Perfectly Imperfect

Chapter 28

Author's Notes: This is a super long chapter, so I won't bore you with a long author's note. Hope you enjoy, though!

"I'm going to give you the chance to be honest with me because I don't want to drag your stepfather into this, David. But I'm not even sure where to begin..." his mother started, partially angry but mostly disappointed. 

It was the disappointment that got to David the most. He licked his lips uncertainly, eyeing the pot and wishing he had a few tokes in his system in order to deal with this right now.

"First of all, where were you really last night?"

"I was..." David looked off to the side in order to stall, searching the walls for an answer. The only thing he could come up with was the partial truth. "I went to Anthony's. He hasn't been taking the whole Kalel thing well, so he needed someone to comfort him. Ian and I planned on hanging out there after school and coming back home afterward, but I fell asleep accidentally, and that's when one of them called here and told Mari I wouldn't be home. I guess they thought if they told you I was staying to work on a project on a school night, you'd be more okay with it than if I was just...hanging out with a friend on a school night."

"David," his mom said sternly. "Look at me."

He chewed on the inside of his lip, slowly meeting his mother's gaze.

She sighed heavily, "Look at how red your eyes are. I should have known all along." Reaching out, she lifted the bag of pot from the bed. "How long have you been doing this stuff?"

"I, um..." the panic was rising, making it harder to speak or think. "Since the first day of school. Please don't get rid of it, Mom. I need it."

"You need it?" She arched her brow. "You don't need illegal substances. You don't need this." She lifted the bong to indicate what she was talking about. "And I don't need a son who is going to dabble in things that could get him hurt. Killed!"

"But no one's ever died from weed!" David argued desperately. "You don't understand how much better my anxiety's been! You don't get how much happier I am now."

"Doctors don't prescribe marijuana for anxiety, David. How stupid can you be to think this," she shook the bag -- the little buds rattling inside. "Will do a better job than your BuSpar. Who gave this to you?"

David's head raced. He felt dizzy. His throat was so dry, he couldn't find his voice.

"Who. Gave. This. To. You." Her words were a demand -- short, clipped and emphasized. "Was it Ian?"

David looked up a little too quickly, shaking his head repeatedly. "N-no."

"Then who?"

"J..." he started, nearly about to throw Joshua under the bus to save Ian which would have been a dick move -- when suddenly someone else popped into his head. Someone he wouldn't mind getting in trouble necessarily. "Jesse. Jesse Haegler."

"Is that your girlfriend?"

"What? No! Jesse's a guy," David frowned. 

"Was he with you, Anthony, and Ian last night? Were you getting high together and that's why you couldn't come home?"

David was torn between lying even more and telling the truth. He really didn't want Kenichi dragged into this, and he hoped his mother would respect the honesty, "He wasn't there, but we did smoke. Please don't be mad, Mom. I swear it's harmless. It's not as bad as you think!"

She closed her eyes, the pain visible on her face. David watched as she sank down onto the edge of his bed, "Where did I go wrong? I did my best to raise you right, and I should have known you wouldn't adjust well to a new school. I should have insisted on homeschooling you."