The Baneflower

Chapter 12

Riley
Diana, Toby, Greyson, and McKenna were waiting for me at the entrance.
"Let's go to Math, we're late." I tell Diana. She sits there in silence, looking a little afraid. Greyson looked almost mad. I don't know what's going on. Toby looked away, and I was confused.
"Riley." Greyson walks towards me.
"Meet us after school, you have to try it soon." Greyson insists, handing me a packet. It was a couple of grams. I look at my hands and it held something illegal, something that makes people high.
Drugs.
And I held it, not letting go. I look at it, a plant, something you smoke.
"I can't." I snapped. Something in me told me I will never. But at the same time, half of me wanted something new, something mesmerizing. Something illegal, the thrill of it.
I was bad, but is that bad?
I was starting to question myself, and then I saw a teacher walking by.
"Fuck, hide it." McKenna spit.
I held it, crushing it a bit.
"Hurry, Math." I muttered, and Diana followed me.
-
"Why do you have that in your hands? Riley, what the hell?" Morley started lecturing me. Hah, as if he's any better than my friends.
"Don't you do drugs? Morley?" I ask, and he rolled his eyes.
"Twice, I was forced to, okay?" He retorts, sounding irratated.
"Right, okay calm the hell down." I say, and laughed. It was lunch in the alleyway again in the middle of November. Cold, but has this grunge feel you can't aquire from anyone else. I even painted a few things.
"Riley, you are officially a grunge kid." Morley announced.
"An A Grunge Student. A new type of person." I smiled.
"Yo, I have to throw this away somewhere." I hid the packet it my jacket.
"Don't even. It costs money. Sell it to someone or something." Morley suggested.
"I'm not a godamn drug dealer!"
"Fine, give it to me." Morley grabbed it right out of my hands.
"What if you're caught?"
"I'll get expelled." Morley simply says without hesitation.
"Then you can't go to a good college and get a good job." I pointed out.
"Only you want to be a Doctor Riley, not me." Morley says.
I nod. It was silent. Then he told me what happened this morning. About this girl named Lina. How complicated it was and what happened. His problems, his wishes, his challenges. I listened to every little thing. I learned a lot about him.
Funny thing is.
He knows nothing about me.