Crisscross apple sauce, crisscross apple sauce. C'mon Johnny, just put your right leg over your left. It's pretty easy dude. I'm so blazed, everyone was saying that word might as well put it into my new pothead vocab, I can't even cross my legs, really taking care of my life, aren't I? I'm sitting on the floor of this room, it's disgustingly colored to match the pigment of the sativa in the joint pressed between my lips. Purple Haze. I never knew I was going to end up this way, but life takes us down twist and turns we don’t even know about. And it took me down the twists and turns of the grape flavored paper.

"Johnny boy, pass the joint man." An upper class-man croaked, I removed it from my lips, the paper slightly sticking. I looked at joint, all the germs that are being passed around on it and no one giving a care in the world. I cringed, good lord we are disgusting.

"Here you go dude, sorry." I wheezed, slightly falling forwards to fully reach him. He smiled lightly, bringing the flaming paper to his lip. I looked around the circle to the people that now accompany me in my free time, their eyes red, watery, and bulging. It was starting to get hard for me to really comprehend anything, which was honestly horrifying. My body wanted to do things my brain wasn't telling it to do. "hey uh, Aurora, are you hungry?" I poked her shoulder lightly, she looked over to me and exhaled the smoke.

"Sure kiddo, I'm getting there." She chuckled lightly, taking another hit of the joint before passing it on in the circle. "Let's go get something to eat." She blew the smoke from her nostrils. I sauntered my way to the bathroom, it was more of a horse trot since I had long lanky legs but lets not get into that. I started talking to myself, a pep talk.

"Dude you really went downhill," wiping the bit of sweat off my forehead I continued, "like c'mon you can even hold your eyes open without looking like a freaking zombie." Zombie? God what am I doing with my life, I look like the walking dead just gave me a hit. The cold water ran out of the faucet, it was kind of inviting really. just take a swig bro, you know you want to! My mind taunted me, prodding until I stuck my clammy hands into the stream of water. "Eh, kinda feels nice aside from the stuffy living room." I spoke to myself, bringing my cupped hands up to my lips.

"Johnny boy?" A Boston accent rumbled through the walls of the bathroom, or maybe it was him pounding on the door, "Yo, Johnny boy c'mon we are goin out to eat!" He screamed. I shut the water off, the refreshing liquid escaping down the drain. Don’t worry I'll be back. "Aurora here, so sweet, told me you was hungry mister." He winked at her, gripping his, totally ripped and not steroids, arm around her small waist. I nodded a bit, rubbing the back of my neck, opening my mouth to speak.

"Where are we going though!" Steve's voice crawled up the stairs up the stairs, "Randy, lets check out chipotle." He continued. I tilted my head to the side, chipotle? Randy chuckled to himself shaking his head, Aurora joined in. Why are they laughing, inside jokes suck. "c'mon lets go, the more we wait, the less time we have to eat!"

"I was thinking more of a burger joint, but okay I guess chipotle." I shrugged my shoulders trudging along.

I don’t know how, but we all managed to fit into Steve's junk of a Ford pickup truck, that looked more like a hot-wheels than a car. Lights flew by like fireflies stuck on turbo, my eyes aching to follow each one, memories of my past began to swirl through my mind. My breath was

fogging up the seemingly small window of the pickup truck's passenger seat, and I drew a smiley face. The heat inside of the car from all the bodies was unbearable, hell Aurora basically was sharing Randy's leg and mine as a chair. I started to think about how we all met, the middle of eighth grade, I honestly couldn’t believe that the four of us would have stayed friends till senior year. Steve turned the radio up the sound of Duke blurring me out of reality.

"Hey little dude, wanna hang out later after school?" I turned around a bit startled pushing my glasses higher up on my nose, "little dude, I asked a question, yes or no?" The most feared guy in school questioned me sternly, his grill giving him a slight lisp. He stared into my soul as he waited for an answer, I nodded my head quickly tightening the straps of my bookbag. "alright cool little dude, what's your name bro?" He smiled at me stretching a hand out to me, I reached mine out to shake his.

"Um, Johnathan, it's Johnathan." I said quickly, sweat forming in my palms as he gripped my hand, pulling me in for pat.

"Weird name dude, from now own you're known as Johnny boy. Don’t answer to anything else, yah hear?" He squeezed my shoulder, "You're gonna gain respect now Johnny boy." He grinned.

I gulped, "What's yours...", of course I knew his name why wouldn't I? Everyone knows him. He took a step back to pull his already sagging pants up a bit, clearing his throat.

"Randal, but everyone calls me Randy." He said in a serious tone, his almost black eyes glaring at me. My eyes widened a bit, a small gasp escaped my lips. "Nah I'm kidding little dude,

don’t be scared I'm just messin'." He chuckled grabbing me by my shoulder, "Who do you have 7th, we need to leave early today." I looked at him in shock raising my eyebrow,

"Leave early for what?" I questioned, "why do we need to skip?" I continued, stopping in my tracks. He laughed at me realizing that this would've been my first ever ditch. He grabbed my arm and pushed my glasses up for me,

"Don’t get all namby-pamby on me little dude, I know deep down you want to." He poked me in my chest, c***ing his eyebrow in a malicious way. I looked away thinking to myself.

"Fine, let's do it." I grumbled he laughed clapping his hands and gripping his arm around my shoulder. This feeling of excitement bubbled up in my stomach, I was about to ditch class for the first time. This is going to be great dude.

"Johnny boy!" A muffled voice yelled, "damn you're faded as hell man, get out the truck we're here." Steve cackled pulling my from my arm, the brisk air cooled my clammy skin. Opening the door of the chipotle I was greeted by smells of Mexican food, my stomach grumbled in response. "This here, is heaven on earth my brother." Steve continued to speak, but I just wanted to stuff my face into one of those giant burritos. "Go sit with Randy and Aurora while I order our stuff bro." I nodded trudging to the back of the restaurant, plopping into the booth laying my head on the table. My mind began to wander back into my thoughts.

I cant believe that I'm going to skip Ms.Lennard's, where is Randy anyway? This bathroom smells like donkey butt. Its already like 2 something, I don’t even know anymore.

"Yo, Johnny boy." I hoarse voice whispered from down the hall. I peeped my head out of the bathroom to check if the coast was clear and my eyes focused on Randy waving me to come towards him. I picked up my things and jogged towards Randy, a grin on his face as I "dapped him up", that's what Randy calls it. "Alright you ready little bro?" He whispered, staying pressed up against the wall, I nodded nervously. "We are gonna get out on my bike dude." He pointed to a small BMX bike spray painted metallic blue. I hopped onto the back pegs, gripping onto his shoulders.

"Where are we uh, headed Randy?" I groaned when he hit a pot hole, "I've never seen this side of the town..." I whispered. We took a turn onto a dirt road and pulled up to a small house that looked completely abandoned. "Why are the windows boarded up in the front?" I questioned stepping off of his bike, tightening my bookbags straps.

"This is where we are going to hang out today Johnny." He laughed. "Johnny, yo Johnny... Johnny wake up." Randy kept repeating, I tilted my head. I'm right in front of you dude.

"Johnny! your burrito is getting cold!" Aurora squeaked, "no more cat naps, that’s my thing." She poked at my face. I lifted my head up drool laying in a puddle where my face once was. Gross dude, gross. "Alright guys let us pray for our food." Aurora bowed her head giving everyone an evil glare, "Randal! Do not start eating." She growled, he dropped his burrito and bowed his head. I honestly don’t know how she does drugs but she is still religious...isn't that like against the rules or something? "Amen, y'all say amen too." She giggled, "Bon appetite."

I buried my teeth into the cooling burrito the feeling of euphoria greeting me like the first time I smoked weed, it hit me like ten minutes later but damn it felt great. (possible ending)

This crap must be fake, these people are just lunatics... it's been ten minutes and nothing has happened, at least to me. "Johnny boy, take another hit man, this is the good stuff." Randy coughed, wiping the bit of spit off with his sleeve. I was scared to breath this toxic smoke in again, what if I'm slowly dying and I don't know it.

"I'm alright, thanks Randy." I smiled lightly, the lens of my glasses fogging up. "I think I've had enough man, I'm baked." I groaned, trying to sound like the obviously professional stoners around me. He scrunched his nose up and quickly passed it back the other way.

"Come with me." Randy whispered to me, reaching a hand out to me. We walked out of the house, Randy rubbing his hands together almost angrily. "Listen little dude, if you're uncomfortable just lemme know and I'll get you a ride home." He spoke to me in a hushed tone, the music from inside the house seeping from under the boarded up windows. I rubbed the back of my neck, heat rising to my cheeks.

"It's not that I'm, nervous." I began, Randy nodding his head in response, "I just, it isn't doing anything man." I huffed out, the weight floating off my shoulders. He chuckled a bit, slapping my shoulder.

"The high takes time, and when it hits you dude, it hits you hard." a devilish grin spread across his face, and he walked back into the house.

It hits you hard.

I jumped into the passenger side of Steve's truck, slamming the door. My stomach was full to the rim about to blow, especially with Aurora pressing up against me. The chatter in the car between Randy and Steve echoed around the small area, the small click of the lighter sparking silenced everything. I don’t think we should be doing that right Randal. He brought it up to his lips, exhaling the smoke in little donuts. Steve grabbed the joint, twiddling it in between his fingers before he took a hit.

"what the hell is this?" He coughed, throwing it back to Randy, spitting out the window into the street, "Aurora give me a sip." He pursed his lips towards her cup. I chuckled lightly, what on earth was in that joint? "Stop laughing Johnny." Steve growled.

"It's called Apple Jack." Randy said before letting out the smoke, "like the cereal." Aurora busted out laughing, slapping her thigh.

"get out with that dumb s*** Randy." Aurora said snatching the joint from him, I rolled my window down and she threw it out. "That probably has glass in it, watch you die in your sleep or something." She frowned, playing with the cowlick in the front of his hair. He nodded back, taking a swig of her drink.

"You're awful quiet Johnny boy, what's wrong?" Randy said, poking my cheek. "You okay?"

I nodded rubbing the bridge of my nose, "I'm just car sick dude I'm all good." I gave him a small smile and he nodded his head back.

After driving for I don’t know how long, they dropped me off at my house. "Bye Johnny!" Aurora squeaked, waving through the open window. I waved back putting my hat on. Once they drove away I snuck to the back of my house, grabbing the ladder I hid behind the giant pine tree in my back yard. Yelling was echoing out of my open window, great they're at it again. I threw my hat on the floor, kicking the ladder to land against the tree.

"you're the reason why he is all messed up! I raised my son right, you wanted to move here not me. I'm done Harold, done."

My parents were at is again, always fighting over me. I plopped onto my bed, reaching into my dresser beside me and grabbing the small bottle I always had for emergencies. Unscrewing the bottle I popped a couple of zanies into my mouth, taking a swig of my overly sweetened tea. The pounding foot steps of my parents surging up the stairs seemed to simultaneously get louder and fade away as they came closer.

"Johnathan Skyes, get out of your room this instant your father and I want to speak with you."

In a minute mom, in a minute. I dropped the bottle on the bed beside me, laying back and closing my eyes. "It's time for me to relax now mother." I spoke, the words barley a whisper out of my mouth. The door slammed open, my father probably kicked it in but who cares. My phone buzzed beside me, the specific tone to Randy's contact echoed through my room. I was tired, of life, my parents fighting, everything.

"Yo Johnny boy, we're going to the beach tomorrow lemme know if you're up to join us." The voice mail began playing on it's own the words more of a blur than a sentence. "Call me back when you get this."

Someone started to violently shake my body, I just chuckled, my body felt like silly putty seeping through the grooves of their fingers. "I'll be back in a few hours don't worry mother come back later." I pulled the sheets over my head like a wave of cool blue water, flowing around me. Trying to escape the fight through drugs and childish behavior wasn't going to save me. Clicks of the tongue and sighs rained around my room, my parents were tired too, tired of me.

"Don't worry mother! Ill be gone soon!" I cackled, the cracks of my voice found their way through my vocal cords harshly. "Don't worry."

I grabbed my phone, dialing Randy. "Yeah I'll join you guys, come and pick me up." I clicked my phone off and threw it on to the bed, packing a large duffle bag and throwing it onto my shoulder, "I told you I was going to leave, don't expect me back."

Steve's pickup truck pulled up in front of my house, the engine shutting off. I threw my things into the open truck, making my way into the passenger seat. "Randy and Aurora are at home getting their things ready for tomorrow." He whispered to me, "let's go get some KFC." I chuckled at his choice of food, I nodded and we headed off.

The smoke from Steve's joint filled up the car, slightly pouring through the gaps in the window. Tainting my lungs with comfort, my body itched for the smoke to invade it. I guess this was how I was going to spend the rest of my life, high and happy.