Whispering Pages

High Dream

Ethan jolted awake, his heart racing and his mind clouded with the remnants of the nightmare. He grabbed his phone and saw that it was 4 AM. Just as he was trying to calm himself down, he heard a soft knock at the door.

"Ethan, you okay?" It was Max's voice, filled with concern.

Ethan got out of bed and opened the door to find Max standing there. "Yeah, just had a bad dream," Ethan admitted.

Max gave him a reassuring smile. "Wanna take a walk? Maybe smoke a bit to relax?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment. "You know, I smoked with you last night, but I've always wanted to try it when I'm not so stressed."

Max nodded understandingly. "Totally get it. You don't have to if you're not up for it. But if you're feeling better about it now, we can give it a go."

Ethan thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, let's do it."

They grabbed their jackets and stepped out into the cool night air, ready to face whatever the early morning had in store for them.

As they strolled along the quiet streets, Ethan felt the weight of the dream pressing on his mind. He turned to Max and began, "You know, in the dream, it started off with my mom telling me how much she loved me. It felt warm and comforting, but then things took a dark turn."

Max listened intently, his steps slowing to match Ethan's pace. "What happened next?"

Ethan's voice quivered slightly as he continued, "My dad suddenly appeared in the dream, and he started drinking. His eyes turned cold, and the atmosphere shifted from love to fear. It was like a nightmare unfolding right in front of me."

Max's expression softened, understanding the gravity of Ethan's words. "That sounds intense, man. Dreams can really mess with your head, especially when they hit close to home like that."

Ethan nodded, grateful for Max's empathy. "Yeah, it was pretty unsettling. I guess it's just my subconscious working through some stuff."

Max placed a supportive hand on Ethan's back. "Well, you're not alone in this, Ethan. I'm here for you, no matter what."

Ethan smiled appreciatively, feeling a sense of comfort in sharing his inner thoughts with Max.

Max sparked the joint, taking a deep drag before passing it to Ethan. As he exhaled a cloud of smoke, he turned to Ethan, offering it to him. Ethan hesitated for a moment, intrigued yet unsure. Max reassured him, "You don't have to if you're not comfortable, remember I only use it because if helps with my anxiety."

Ethan considered it, the early morning air cool against his skin. After a moment of contemplation, he tentatively reached for the joint, taking a small puff. The smoke felt harsh in his lungs, but he couldn't deny the sense of relaxation that followed.

Max smiled, seeing Ethan's curiosity piqued. "How do you feel?"

Ethan's eyes sparkled with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "Different, but kind of good. Thanks for sharing this with me, Max."

They continued their walk, the shared moment bringing them closer as they navigated the complexities of their thoughts and emotions together.

Ethan took another small puff before handing the joint back to Max. He glanced at his watch and sighed. "Hey, Max, I gotta head home. I need to sneak back in before my dad heads to work."

Max nodded, understanding. "Yeah, no problem. It was cool hanging out with you last night ."

Ethan smiled. "Definitely. Let's exchange numbers so we can do this again sometime."

They pulled out their phones and quickly exchanged numbers. "Text me when you get home," Max said.

"Will do," Ethan replied, heads off to his place.As he walked away, he felt a sense of excitement about their newfound friendship.

Ethan arrived home as the first light of dawn began to break. He had a bit of trouble climbing back into his window, feeling a little disoriented from being high. After a few clumsy attempts, he finally made it inside, only to fall onto the floor. He lay there for a moment, letting out a small laugh at his own clumsiness. Eventually, he got up, took a quick shower, and changed into his pajamas. Feeling more relaxed, he grabbed his phone and texted Max: "Hey, just wanted to let you know I made it back home. Thanks for everything tonight!"

Ethan opened his door and headed downstairs to get a cup of water. As he reached the kitchen, he was met with a chaotic scene. It wasn't just beer bottles scattered around; there were whiskey bottles and tequila spilled everywhere, along with food strewn across the counters and floor. He sighed, realizing it was going to be a big cleanup job later, but for now, he just needed that drink of water he also walked into the living room and of course he wasn't shocked to see the chaos left behind by his dad and his buddies. The room was also a complete disaster, with more empty bottles, spilled drinks, and food scattered all over. He couldn't help but shake his head at the sight, knowing he would have to clean consequences of their wild night.

Tom Ethan's dad, came downstairs, greeting Ethan with a "Good morning," while grabbing a beer. Ethan chose to ignore him, grabbing a bag to start cleaning up the mess left by his dad and his buddies. As he worked, his dad patted him on the head, but Ethan pulled away, feeling a mix of frustration and determination. Tom taunted him, saying, "Wait until you can unwind like us one day," before heading off to work.