FATIMA (YOU series #2)

Chapter 3

And the flashbacks hurt.

-Unknown

Fatima

The three weeks I'd been back passed in a blur. School had resumed, and I had been skipping, but I was attending a dissertation lecture today.

I wore black cotton skim tights and a black long-sleeved turtle neck top. Next, I put on a pair of socks and added leg warmers, then slipped on my black fur moon boots. Finally, I put on a black lv beanie and my cropped Moncler puffer.

I grabbed my things and headed out. I stopped at costa to grab a toastie and a caramel frappuccino, then began my walk to school.

After class, I walked to the food court to get some proper food.

"Tiims", I heard a familiar voice call out.

"Hey guys" I say to Simna, Rabi and Juwairiyah.

"You didn't tell us you were back", they said as we sat.

"It slipped my mind. I've been swarmed with unpacking", I responded.

We all ate, and afterwards, they invited me back to their apartment.

"Who's this," I ask Simna, pointing to the girl I didn't know from a picture she had framed in her room.

I saw a look of hurt settle on her face for a brief moment.

"Um.. that's Jannah", she responds.

"Has she graduated?" I enquired further.

"No, she passed sometime back," She says, her voice barely a whisper.

I could tell she didn't want to discuss it further, so I decided not to probe.

I muttered a prayer for her.

"I've got the goods," Rabi says, ushering us to the living room.

I only knew what she meant by goods once I got to the living room. Juwairiyah was busy crushing weed while Rabi pulled out rizzler paper from her bag. There were tiny ziplock bags with pills in them.

Simna grabbed one and opened it.

"Try this. It's magical stuff," she says, handing me the tiny pill.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's a surprise. You'll have to find out," she says, urging me to take the pill.

"I don't think this kind of stuff is for me", I respond.

"Tiims, have you ever wanted all your problems to disappear, to feel intense happiness, even if it's for a few minutes?" she asks.

"Don't we all want that?" I reply.

"Exactly. For a few hours, you can feel free. You can escape everything that has been weighing on you," she says.

"Just allow yourself to be free, Tiims", she adds.

Slowly I take the pill from her and pop it into my mouth. For a few minutes, I felt normal. Nothing was different. Juwairiyyah passed me the blunt she had rolled, then a lighter.

I ignited the flame and brought it to the tip of the blunt, and it lit up in a cherry red colour. Halfway through the blunt, I started to feel it. Passing it back to juju, I lay on the floor.

I felt vibrations course through my body, and minutes passed as I lay there.

"Guys, I'm hungry," I say.

"Someone has the munchie's," Juju says, giggling.

"Let's order pizza," Rabi says, her speech slurred.