory gives a look, slightly amused by the statement. "Seriously? Like puritan, god-fearing, Anna Kennedy? The girl who will be a virgin until she dies?" Casey smiles, nodding. Lily giggles, sitting back on the wall.

"Yeah, she's fucking freaky dude. She like...licked my guitar once." Lily gags, placing her deck on the bed.

"I don't think that's-" Casey laughs to herself, placing the blunt back in her mouth.

"Um...we're totally gonna snitch on her at church." The group giggles to themselves.

"Lily's right, we should totally tell everyone the truth." A knock on the door grabs their attention. Kim looks at the door with a wary eye. Rory simply assumes it's Heather.

"It's open!" It is Heather who pokes her head in. Kimberly slightly frowns. "It smells like you're being responsible young adults." Casey nods, holding up the blunt.

"Want some?" Heather shakes her head, looking at all of them at once.

"Hey." Rory looks at her intently.

"Henry called, said you left before he could get a statement. Didn't say what it was about. Are you in trouble?" Rory and Kim share a look.

"The ghost face guy is back! It's kinda gnarly." Casey yells. Rory reaches over the edge of the bed, hitting Casey so hard that it knocks the blunt out of her hand. Her eyes widen and she groans, rubbing her head.

"Oh my God, ow?!" Kimberly holds out her hand with a furious glare as Casey picks up the still lit blunt. "Give me the fucking weed before you burn the carpet!"

Casey hands it over, looking up at Heather who is now visibly spooked at the received information she just took in. She looks over to her sister, who is glaring at Casey in anger.

"Why didn't you tell me? Did you tell mom?" Rory shakes her head.

"I didn't wanna worry you guys." Heather sighs, placing her hand on her face. Kimberly and Casey are silently arguing, and Kimberly slightly slaps Casey on the face, making Casey giggle.