The Life of a Teenage Drug Addict

Chapter 6

   I sat at my computer, staring at the notes in front of me and unconsciously hitting the space button continuously. I'd always had a hard time studying. Sometimes I blamed it on the medications I'd taken as a kid after being misdiagnosed with ADHD, but I knew it was just because of the stress or too much on my mind. What was on my mind now: the party.
   I usually avoided parties, unless I felt safe going. And Angelo's parties were definitely not what I'd deem safe. But this one was weighing in the back of my mind like a wasps nest.
   This was my senior year, was I really going to skip out on another party to study? I could study tomorrow. Or even Sunday. I could take one day for myself, right?
   As my mind was made up, I slammed my laptop shut, making sure to log out this time, and quickly ran to change my outfit, eventually settling for a crop top, shorts, a nice, think silk kimono my dad got me from a business trip to Japan two years ago, and my favorite sneakers. Wedges would've looked better with the outfit, but I had the grace of a newborn giraffe and didn't want to risk breaking my neck.
   "And where are you going?" My mom asked as I trampled down the carpeted stairs. She was still dressed in her work clothes, perfectly manicured nails tapping her wineglass.
   "Oh, a couple friends are meeting at Java's to go over the notes for AP on Monday." I said, already having planned the excuse as I was getting ready. "Can I take the car?"
   "Coffee? At this hour?" I stared at the clock, seeing it was only quarter until nine.
   "I'll get decaf." I added with a shrug. My mom's eyes glowered down at my belly button piercing, she always hated the thing that my dad got me for my sixteenth birthday without her permission.
   "Alright. But I expect you to be home at a respectable hour. We have a golf outing with the Summers at eleven. And for Gods sakes, cover up. Nobody needs to see that." She turned on her heels and I looked down at my exposed midriff. Even though she always judged me for my body, saying I was getting pudgy because I wasn't a stick, I though my body was pretty fantastic. Fuck her opinions.
   I took the car to Angelo's, which was only two streets over from my house. His house was about as large as my own, a stone mansion with large backyard and perfectly trimmed lawn. Only now the perfect lawn was littered with Solo cups, toilet paper, random spots of vomit, and randomly laying people who were defined as the lightweights. Music boomed through the open windows and the backyard and every nerve in my body screamed for me to turn back, but I pushed on.
   I walked through the large front door and into a packed foyer. Most of the kids didn't even seem familiar and I figured they had to be from a different school district or even the college campus nearby. I carefully made my way through the room and eventually finding the kitchen. I grabbed myself a cup and filled it from the keg before continuing my journey through the first floor.
   Eventually, I found my people in the family room, taking up the couches and drawing from the occasional joint. Did I smoke pot? On the occasion. But I'd be careful to stay away tonight. No way was I going to come home high.
   My people consisted of what everyone liked to call the Quotas. I never really found out why and I doubt I would in the future, but I just figured because it was one of those select groups that only allowed a certain number of people. You had to have the grades, you had to have the looks, and you had to have the popularity. I had all those, although I lacked a little bit in the popularity category. But they accepted me anyways because of my amazing GPA.
   "Becca," a member of the Quota, Finn, said to me, "good to see ya. Take a seat." He slapped the spot next to him an offered me the joint, which I declined.
   "I'm surprise to see you guys here. Thought you'd all me studying." I said as I took a sip from my cup. I was surprised that the beer wasn't as cheap as I expect it to be.
   "Nah," said Whitney, another Quota member, "we all figured we could do that over the weekend once we get over anything we catch tonight."
   I nodded and stayed out of the conversation most of the time, a little agitated that all they were talked about was college and grades. How about the last baseball game? Or the newest Call of Duty or whatever.
   "Hey, Beccs." A voice said from behind me and I turned around to be face to face with Daniel, the schools notorious pot dealer. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
   "Of course." I said as I stood up, moving over the back of the couch and almost falling onto my face if it weren't for Daniel who grabbed my arm and hoisted me up. "Thanks." I said as he pulled me out through the back door. It wasn't extremely quiet due to the kids in the pool, but more private than inside with the music.
   "What's up?" I asked Daniel as he leaned against the bar between the two floor to ceiling windows that viewed back into the mansion.
   "Um, I've kinda got this work meeting tomorrow at Gorro Inc. you know... the computer programing one," I nodded and he fiddled with his fingers, "and I was wondering if you had any Valium. To help calm my nerves."
I couldn't help but glare at him. He knew I had Valium because of my anxiety issues and I trusted him with that information almost three years ago. How could he be coming to me for medicine that I needed on almost the daily.
"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be asking you, after all you've done for me... but I'll pay. Twenty bucks a pill." He really was desperate.
I let out a sigh and waved him off, opening up my purse. "It's fine, man. On the house." I pulled out a couple from my bottle and dropped them into his palm.
"No, no. Let me give you something," he started fishing in his pocket before freezing. "Wait, don't you have trouble studying? I remember you struggling last year with Chem." I shrugged in response and Daniel pulled a Ice Cubes gum container from his back pocket and unloaded the contents into his hand. He handed me two white pills that I knew all to well as Ritalin.
Just as I was about to decline, the amount of stress I was under last year almost pushed me to my breaking point. I couldn't go through that again. Maybe these little pills really could help me out. Just to keep myself on track. I probably wouldn't even need them, honestly.
And with that thought, I pocketed the Ritalin and returned to my group.