The New Rules

If the sky changes, it's still the sky

"Screw the prom," Darren said as he passed a chubby joint to Zadie.

"Ain't that the truth," she said, even though she knew Darren would've rather attended the end of year bash. "Now pretend you're happy, smile for me." She had her camera, the one her mother gave her, the one her mother used, and she snapped photos of Darren in the dark. The weed was Annie's as she had a ton leftover from her cancer treatment, and Zadie stole a bit before her father could throw it away. It was the medicinal kind, the good stuff; the kind that went to your body, not your head.

"My personal paparazzi? Anytime," and he pouted and smiled, and posed for Zadie. Unlike most people, Darren loved getting his photo taken. They were sitting on the roof of the low-rise apartment building he lived in. It had a flat, slightly sloped surface, and if they climbed up the fire escape ladders on the side, like they did, since they were kids, when they wanted to escape. Zadie was wearing a slinky, burgundy velvet maxi dress she'd bought at a thrift store for $12, while Darren wore a tuxedo he rented, the bow tie left hung untied around his neck like a forgotten shoelace.

Darren's boyfriend Richard, who wasn't quite ready to come clean about their relationship, chose to go to prom with his neighbour Cassidy. Darren called him a coward and said if he was ashamed of him, then it was over. Richard told him that he was still going with Cassidy. They haven't spoken since.

No one asked Zadie to the prom, so she didn't really have a dramatic story to tell, but when Darren called her to tell her his drama, she was happy to skip the prom and hang out on his roof, getting high, taking photos, and ignoring the traditions of high school. She wore the dress because she couldn't bear the thought of telling her father she wasn't going to the prom, in case he think it had something to do with her mother dying and him not being a good enough father. She put on the dress, gave him a hug, let him take one photo, and walked to Darren's apartment, just one building beside hers.

"I have to give this stupid suit back, and it's going to reek of ganj," he said, laughing in-between tokes. Zadie took the joint to her lips, and inhaled for as long as she could, until she exhaled slowly, watching the puffs of smoke billow up from her lips towards the sky.

"I can't wait to get out of here," Darren said.

"Me too, have you decided where you are going next year?"

Darren exhaled again, and this time started coughing.

"I'm heading to YCA," He said.

Darren's father went to YCA, the Young Chef's Association, to apprentice with a top chef to become one. Darren barely knew how to make cereal, but the acceptance letter was offered under the system, and the tuition was free.

"Don't look at me like that. I know I can't even make corn flakes, but once I become a chef, I can travel the world, work in different kitchens in Amsterdam, New York, Costa Rica, and leave this place behind."

"What? I didn't say anything. I think it's great. At least you know where you're going. At least a chef is somewhat cool and creative."

"Fuck it. I'd rather just not go to college. Who says we have to do that anyways?"

"For one, the system. I don't get why they call them The New Rules, when really they're just trying to test a new way to boost the economy, like we're the subjects, and if it fails then they will let everyone go back to the old system to student loans and debt and unemployment."

"Exactly. It's bullshit. Don't they know the last thing people our age want to be is our parents? They're the ones who left us with a fucked up economy, disintegrating environment, and shitty marriage examples."

She smiled, and reached into her bag. "I stole this champagne from Santiago's liquor cabinet. He hasn't drank in 10 years, I doubt he'd miss it. Want some?" Darren nodded, and Zadie popped the cork. She took a swig, and heard yelling from below.

It was Richard.

He was holding an open bottle of whiskey, and swaying back and forth, his bowtie also undone.

"I'm sooooooooooooooooory. I'm going to climb up," he said, as he stumbled towards the side of the building, and tried jumping in the air to reach the fire escape ladder. He hit the ground.

"Omg. Don't move. You're going to hurt yourself. I'm coming down." Darren shouted. He looked at Zadie with his head cocked, begging her to let him leave her. She smiled, and shooed him away. "Go," she said. "He came back for you."

"Hi Zadieeeee!" Richard shouted horizontal on the lawn.

"Hi Richard," she yelled. "You sure know how to steal a girl's date."

Once Darren was safely on ground level, she watched as they embraced, and then rolled around in the grass together. She adjusted herself so she lay flat on her back, the tiles of the roof, making grooves in the velvet of her dress. She stared up at the stars, her body heavy but closer to her mother's place in the sky. She wasn't particularly religious, but whenever she was up here with Darren she believed like she could almost feel her again.

"Hi mom," she whispered, and she took a few photos of the sky. She waited, and watched as a few stars flickered back, like a flame on a candle, and in some way, she knew that was her mom's way of saying, "I miss you too."