CHERYL POV:
Toni hobbles on her crutches into the school hallway, her left leg in a bright blue cast. Her motorcycle crash had been the talk of the town for days, and now, all eyes were on her as she navigated the crowded corridor in her wheelchair. Despite the pain and embarrassment I felt for her, Toni doesn't seem to mind. This isn't the first time she's done something stupid like this. Whispers and concerned glances follow Toni, but she ignores them, focusing on getting over to me. She sighs in relief as she finally gets over to me. "You're a sight for sore eyes." I say quietly. She smiles. "How are you feeling?" I ask her. "Still a little high on, meds I was totally prescribed by my doctor, totally not weed." She says smiling. "I can see it in your eyes." I tell her. "I'm hungry." She whispers. "Let's get you to the cafeteria. Before breakfast is over."
My expression softens as we sit on the couch in her bedroom. I watch as Toni expertly rolled a joint and lights the joint and takes a deep drag, exhaling slowly. She hands it to me nonchalantly. "Toni, I have to drive home." I whisper. "It's Friday and my parents are away." She says quietly. "Yeah! That's true. I'd be sleeping over anyways." I say taking a puff, coughing a little as the smoke fills my lungs. She smiles. "Never getting used to that babe!" I whisper. "It gets easier." We pass the joint back and forth, the room slowly filling with a hazy cloud. My initial anxiety melts away, replaced by a warm, giggly sensation. We lie back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling and laughing at nothing in particular. The world outside fades away, leaving just the two of us in our bubble of hazy comfort. "Why do you have a couch in your room?" I ask her. "I like it and to give other people places to hang out in my room." She tells me. "Oooh!" I drag out.
As the high envelopes us, the worries and pains of the real world seemed distant and insignificant. After a while, the laughter fades into a comfortable silence. I turn my head to look at Toni, her face relaxed and serene. "You know, I don't think I've ever felt this close to anyone before." I admit softly. Toni reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Me neither. It's like... everything else just falls away, and it's just us." I nod, feeling a deep sense of connection. We lie there for a while longer, hands intertwined, the room growing darker as the evening turns into night. Eventually, the munchies hit, and we find ourselves rummaging through her kitchen for snacks, giggling as we create strange food combinations that only make sense in our current state. Back in her room, we settle back onto the couch, surrounded by crumbs and empty wrappers. The haze of the high has mellowed, leaving a soft, lingering warmth. "You know." I say, my voice dreamy. "I think this is one of those nights we'll always remember." Toni smiles, leaning her head against my shoulder. "Yeah, we're too high." As we drift off to sleep, the last remnants of laughter still hanging in the air, I feel a profound sense of contentment. In this small, hazy bubble, we've found a place where nothing else matters but the simple joy of being together. And as the night deepens, we know that whatever the future holds, we'll face it side by side, just like we always have.
