salad days - zach abels

this old dog.

12:06 AM

salvia was in her room smoking a cigarette and writing in her journal. she stopped for a second, looking out the chipped window.

it was 1:37 AM.
salvia was awake and waiting for zach to throw pebbles at the window, she had her sweater and dirty chuck taylors on.
her body was in excitement and hoping they'll go to the cliff or the sunflower field they had found recently.
after awhile,
it was 3:05 AM.
salvia fell asleep after crying,
no pebbles hit her window shield.
she felt lost and confused.

salvia went back to reality and caught her eyes prickled in tears, she shook her head and wiped her eyes. she tapped her cigarette in the "ash jar" and smoke it once more, then burned it out.

she opened her window and hearing her parents laughing downstairs, salvia carefully walked to the side of the window and sat on the roof.

she didn't know what made everything go different.

—

zach was out by the cliff with his girlfriend, they been arguing about the littlest, dumbest things lately.

all he wanted to do was drinking a beer and talk about the future with her, but no. she wanted to talk about prom and what she's going to buy whatever holographic dress.

he remembered the times with salvia at the cliff, they used to say whatever is on their minds and make a huge conversation out of it.

"zach? zach, you aren't listening!"

here we go again. zach sighed.

"jesus christ, can we talk about something that is not about prom?"
zach mumbled, as he rubbing his faced in annoyance.

"okay fine, what do you want to talk about?"
courtney snapped, rolling her eyes.

"how was your day?"
zach questions, as he felt somewhat better.

"how was my day? are you serious how was my day? are you that du-"

"you know what, how about i take you home and we break up? better? okay."
zach mumbled, somewhat was yelled, turning the ignition on and driving out of the small parking space.

—

meanwhile,
salvia was laying on the roof and listening to her record play the beach house. she hummed to the tune and smoked a cigarette, as she's in her thoughts and looking up at the night sky.

loud squeaking noise of breaks being used interrupts her daydream, she sits up and exhaling her smoke.

"we always do this and you just come back running to me in 3 days!"

salvia rolled her eyes at the complicated couple and laid back down, taking another hit of her cigarette and breathed out.

"you're always making things so complicated! you don't even let me have anytime with my friends or family! all you're doing is making me feel like shît. I'm sorry but this is a goodbye."

—

zach got in his car and raced out of his ex's driveway, he turned off the radio and grabbed a single cigarette from his cigarette box.

he lit it with his lighter and exhaled, as the nicotine went through out his body. then, quickly made a right turn into the convenience store parking lot.

zach got out of his car and locked it, he went in and bought his usual, fireball whiskey and peppermint vodka with cranberry juice on the side.

he paid for everything and went back in his car, put music on and opened the whiskey bottle. he drink the intoxicating whiskey and not caring about the taste.

as time passes,
zach is sitting back and drinking his self to whatever he's going to do.
when he looked out his window, as angel baby by rosie and the originals start playing, the girl who he was close with was walking into the convenience store.

he remembered how she will hate walking alone in the night and always wore her favorite army jacket, which she patched up with pins and band patches.

zach hated how he pushed himself away from her. he wanted to say sorry and everything to change back when he was happy.

—

salvia was freezing her ass off in the night, walking to get cigarettes and alcohol. if she had enough money. she quickly stops to light a cigarette and continued to walk.

she ignored the dirty men and catcalls she was getting. meanwhile, salvia knew zach was in the parking lot and drinking his life away again.

she paid for her stuff and walked out
of the store, she cracked open the
cranberry juice and poured in
the vodka.

she mixed it up and started drinking it,
then stopping to put her drink down and start to pack her box of cigarettes.

as she was doing that,
zach car seemed to drive out of the parking lot and soon pops up in-front of her.

"get in, i'll give you a ride home."
zach softly spoke, as the window was rolled down and him smoking a cigarette.

"thanks for the offer, i prefer walking instead."
salvia says, ripping off the plastic and taking out a cigarette.

"come on, sal! i know you hate walking around and smoking cigarettes alone."
zach sighs and puts his car in park.

"still a no."
salvia rolls her eyes, putting a cigarette in her mouth and lighting it.

"alright fine, be a bîtch."
zach mumbles, shift to drive and drove off.

"which is why i am one."

- sierra