Caution: Words Haunt

"So did your mom know you were suspended or did you sneak in and out all day?" I asked. Last time Zach was suspended, his mom said that she would send him to military school if it happened again. We both knew that wouldn't happened; after all the stuff we pulled when we were younger (stealing the car one night when we were 11 for a joy ride and stuff like that) she would've done it a long time before if she meant business.

"Actually, when I told her, she said that it was ok. When she was our age, I guess, she had the same problem so she kind of just, you know, let it slide." I was shocked at this.

"Really? You'r mom always seemed so... I don't know. Perfect, I guess."

"No. You know, we used to seem perfect too." He said, looking down.

"But then, you know, we turned eight." I laughed. He did too. It was true; back when we were five and just starting school, we were perfect. But as time went on, we got ahead of the game and got bored. I guess we actually got stupid because we had been too smart.

I remember being ten years old, now. My mom was still alive and Zach had come over to spend the night for my birthday. "Where'd you get that from?" I asked as he pulled out a box of ciggarrettes.

"I found them in my mom's room. She doesn't smoke, so I was wondering why she had them." he said.

"Well, why'd you bring them?" I asked.

"Because... I was worried that maybe she'd start. Remember those pictures of people's messed up throats and stuff that they showed us in school? I don't want my mom to turn out like that. So I was going to throw them away. But I guess I forgot them in my pocket." he said.

It was my idea, I remember.

"I have matches..."

"You mean-" Zach looked at me.

"Well, haven't you ever wondered why people smoke them to start with? Maybe they taste good?"

We waited until it was around midnight. My parents had gone to sleep and had set up a tent for us in the backyard. It was a beautiful summer night and I breathed in the pure oxygen before lighting up the white stick.

I offered it to him, but he shook his head. "Ladies first."

"That's why I'm offering it to you." I joked. Still, I decided that since it was my idea, I might as well. It was outside, so I figured I couldn't get caught.

Five years later. I never did.

"Hey, I have to get back to class. I've already been out about five minutes." He said. He gave me a quick hug and left me in front of my door. I watched him walk back, wondering if maybe drugs had actually brought us closer. I mean, he would supply me, I would supply him. On the nights that we were drunk, we would reveal so much in a depressed rant. Maybe they weren't all that bad in the end...