Owen

Stoner

I was attempting to take my second nap today. But as I laid there, my mind welcoming sleep, my body had other plans. It had started not long after I woke up. A little pin prick that started in my hips and spread. It was demanding my attention, draining me of energy.

Jase had been yelling at me all morning. He thought my lack of interest and concentration was because I was being a dick. Which normally, sure it was, but that wasn't the case today. I'd catch myself zoning out, staring off, trying to make myself numb to lessen the pain.

There was no getting away from it.

And the shit they gave me that was supposedly supposed to help, didn't do anything.

I was miserable.

Jaelyn was supposed to come over, the one time when she didn't have plans on the weekend. I had texted her this morning when the pain started in and told her to rain check me. I had thought about hitting Kenny Loggins up for some weed but the logistics on how I'd actually get it where a little blurry.

Jase knocked on my door, not waiting for a response before it swung open.

"I thought you were sleeping." He said.

Even if I had been, he definitely would have woken me up.

"What do you want?" I muttered.

"Dad got held up at work. I'm going to ask Brandy to pick something up..."

I didn't mean to, but I zoned out, watching as he folded his arms across his chest, the muscles in his arms flexing underneath his tan skin. He looked so much like our dad it was ridiculous. Sometimes I found myself wondering if our mom was here if we'd see the similarities with her too or if we had in fact inherited only our dad's genes.

"Owen." Jase snapped. "Answer."

"What?" I mumbled, my eyes heavy from all the sleep I wasn't getting.

He let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"What do you want to eat?" He repeated, exaggerating each word slowly.

I wasn't fucking stupid. I just hadn't heard him.

"Don't care, whatever."

He started talking again, but I was already not paying attention. Maybe if I moved positions. It wasn't like I was falling asleep anytime soon. I started shoving myself into a seated position which of course had to send my legs into a spasm. I dropped myself flat, hoping it'd make them stop.

"Shit!" I yelled, when it did nothing.

The spasms weren't always painful, but they were always fucking annoying.

Jase came to my rescue though, his hands pressing down on my thighs. I blew out an exasperated breath, staring at my ceiling as everything stilled.

"Were you listening to me at all?" He questioned, still annoyed. "What is going on with you today?"

All of the frustration and anger I'd been trying to stifle, spewed out. I was sick of being in pain.  I was sick of my body being a useless piece of shit. I was sick of nothing working. Tears pricked the back of my eyes.

"I'm in fucking pain Jase!" I yelled at him.

"You took your pills right?" His annoyance with me gone just like that.

"They don't do shit." I felt like a baby crying. But I couldn't help it. I was so angry and tired and over it all. "I just want it to stop."

"Let's get you up, maybe it'll help." He offered.

"I haven't slept, I'm exhausted." I told him. "I just want to sleep."

He sat on the edge of my bed, I closed my eyes. Taking a couple deep breaths as I tried to compose myself.

Jase blew out a breath. "Okay so I've been doing some research." He said, looking over at me. "Marijuana is supposed to help a lot with nerve pain."

"There's a guy from my high school that sells." I said.

If he was offering, I was definitely taking it. Even if it didn't take away the pain, I wouldn't mind being high for a little. It'd been months, probably since summer.

"I have a friend who grows it medicinally. Let me call him." I nodded my head, it was probably better than anything Kenny had. "I know you're tired Owen, but you gotta tell me when shit like this is happening. If I can fix it I will."

I mumbled out an "okay".

"And if this helps, we'll get you a card okay?"

"Okay." I sniffled, the sudden tears making my nose run. "Will you help me up?"

I didn't feel like putting in any more effort today. Jase got me sitting upright, only one more bout of spasms before he went to call his friend. I was silently praying it would take even the slightest edge off, if his friend would even give me some.

Jase came back into my room a few minutes later, his phone still in his hand.

"My buddy said he could bring some over in about an hour. Can you hold on that long?" He asked.

An hour felt like eternity but I nodded my head anyway.

"How's a burger sound for dinner?" He asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, "that's fine."

Jase started typing away on his phone, I was guessing it was Brandy. I stared at his hands and how easy it was for him to sit there and type a novel. Texting was getting slightly easier with my left hand but it still took me forever.

"Hey, do you think dad will care?" I asked suddenly, the question popping into my head out of nowhere.

Jase glanced over at me. "About the pot?" I nodded, a smirk falling on his face. "Dad was a huge stoner, I think the only thing you have to worry about is him stealing it."

"Dad was a stoner? Since when?" I asked.

Jase had just blown my mind. My dad has always been so consumed with work. I never even saw him drink unless we were out for dinner and even then it was one drink and done. I couldn't even picture him partying let alone smoking.

"Yeah, huge partier. How do you think he met mom?" He said. "Haven't you ever heard the story on how they met?"

"No."

How was this happening? How did I not know this?

"They met at a party, dad got messed up apparently and accidentally knocked mom in a pool. They ended up hanging out all night, dad sobered up, mom dried and dad asked for her number." Jase said.

"What the hell happened?" My dad sounded fun when he was young. "Dad's boring."

Jase shrugged, he looked over at me and I had my answer without him saying a word. My mom.

"Life happened."