I had barely sat down and lit up my cigarette before the Jacks came outside, laughing about something that was said inside.
“Hey Aly, you mind if we roll one up out here?” Jack J asked indicating the bag and the blunt paper.
I shook my head, “Not if you don’t mind sharing.”
“Really, you’re finally gonna smoke with us?” Jack G asked smiling. I nodded, not being able to help the smile that formed on my lips. Jack G’s smile was infectious, I’d had a little crush on him when we first met too until I realized that he was only 17.
“Hell yeah! We were wondering if you were ever gonna smoke with us Ms. 4-20!” Jack J said as he broke up the weed.
“Well the main reason I didn’t for so long is because I wasn’t sure if this was going to last. It seemed too good to be true, traveling and hanging out with all these handsome men and getting paid to do it. I thought I’d go back to Pensacola and have to get a real job.” I teased, playfully nudging his shoulder.
“Makes sense, either way. On your birthday, Jack, you and me and whoever else wants to partake are going to be fucked up for 24 hours!” Jack G said, pulling my chair closer to his. He was so cute when he did that. It was like he didn’t want me to pay attention to anyone but him.
“No can do, bud. 4-20 is on Easter this year.” Jack J said as he lit up the blunt and inhaled deeply before blowing smoke rings.
I nodded, “Well, I’m morally corrupt anyway, so I’m probably going to blaze and praise it with my dad. His birthday is 4-20 too.”
“What?! That’s cool as fuck! Is he the first person you smoked with?” Jack G asked.
I took the blunt from Jack J and took a hit before replying. “Nah, we’ve only smoked together twice, both times on our birthday. The first time I smoked I was fifteen with my lesbian friend, Brandy and her friend Tim. He kept trying to get me to come lay down with him after we smoked, it was sketchy as fuck. I was such a good kid that I literally cried on the way back to Brandy’s place after we got the weed. I felt like such a disappointment to my parents.” I took one more hit before handing it to Jack G.
“Yeah, the first time we smoked were like 13 at our friend Shawn’s place. We thought we were the shit.” Jack G said, reminiscing before he took a hit and Jack J nodded.
“Y’all are the shit now, I doubt much could have changed since then.” I teased, and Jack G put his arm around my shoulder.
“You know just how to stroke our egos, I swear…” Gilinsky trailed off.
“This is true, but I also will not hesitate to call you out on your shit.” I said taking a huge swallow of my drink.
“A good woman will pick you apart.” Jack J quoted one of my favorite Bright Eyes songs, Landlocked Blues.
“True.”
I was definitely feeling both my drink and the weed at that point, “God I haven’t been cross-faded in months, I’m surprised I can string up a proper sentence.”
We had finished the blunt and were reciting ‘I Fuck Sluts’ by Bo Burnham when Shawn stumbled outside holding his guitar out to me. “Aaally! P-please play that song for me that I like.” Shawn was so drunk and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Which one?” I asked trying to keep a straight face.
“The one by the band that sings Sail.” He said placing his guitar on my lap and laying down on the ground. He hadn’t even bothered to close the sliding door.
