Two months later, when the rest of the guys come back, I get woken up by Carl, "Hey, just so you know. Everyone is here and we are about to eat dinner. We kinda snuck in while you were sleeping... Are you sick or something? That's a lot of tissues." I've cried nonstop for the past couple of months. I'm just waiting for the tears to stop. Sitting down at the table with everyone else, I wrap a blanket around me like a cloak.
Travis starts serving the food, "Poseidon? Are you okay? Your cheeks are all swollen and you're sniffling." They are my brothers. I should tell them the truth. No matter how much it hurts to talk about it.
I wipe away a tear, "While you guys were gone Jaiden left for good. He said that he was never my friend and that I was pathetic. I really thought that we were plutonic soulmates but then he goes on this huge rant about how it was all a lie. Over the years he did all these things to prove that he cared to the point he got a tattoo of my birthday on his thumb. That could cost him a job. When he was driving away I thought that I saw him wipe away a tear, but I could just be imagining things. He's gone though. His mom doesn't even know where he is, and he used to talk to her every day. It's been two months and I can't stop crying. I lost the person who I thought was my best friend. I felt uncomfortable talking with his mom, so I cut her off. I have no one left." Everyone stopped what they were doing.
Kenny puts a cookie on my plate, "Well... we are your brothers, so you do have us. If you want more friends then go on campus. There are people your own age there." I should try finding new friends. It would help. Ms. Tina said the same thing.
Quade talks with food in his mouth, "I get that this is a big problem, but I might cry if we continue talking about it. Let's talk about our next party. Poseidon, you like planning those even though you don't participate. What do you think?" They are trying to distract me.
I sniffle and use a tissue to wipe away the tears falling down my face, "We can have it next Friday. I really don't feel like doing anything new, so we are gonna do the same thing as our last party..."
For a while they try to cheer me up. I manage to get to class and my job every day. I do my memorizing thing and get my work done. It's not like I'm failing my classes or am doing anything harmful. I just hate my life without Jaiden. Eventually, I run out of tears to cry but I still feel depressed. After a while, Daren pulls me off the couch and onto my feet, "I want you to go down to the campus study hall and get out of the house. Read a book or something, just do something that will make you feel better, not laying on the couch all day." He drags me on campus and sits me down in the middle of the open study area. "I have to get to class. Are you gonna be good on your own?"
I open my book and relax, "I'll be fine. I'm an adult now, I can take care of myself." He doesn't trust me alone. I understand.
"Okay, I'll comeback for you in an hour. I'll text you when my class is over." I feel so heavy. He leaves me in the study hall. As I read my book, I notice a commotion in one of the back rooms. I'm bored. Let's go check it out. Opening the door behind a vending machine, I walk into a medium sized room with people sitting in circles. That's cocaine in the middle of the circles.
A guy that I recognize as Wren's little brother, walks over to me, "Ah! Poseidon, glad you could join us. Would you like to try a little bit? Because you are a friend of my brother's I'll let you have your first snort for free." Maybe I should try it.
Sitting down, I stare at the white powder, "Isn't it bad for you? I don't want to end up in the hospital." I've already made up my mind.
"One snort won't hurt. It'll make you feel better. My brother told me that you were going through some things. This'll help." I want it.
"How much for three rows?" I can't believe that I'm doing this. I'm actually gonna do drugs.
"Twenty bucks." I hand him the money and copy what everyone else is doing. This feels good. Leaning against the wall, I smile. I really like this. "You like it huh? I don't suggest doing anymore for today. I'm here every Friday, so if you want more just stop by. Each little bag is twenty bucks." Once a week huh? "By the way, my name is Aaron."
I check my phone for texts from Daren, "I better get back to my seat before Daren finds out about this..." No one can know about this.
"I get it. Tell my brother that mom has been trying to get in contact with him." If I tell Wren that then he'll know that I've hanging out with his drug dealing brother.
Wiping my nose clean, "Will do." Walking back to the table Daren had set me up at, I start to feel dizzy and very happy. Better than feeling depressed.
A few minutes later Daren pokes my shoulder, "Let's go." Smiling, my body feels so relaxed. "You seem to be in a better mood. What happened?" Can't tell him the truth.
"I got some time to think. I was lucky to have Jaiden, but I need to let him go and move on." He's staring at me.
He trips over a rock in the road, "That's a huge change from before but I guess that it's good for you." I need to feel good more. I also have class today. I probably shouldn't go given my changed mental state.
"I have depressing classes today so to keep this happiness I want to skip." Was that too obvious. I almost said "to keep this high."
"O-okay. You need to go to class at some point though. Don't use this high as an excuse to ditch everything." Wait what? Does he know?
"I'll be ready to go to class on Monday. Tomorrow I'll buy everyone Chinese to celebrate that I found a way to deal with my depression. I just need some support throughout the week." I'll need to keep this secret. Can't sleep on the couch anymore or they will know that something is happening on Fridays that makes me happy but not the rest of the week.
