Oh My...

43.) Jerks

"This is it." Marshall grumbled morosely.

"Having a kid isn't the worst thing that could happen to you." Proof returned, making a turn onto the highway. The guys pulled up in front of my house at three in the morning and blared the horn. Lucky for them, I was already up watching TV, and ran outside before Claire or Bree could wake up.

I tried to disguise a laugh as a cough. Marshall twisted around in the passenger seat and glared back at me. "What's up, Alex?"

I shook my head, keeping my attention on the dutch I was cracking. "Nothin' yo."

"Really? 'Cause it seems like you got something to say."

I looked up from the cigar, the crack I was creating paused halfway down. "How could you be so fucking irresponsible?"

"You have some fucking nerve talking about responsibility." Marshall growled, his fingers curling into his palms. "What about you? The last time we actually chilled was the end of October, and now it's almost December."

I shot daggers at him. "I was going through shit."

"Yeah, getting high and sucking dick for H." Marshall scoffed.

"Em chill-" Proof tried to intervene, but he was cut short when I broke up the rest of the dutch and threw the innards at Marshall. Proof groaned. "Hey, that's gonna be a bitch to get out!"

Deshaun's complaints went unheard as Marshall and I glared each other down. "Some friend you are," I spat. "I thought you were happy to see me."

"Alex, you fucking disappeared for a month-"

"I told you I was moving back to Brooklyn!" I shouted.

"Then why the fuck you here now? Man, just admit that you were here hoppin' trap houses lookin' for a fix."

"Why are you being so fucking rude?" I demanded, squinting at him. "Just because your life is going to shit doesn't give you a right to be a fucking jerk."

"Shut the fuck up Alex, you're the biggest jerk here." Marshall retorted childishly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're the king of jerks."

"You're the god of jerks."

"You're the-"

"Will you both shut up?!" Proof exclaimed, breaking up Marshall and I's banter. "Y'all petty as shit. Holy fuck, whenever you guys fight you sound like twelve year olds. You immature fuckers, just punch each other and move the fuck on!"

Deshaun turned his head to face his best friends. "Marshall, why are you mad at Alex?"

"'Cause she's a jerk-"

"Alex, why are you mad at Marshall?" Proof looked at me from the interior mirror.

I continued to break up the bud on my lap. "He knew I had a problem and he had no sympathy for me when I relapsed. Did you know I-" I froze and bit my tongue. Glancing at the scar on my wrist, I told myself that it wouldn't be right to throw that at Marshall like it was all his fault. Instead, I shook my head and said, "He just pushed me off when I needed him most."