retrograde.

;two

chapter two: now do you think you love me mary jane?

We sat in Reed's basement. It's a spacey room, with a big screen floor TV located near the front of it. To the side of it was a bookcase full of movies, and in the middle of the room were two couches across from each other with a wooden table in between them.

On said wooden table, were magazines and an ashtray, as well as a large bowl full of snacks that we were about to go through because as we're sitting on the couch, Reed, Eli, and me were passing a blunt back and forth.

"Aren't you scared your parents are going to walk in on us?" I ask as I exhale the smoke and pass it to Eli.

"Nah. They're too busy being mad at each other to even care about what I'm doing." Reed shrugs.

"What are they mad about?" Eli asks before he takes a hit.

When he exhaled, he blew out three smoke rings, then blew the rest of the smoke in between the O's.

"Show off." I whisper to him jokingly, and he simply rolled his eyes.

"I don't know. They've been mad at each other for days now. Just completely ignoring each other." He said as he took the joint from Eli.

Reed's parents are so in love it's almost sickening. They met in high school, and have been together ever since. It was almost hard to believe that they've been together for so long. So it was kind of unusual for them to be so mad at each other that they're just avoiding each other.

"You don't think they're getting a divorce, do you?" I question.

"Divorce isn't even an option for them." Reed said as he blew the smoke. "They'll work it out."

I decide not to speak more of it, and I took the joint from him and inhaled. The soothing feeling hitting me with every ounce of smoke filling my lungs. I leaned against the couch and closed my eyes, feeling completely at ease.

"Yo, I think Ghost Boy is high already."

I opened my eyes to glare at Reed. "I'm not high. Just peaceful."

Eli nodded at Reed. "He's high." He leaned over and reached for the package of cinnamon wheels and handed them to me.

I love cinnamon wheels.

I opened the pack and grabbed one, shoving the entire thing in my mouth. The sweet flavor only added onto the high. I was in heaven.

"Are you guys seriously getting high without me?"

My eyes shot open, bringing me out of my daze. It doesn't hit me that I fell asleep until I realize that I hadn't finished the semi-chewed cinnamon wheel in my mouth. I finished the soggy, now flavorless pastry and turned to the steps to see who was speaking. Blake. He was dressed in his work uniform and held his book bag over his shoulder.

"Shut up before my parents hear you." Reed snapped at him, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And Casper's already high, so you're late."

Blake walked down the steps and around the couch to where we sat.

"I'm not high." I repeat.

Blake took a seat next to me, and examined my face. I merely sat there, staring at him while he stared at me. Blake shook his head and let out a laugh.

"Ghost is high as a kite." He announced the obvious, then looked at Reed. "His eyes are redder than that time you got sunburned at the water park."

"Shut up." Reed said.

I reached into the package of cinnamon wheels again and stuffed another in my mouth. Blake pulled his "Quick Stop" short sleeve shirt over his head, the place he worked (a gas station), as well as the long sleeve he wore under it. Now that he was wearing a tank top, his numerous tattoos on his chest, arms, and shoulders were able to be seen.