Fiend

Three days had passed since Jason and I last talked to each other. I was concerned for him and for myself. That feeling of distress was new to me. I was always the one who needed to be saved. But I felt as if my role had switched. I felt as if I needed to save Jason.

It was our lunch period. He was sitting with his jock friends, putting on this fake face that was so obvious to me. I had done that many times. It was the easiest way out of being asked several questions that you did not want to answer.

As I was in the lunch line, he and his friends were behind me. They were cackling as if one of them told the most hilarious joke about the lunch lady with the wart on her face, but none of them open their mouths once. While I was trying to find out what was going on, one of them put a hand on my back. I looked over my shoulder to see Jason.

His eyes were bloodshot and he had the biggest smirk on his face. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that he was high out of his mind.

“Hey baby, can I cut in front of you?” His breath was hot on my ear as he whispered into it.

“You’re high.”

“Literally or figuratively?”

“Shut up.” I shifted to my left to continue the lines course. He followed.

“Pleaseeeeeee? I really need to eat.”

“Whatever, fine. Get in front of me.” I put my hands up in front of my chest. I was not going to argue with someone who couldn’t even hold his lunch tray straight at that point.

He proceeded to cut in front of me and was eagerly asking the lunch lady with the wart on her face about the daily specials. I began to think of many unanswered questions: how he got the drugs, who is he doing them with, and why is he doing them to begin with? This made me zone out for a few minutes as I tried to think of any solutions. Maybe he had gotten some from his jock friends and did it with them. But that didn’t answer the question as to why. Why does someone start to do drugs? And the manic freak out I witnessed didn’t help give me any solutions.

There was food everywhere. Mashed potatoes flied across the room and a trail of gravy made its presence on the floor. He was screaming at all of the lunch ladies. I didn’t know if I should have stepped in or let him face the consequences for the second time this week. But I did say that I was concerned about him, so I did what I never thought would have been possible from me.

“Jason, stop.” I grabbed hold of his arm to try to restrain him.

He shoved me away and to my surprise, a jock named Liam stopped my fall to the floor.

“Jason, that’s enough.” Liam said to him as he lifted me up.

“Mind your own business, Walters. You know what’s good for you.” Jason pointed his finger at him.

“It’s not okay to threaten people because you can’t have your way. And it’s not okay to throw people around.” Liam was a brave guy. He had an average build, similar to Jason’s. But Jason was more terrifying; from the look on his face to the way his body towered over most of the people in this school.

“You’ll see later. Guys, let’s go.” Jason ordered. The other jocks followed Jason out of the lunch room doors. My mind was spinning. I was confused and hurt at the same time. Jason was acting as if he was two different people stuck in the same body.

“What is-“

Liam cut me off, shaking his head “I’ll explain everything.”



And Liam did. Liam had known Jason since they were infants, crawling around in each other’s houses. Their parents were friends and Jason and Liam basically associated themselves as blood brothers. Also, they used to be neighbors until Jason’s parents moved, causing Liam and him to lose touch for a few years. When they finally met again, they were 15 at Tomilson high. Both of them were trying out to be the captain of the football team.

He said that during those try outs was when he finally noticed that there was something wrong inside of Jason’s life. Jason became mean and distant, even with the guy that he considered his own brother. He wanted the captain position more than anything in the world. Liam said that it was for a sense of authority, where Jason had been the submissive one his whole life. That’s when Liam found out about Jason’s dark past.

Jason was drunk one night at one of the team mates’ parties. He and Liam happened to run into each other. Liam stayed by Jason’s side the whole night to make sure that he would be okay and wouldn’t get into trouble. That’s when Jason had poured his heart out to Liam, on the roof of the team mates’ house, ready to jump off the ledge and kill himself.

Jason was emotionally and physically abused by his mother, ever since he was five years old. His mother was an alcoholic and was easily irritated by anything Jason had done. That’s why Jason was a reserved child. He decided that sleepovers at Liam’s house were a better option than staying home and being beaten over petty things.

After he moved, things had gotten worse. Apparently, Jason told Liam that one day he came back home from school to find his house on fire. Both of his parents were inside. After that incident, Jason had been cycled between several foster families. He had never permanently made a home at one because the parents always complained about him.

Liam begged for Jason not to jump and that he didn’t need to end his life over these things. He sympathized with Jason and Jason had luckily listened to him. Unfortunately after that event, Jason had gone back to his cruel self and began to bully his team mates again when his orders were not obeyed.

“I just don’t understand how he could go from a depressed and suicidal guy one minute to angry and psychotic.” Liam couldn’t even look me in the eyes. I could feel his guilt coming off of his skin of telling me Jason’s life story.

“Those events can truly make someone lose themselves.” I felt like an idiot for judging him so harshly. We truly were similar.

“But he’s very sick, Marina.” Liam sighed. “He is a drug addict now.”

“I could tell he was high today when I saw him. Do you know what he is taking?” I whispered.

“I have some suspicions but I can’t give you a definite answer if I tried. But please, I need your help. You have to talk some sense into him. The other guys on the team won’t help me. They either see that nothing is wrong with him or they join in on the drugs with him.”

“I wish I could but, wouldn’t it be better for someone who actually knew him?” I wanted to save him but how was I going to if I could barely fix myself?

“I feel as if you understand him. When I look at you, I see a troubled girl. One who wants the help but can’t seem to find someone who understands her well enough. That’s Jason. And I will do anything to save my best friend, my brother. Please, I am desperate.”

I hesitated at first, but I nodded in agreement. Little did I know that I was putting myself into a situation that I would not be able to control.