Toxic (18+)

It's so crazy missing you when I get on

❤️

Nola was lying on Darius's chest, his smoke invading her lungs. Her nerves were shot; her anxiety returning. She needed a drink. But Darius wasn't a drinker, so smoking was the only option.

"Lemme get a puff," she said, looking up at him. He grabbed her chin and gently blew into her mouth.

She exhaled through her nose and rested back against his chest. Nola could hear and feel his heartbeat. ba boom ba boom. It was calm and steady. It calmed her down. ba boom ba boom, her heart went.

Darius was always laid back and calm. Always a comfortable presence. He knew about her situation, so she'd always trust him. They actually went way back. They lived by each other since they were kids. In the projects right next door to each other. Until Darius's family moved into an actual house but they had always kept in touch. All through highschool, Darius was her escape. He knew her soul like she knew his. He could read her mind. Know exactly what she was thinking.

What happened? she thought.

Oh of course. She was too busy taking care of her mom. Nola had practically raised herself. And Darius was the one to teach her about being a woman. She remembered when she first got her period. She thought she was going to die.

Nola smiled at the thought. He explained everything to her and she'd calmed down.

She told her mother. And her mother laughed in her face and told her to have a drink. She was nine at the time and she had thought alcohol was nasty. But at a party in senior year, she had it again, and alcohol seemed to be the solution to all of her problems.

She sighed and frowned.

Nola would come to school drunk or leave drunk or just be drunk. Darius was would always take care of her. When alcohol wasn't there Darius was there. Darius was her distraction. Darius was her alcohol.

She realized how much she missed him.

She missed his support.

She missed his pet names.

She missed his hugs.

She missed his warmth.

She missed his love.

And she would never get that warmth back. She only felt with the lonely boy, Charlie, at the club but she was never gonna see him again.

So Darius was all she had.

"So," She started, "What's been up with you?"

Darius inhaled from his cigarette and exhaled through his mouth. He passed her the cig.

"Nun much, just here and there."

She inhaled, "whatchu mean? You got this big ass house." She exhaled.

She passed it to him.

"I've been going to college and doing a lil sum on the side." Darius said as he exhaled.

"Oh? College boy, huh? What's that side job?"

"Photography."

"Dang, so those photos are all your works?"

"Yeah," he inhaled.

"Shit," she took a puff, "you making moves. College is not for me though, could barely handle school while I was in it."

She handed it to him and he butted the cigarette.

"You know, since your mom kicked you out and shit, you could start a life for yourself. Get a job or sum. Even go to college."