Before My Eyes

The Boys' Quarters

I open the door to Liam's dorm to see everyone sitting around the room, some perched on the two beds and others crouched on the floor. It's a Friday night, so Raff was able to get some draw off Kicks after school.

They pass me the spliff, as I jump onto Liam's bed, and I inhale deeply, feeling the heat flow through my lungs.

I fling my legs over Raff's lap and he begins to fiddle with the loose thread at the bottom of my trackies. After inhaling once more, I pass it on to him.

'Have you heard about this thing on Saturday?' Rizo asks. The boys look confused for a second. 'Ohhh yeah. Mazie told us about it earlier,' Liam says. 'We should all go together. Raff, could you hook us up?'

Rizo's face glows in the direction of Liam - she's had a thing for him ever since he joined in the middle of last year.

'Yeah should be able to. Kicks texted me yesterday talking about some deal on dizz. I'll call him later, yeah?' Sammy Kicks was the main dealer for Hillford, but Raffi had always been his best customer. They've still kept in contact even after Kicks got excluded last year. He's almost like an big brother to him, and Raff looks up to Kicks, not just for draw.

Liam starts up again, having relit the end of the spliff. 'Quite cool of Mazie to invite us to it. She doesn't even know us.' All the boys exchange looks now. They've all got the same smirk creeping across their faces. 'She's quite cool herself, actually,' Liam finishes.

At this point one of them starts laughing. I see Rizo scoff, as she looks down and begins to roll another joint.

'Cool's one word,' Raff laughs. The smirks have widened into grins now. I roll my eyes, but I can't ignore the growing annoyance inside of me. 'Alright, we all know she's hot, but you don't need to be losers about it.'

'Calm down, Mali, she's not neaaarly as hot as you.' Raff winks after he says this and he squeezes my leg. I laugh as smoke pillows from my lips.

We all jump at the rattle of the door knob. Rizo fluently hides both spliffs behind her back and we all air out the room, preparing for the matron to come in. But it's not the matron, it's Mazie.