An Odd Kind Of Wonderful

Chapter Twenty-Five

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
"Be my magic coffee grind, fly me down to Capital City." (Oasis.)

"No." I shove the joint back into Joel's hands. "I can't."

    "It's alright, you don't have to."

    "Okay." And Joel smokes some more. I pick at my fingernails. "Joel, is it even safe? We don't know where it's come from."

    "Those kids probably left it in here. At least now we know why they were so damn protective of this car." He laughs. He sobers up a second later, and looks a little worried. "You know, Nathan, I'm not so sure it is safe." I laugh nervously and watch as Joel takes one more tentative breath and puts the joint out. "Let's hope I don't get brain damage off that." He says.

    "Do you feel okay?" I say.

    Joel bites his bottom lip. "A bit...floaty? Does that make sense? But that's normal." His brow furrows in concentration. "I'm really tired."

    Raisa stirs. I straighten out her ankle again. "I'm no marijuana expert, but I think that's normal, too."

    Joel's head is on his shoulders and his body is tilting slowly to the left. I chuckle to myself and relax back in my seat. "Good night," I say, and lower the windows, letting out some of the smoke.

    -

    Somebody's got a hand on my face. "Get off!" I slur and wave my arm in the general direction of my attacker. I blink a few times, trying to untangle the weird kaleidoscope that is my vision right now. A girl with white hair and a freckle on her nose comes into focus.

    "I think the police are looking for us." Says the girl.

    "Hrrrrrrrhg." I say. A boy with patchy stubble and white teeth appears next to her.

    "I think they are." He confirms.

    "Huh?" I say again, but with more urgency. "Are they, like, actually looking for us? Or are you just thinking that they probably should be?"

    Raisa grabs my shoulders and makes me sit up properly. She wipes at the side of my mouth—was I drooling? "Nathan, think about it. I ran away from a party, Joel should have been charged with assault, and I don't even know where you came from."

    "I told my parents I'd be home by the morning." I say. "What time is it?"

    "Ten past eleven." Answers Joel, and how long was I asleep? "Raisa, what's this about me being charged for assault?"

    "You punched a guy."

    "Ah, yeah. So I did."

    I rub my eyes. "Have you seen any police?"
    Raisa shakes her head. "No, but if they aren't looking for us they aren't really doing their job."

    "Why did you guys make me break so many laws last night?" I'm more awake now; the sleepy haze is fast fading and anxiety is settling in. "I..."

    "I think we should go somewhere they'd find us easily." Raisa says.

    Joel's face goes red. "Why would we want to do that? I don't want to be put in jail!"

    "Young Offender's Act," says Raisa. "You're okay."

    "No I'm fucking not! I'm nineteen!"

    "Oh."

    "Guys," I butt in. "Raisa's right. Joel, people get punched in pubs all the time. We need to go to the first place the police would look. We're missing persons, now," Raisa looks at me with wide eyes. "If we run any further we'll just make everyone panic more."