half the world away [ sweet pea ]

five

『 chapter five 』
pasty white skin

SKATEBOARDING the Southside had never been so freeing. a smile plastered across his face and long hair freed from its small bun to flap wildly in the cool wind as giddy giggles fell from his lips. he could hear his younger brother giggling from behind and their skateboard wheels against the rough gravel road. Jackson hadn't had this much fun sober in two months.

Jackson had ended up explaining everything to Benji. from his mum (basically) kidnapping him after his surgery, to how she and Jed are in hospital. the meaningless sex and random tattoos. his mothers empty threats. "i will send you to conversion camp." he'd hear the threat once a week, sometimes twice. his addiction to heroin and how he was back in Riverdale to get sober and healthy again. even told him about Mastiff, because really, if you're friends with Mastiff Bright-Ridge, its hard to not tell anyone about her amazing personality and, even if she is pretty fucking smart, the absolute stupidity of most words that leave her mouth.

Benji just sat and listened. he nodded when he needed too and hugged Jackson when he started tearing up about his mum and step-dad being in hospital. Benji even promised to help Jackson through his withdrawal (Jackson could already feel his nose getting running and the abnormal heartbeat).

when Jackson had finished explaining everything and apologised for the hundredth time, Benji sprung up - skateboard in hand - and said "lets have bit of a skate before you're miserable for the week" and Jackson happily agreed. he was happy to have his brother again. they never did get to spend much time together before Jackson left.

when they entered the house, Lenora and Joshua were comfortably sitting in the lounge room with a bowl of curried sausages and rice in their laps. Lenora used her fork to point at the few dishes laid out on the kitchen bench and muttered a "get some dinner" before continuing to eat her own food.

Benji and Jackson dished themselves up some dinner and got themselves sat down. Benji on the lounge room floor and Jackson at the dining table where he had a clear view of the tv. at first bite, Jackson already knew he'd miss Lenora's cooking when he goes back to London.

"FP Jones was arrested," the statement was said out of seemingly nowhere. Jacksons head snapped up to the back of Lenora's head as she continued to speak without waiting on any responses, "was brought in last night after the gun used to kill Jason Blossom was found in his trailer."

Jackson needed to vomit, and it wasn't because of the information Lenora had just given him. the chair scraped against the floor as he hurriedly stood up and beelined it upstairs. Jackson barged through the green door, hand clamped tightly over his mouth, before emptying his guts into the toilet.

fuck withdrawals.

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withdrawals sucked.

he'd been through it twice already. though, by time he'd just barely scraped the third day he went running straight back to Mastiff, begging her to give him some heroin. unfortunately, he was without Mastiff this time. he was already contemplating going to the Ghoulies and he was only a few hours through the week long process.

he really needed a cigarette. or ten.

the stomach cramps, the sweats, inability to just fucking sleep for longer than a few fucking minutes and the constant runny nose and goosebumps. not to mention the fucking diarrhoea and urge to jam a needle into your arm.

Benji had asked for the day off school to look after Jackson while Lenora and Joshua were working. Joshua only agreed because he'd been running late for work and wouldn't have been able to drop Benji off (even if he could've just walked), and Lenora was already at work.