Paragon's Odyssey

Cherry

Daniel gave Michael a ride afterschool, but Dorian wasn't with them. Daniel seemed to be sad, the whole ride to Daniel's house was quiet, it made Michael anxious.
Daniel knew that Michael had anxiety so he wouldn't be surprised if Michael were to take his pills right then, but Michael didn't have them.

When Daniel parked at his driveway he stayed in his car still, both his hands gripping the steering wheel, staring into nothingness. Michael didn't know what to do, his parents were expecting him in about 30 minutes so he still had time to hang out with Daniel, but it seemed like Daniel was up for it, so Michael got out of the car leaving Daniel alone.

Daniel didn't utter a single word to Michael, no goodbye, no see you later, and that bothered Michael, was Daniel mad at him?, has he done something wrong?, he internally questioned

He walked slowly down the road to his home, he didn't want to arrive at his home, he dreaded being there, but he had no other choice, he depended on them.
Michael usually went to the public park to pass time, he wished he'd have more time to himself.

When he reached his home there wasn't any sign of his parents car, they must've gone out to some dinner with fancy people like always. They expected him home in about 15 minutes, but they weren't here so he went to the backyard.

He headed to the old but kept backyard, where his childhood treehouse was. He'd always went up there with Daniel when they were tweens to play, but now he went up there to smoke. Michael had never smoked till the day he read an article on Reddit that cigarettes relief stress and he was stressed, he wanted a take at it but he didn't know how or where to get.

Till he met a pale pink haired girl with a bridge piercing and heavy makeup, her name was Cherry Larson but she was known as Trash. They met when Michael was crying under the school ground bleachers and Cherry offered him a blunt of weed, he took it and he finished it without taking turns with Cherry, he apologized but Cherry was furious, she threw slurs at Michael which made him cry more. Cherry's mood changed like a switch after a few slurs and apologized, saying "sorry, didn't take my pills" and she laughed. After that day, they met everyday under the bleachers or in the boys bathroom to smoke, they eventually became good friends, with Cherry sharing her traumatic experiences while Michael listened, not being relatable.

He went up into the tree house and settled on the aged blankets that been in there for years. Blunt between his lips, he lit it with the Hello Kitty lighter Cherry gave to him. He inhaled deeply and let it sit in his lungs for a few seconds then released heaving a sigh, he looked around at the drawings plastered on the walls of the treehouse, drawings him and Daniel had drawn, reminiscing about his childhood made him cry and that was him right now. Blunt finished, he sat back, head between his knees as he cried.
He sat up straight and unzipped his backpack, throwing all the contents onto the blanket. A few books, pens, pencils, erasers, cologne, mint, a toothbrush and toothpaste, mouthwash and a bottle of water.
He needed all those things, he needed to refresh his breath from the smell of weed to the smell of a minty fresh breath, he needed those books to study and finish his school year after all,he  needed to get good grades for a scholarship to study abroad, away from his parents.

He took the toothbrush and squirted toothpaste on and brushed his teeth, spitting on the treehouses floor, he didn't rinse his mouth with the water but drank it.
chewing on a strip of bubblegum he left the treehouse and headed inside the house.