Five Summers

14 Years Old

JJ and I are sitting under the big willow at John B's as the others sit inside, being wusses about the heat. He reaches in his pocket and holds out his palm. "Look."

"Is that..." I trail off as I point to the small white thing in his hand.

"Weed? Yeah," JJ says. He puts the joint in his mouth and lights it with a lighter from his pocket. He inhales and holds it out to me. "Want to try it?"

"I've never smoked weed before," I say, taking the joint from him.

He exhales the thick smoke. "Okay, so you just inhale, hold it for a minute, exhale. You'll be high after a couple hits. Or maybe just one, since you're a noob," he says with a smirk.

"Okay, here it goes." I bring the joint to my lips and breathe in. I feel the sting of the smoke filling my lungs, and I can't hold in the cough from the harsh drug.

"Maybe don't inhale quite so hard next time," JJ instructs. "Do it more slowly." He demonstrates a smooth inhale. "Like that," he says before exhaling.

I take the joint again. "Slowly," I say, and JJ nods. I inhale slowly this time, letting the smoke fill my lungs at a lazier pace. I still feel like I need to cough, but I manage to hold it in. I exhale the dense smoke slowly, watching the cloud hang in the humid air.

"That's my girl!" JJ says, sounding like a proud parent. My girl, I repeat in my head, musing at his word choice. A few butterflies float around in my stomach.

We finish the joint just as John B, Pope, and Kie walk out of the chateau. "It smells like weed out here," Pope says.

"Astute observation, Mr. Heyward," JJ says. "We were just getting ready for tonight's festivities."

"You think being high for a seance is a good idea?" he asks.

"As good as any," JJ answers. Pope rolls his eyes.

"Okay, come on guys. It's going to be dark soon. We need to be able to see to get to old man Crane's tomb," Kie says, putting her hands on her hips.

"Okay, coming," I say, standing and brushing myself off.

I feel like time moves slowly as we head our front and into the street. The cemetery is only a few streets away, but I feel like it takes us an eternity to get there due to my drug-induced state. The others get annoyed with JJ and I quickly. We're laughing at everything, even when nothing is funny.

"Can y'all chill? You're going to wake the dead," Pope says as he holds the gate open for us.

"Yeah, we're chill," I tell him. I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing. I hear JJ snickering behind me.

John B leads the group through the old cemetery, stopping occasionally to check the names on the gravestones. The mausoleum and the tombs are in the center of the property. Our three friends move quietly through the grass, but somehow JJ and I manage to find every twig on the ground. Our footsteps snap as we follow along. JJ bumps into my shoulder and gives me a look. A giggle escapes. Kie glares at us over her shoulder.

We find the Crane tomb easily. Kie sits in the grass in front of the tomb, placing the candles she's carried here in a circle. JJ leans over and lights them with his zippo and steps back, then looks around the group for praise like he's really done something.

"Just don't goof off during this," Kie warns. She motions for us to sit with her. We form a circle around the candles, sitting Indian style. We sit so close our knees are touching.

"Okay, join hands," she instructs. She grabs Pope's and John B's hands on either side of her. John B holds his hand out to me as Pope reaches for JJ's. JJ takes Pope's hand, then grabs mine, lacing his fingers between mine. A tingle goes up my arm.