Owen

F*ck You

I got really high.

But better than that. It relieved some of the pain.

I was on the couch, a change of pace from my chair. Jase and Brandy were there and my half ate burger. Now that I wasn't in constant pain, my eyes couldn't stay open. I leaned my head back, letting myself succumb to the sleep I'd been chasing all day.

———————

I made it through the weekend, mostly high. Even when I didn't have pain. The weed was there and I didn't have anything better to do.  Jase had my dad make an appointment with my doctor so we could start on the process of getting me a medical marijuana card. which I might have been looking forward to more than I should have been. Pre-injury I was careful about smoking weed, and I never smoked during soccer season. But now that soccer was out of the question there wasn't a whole lot to get in my way when it came to weed. Especially when it helped ease my discomfort too.

As I rolled down the hallway Monday morning, I was greeted by a number of people. It was funny, I had expected everyone to attack me now that I was damaged goods. Ya know classic popular kid falls from grace, gets a taste of being unpopular. But my social status had remained even with my gap from school. If anything it had made me even more popular, kids I'd never saw before coming up to talk to me.

"Hey baby." Jaelyn called from down the hallway. "I missed you."

She leaned down to kiss me, her hand brushing my leg. I could definitely feel my left thigh. A sensation that was only growing stronger as time passed.

"I missed you too. Sorry about Saturday." I apologized again. "Are you doing anything tonight?"

She made a face that looked pained, I already knew what was coming. She started walking toward her class, I pushed myself along beside her.

"I already have plans bae. Sorry."

"Oh, right, no problem." Of course she did. "With who?"

"Some girl in my math class. I don't think you know her."

The list of people I knew in school had grown exponentially the past week. Whether I remembered anyone's name was a crap shoot.

"Maybe tomorrow night?" I asked, a little too hopeful.

"Yeah we'll see." She glanced down at me, her face lighting up as Bre, Alec and Drew walked up.

We'll see? What was there to fucking see?

I felt hands grab onto the back of my chair, the wheels spinning forward through my hands. I glanced behind me, Colby smiling.

"I got it man." I told him.

"No big deal, we're going in the same direction."

I didn't like being pushed but I managed to hold back the frustrated groan that wanted to escape. I looked up, resigning myself for the time being, my eyes meeting Drew's. He nodded his head in way of a verbal hello. I returned the gesture. We wouldn't say anything else to each other for the rest of the day.

————————

Homework.

I had homework.

Did my idiot teachers think I could write? How the fuck was I supposed to do this shit?

I was at the dining room table, a book cracked open, a notebook next to it. I hadn't even attempted to pick up the pen. I closed my eyes, tipping my head back as I let out a groan.

"What's that for?" Brandy asked.

It was rarely ever just Brandy. And I hated admitting it but for some reason I almost wished Jase was here instead tonight. Ever since the night with the weed, he'd been less annoying. Maybe because I was high a lot more. I wasn't entirely sure which.

"How am I supposed to do this shit?" I asked.

"What'd they give you?" She asked, peering over my shoulder at my Trig homework.

"I understand it but come on, I can't write, they can't be serious."

She picked up the pen, sticking it in my hand. It proceeded to drop to the table, the reaction time of my muscles slowed as my nerves tried to connect. She repeated the process, holding the pen this time until I actually had a hold of it.

"Write, if they can't read it, tell them to figure out another way for you to do your homework." She said.

"What if they just flunk me instead? Because they can't read it?" I asked.

It felt like a legit concern. Some of the teachers were assholes. They probably didn't care that I physically just couldn't do it. It wasn't that I was purposely not doing it. I actually wanted to do my homework. I'd always done it, I had to in order to stay on the soccer team and ya know it wasn't like I didn't have goals. I had been working toward college since I could remember. And now that I didn't have a scholarship, it was even more important my grades stayed up.

"We'll sic Nan on them." Brandy smiled, nudging me in the shoulder.

I laughed, the image of Nan yelling at Mrs. Minska a little too appealing.

I took Brandy's advice, slowly scribbling my first name on the page. I had intended to write my last name but time was precious, I was slow, and I was the only Owen in the class so I just put an S.

"Whats that say?" Brandy asked.

I looked at my name then up at her, a faint smirk on her face, then back down to my paper.  She was teasing but it was probably my best so far. Just a touch better than "almost legible". A smile pulled at my lips as I thought of Mina.

"Fuck you." I told her, laughing a little.

"You put your name as 'fuck you'? They might actually flunk you if you do that." She joked.

I shook my head, flicking her off. "Go away."

But even as I said it I was laughing. Brandy always had a way of making me laugh about my situation. Even when she was so blatantly making fun of me. She ruffled my hair as she walked by, grabbing the drink she had set on the table earlier.

"Holler if you need me fuck you." She quipped over her shoulder.

I shook my head, a genuine smile on my face as I stared down at my paper.

Today had been okay.

All things considered.

                              ————————

Guys my birthday is in two days and I'm a little freaking out because I'm getting old 😫.