A Single Stroke ✔️

52: Canvas

I finished high school at Pepperidge High. With only two months left, I decided not to opt for online classes even though sometimes I really wanted to.

Palmer and Daquan still hung out with me even though the basketball season was over. They were the only two who knew what happened that night of the party; how I nearly died. How Brynn saved my life. Since I told them, they always eyed me cautiously when they thought I wasn't looking, but I was done with drugs. I meant it.

Brynn's mom had me on other medications to take until my body was entirely cleansed from the heroin. After just that one dose of heroin, my body experienced withdrawals. But like I said, I was better every day.

And Brynn...she drove me crazy. But she cared...in a weird way.

"I have an idea." She braided her poufy hair in the mirror. "We could share an apartment once we get to college. It's cheaper."

"Unless they make us stay in dorms the first year."

"They don't. I already googled it." She turned and looked at me.

I folded up my clothes and stuffed them in my drawers. We were in my room. Well, her brother's room. He was older than us and already moved out last year. But this was my room for the remainder of the year. I warmed up to it pretty quick.

"Okay then. Sharing an apartment's not a bad idea." Except maybe it would be? Sometimes, I still didn't exactly trust myself with her.

Brynn and I got pretty close in the two months we stayed together. Nothing ever happened between us; her parents made sure of it. Separate rooms after seven, no sharing beds. If we were ever in the room together during the day, the door had to stay open. I was just a visitor. That was it.

But sometimes...Brynn snuck in my room after her parents went to bed and we just talked about life. High school. How crappy PHS turned out to be. She ditched Max and Jacob because they only wanted her for "fun." Somewhere along the way, she found her worth. She was sick of guys who never appreciated her.

She was smarter than I gave her credit for.

"I heard you were quite an asshole this semester." Brynn walked to my bed and plopped down on her back before propping her feet on my pillow. "I totally believe it."

I chuckled. "Okay. Good to know."

"For the record, I've always been an asshole. I beat you out; you only just became one."

I closed the last drawer and walked to the bed before plopping down next to her, our arms aligned, my feet also on my pillow. I turned my head towards her. "Oh yeah? But last I checked...you were softening up."

She rolled her eyes. "Under obligation."

"Yeah. Sure."

We both stared up at her ceiling.

"I have a question," I said.

"Ask away."

"Why were you at the Pepperidge Park that night I overdosed? It was what, three, four in the morning? Why were you crossing the bridge so late?"

She narrowed her eyes at the ceiling. "It's personal."

"You can tell me."

"God, stop making everything sound so...I don't know, sappy! 'You can tell me.' Like I've got some dirty little secrets." But she smiled. "Have you ever crossed the bridge?"

"Of course. Who wouldn't?"

She bit her lip. Her lipstick stayed. "There's this grove of trees up there. People hang all kinds of origami from the branches, sometimes stuff them in the holes of trees. It's actually quite beautiful. And I never use that word."