Travelling the White Line

"Stoners love this shit."

The Ute pulled to a grinding halt in front of a red brick house. An unkempt lawn and two overgrown hedges looming over a small, peeling metal gate made the home seem uninviting. Celeste felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. Something felt... dodgy.

Pippa jumped from the truck, swinging the door shut behind her.

"You coming?" Pippa called over her shoulder. Celeste hesitated before sliding from her seat and following Pippa. She almost lost her footing on the way to the front door, noticing that she was a lot tipsier than she had realised.

Pippa pushed the rusting white gate open and walked up the path. Celeste followed her meekly, watching her skip up to two small steps to the door and rap her knuckles against the frame. Peeling paint flakes floated to the ground with every knock. The door swung open to reveal a lanky 20-something with sandy blonde hair and a pointed chin.

"Pip, what's up?" he asked, and Celeste noticed his thick country twang.

"Nothing much, is everyone here?"

"We're still waiting on 'Bitchy' and her beau," he said before nodding in Celeste's direction. "Who's that?"

"Celestial, she used to be a local."

"Johnno doesn't like strangers in the house."

"She's not a stranger, she used to be a local."

Gary gave Celestial the once over, his eyes lingering on her chest momentarily. Celestial felt her stomach twist nervously.

"Yeah, you're alright I guess." Gary shrugged, leading the way into the house.

Celeste followed Pippa and Gary down the hallway, noticing the cigarette burns in the carpet and the off-white walls. The only attention grabbing feature was a large hole in the wall that looked like a fist had gone through it. It made Celeste uneasy.

They walked into a living room where a small group of people sat around on a collection of colourful beanbags and cushions. A brown couch with a few holes in the seats was perched against the back wall. The stereo next to the couch was playing an electronic, floaty tune.

"Psytrance," Pippa whispered to Celeste, "Stoners love this shit."

"Everyone, this is Pippa's friend Celestial." Gary remarked, flopping down beside a small redhead with freckles and a thin frame.

"I'm Jessie," she said, nodding in Celeste's direction, "And this is Tom, my brother."

"Hi," Celeste smiled, but Tom didn't return her gesture. Instead he focused on packing marijuana into a cone piece. Celeste had seen her parents smoke from a bong once or twice, but she'd never watched the preparation closely before. She perched on a cushion to Gary's right.

"And Celeste, this is my girlfriend Kiah," Pippa grinned, wrapping her arm around a round faced, pink haired girl with bright green eyes.

"Oh," Celeste stuttered, "I didn't-"

"Know she was gay?" Kiah smirked, "She's the biggest dyke I know!"

"Fuck off," Pippa laughed, playfully punching her girlfriend in the shoulder. Kiah dived on top of her and tickled her stomach, Pippa's leg kicking wildly.

"Stop - I - can't - breathe!" Pippa gasped in between laughs.

"Hey, watch the sesh!" Tom scolded, moving the bowl full of chopped weed away from Pippa's foot.

"Celestial is a great name," Jessie said, turning to face Celeste.

"Thanks," Celeste said, "Jessica is a nice name, too."