Fiend

Whoever else was still at the school came out of the classrooms and watched the scene. Jason told the police that the knife was his. He was handcuffed as his Miranda rights were read to him, walking with the police out of the building. I followed close behind to hear and see everything that was happening. They stuck him into the police car and sped off. The principal’s face during the whole ordeal was of pure shock.

“What the hell is going on at this school anymore? I have a broken window in the men’s locker room that needs to be fixed, a student found with a knife who is going to have to be expelled and no captain for the football team anymore!” The principal shouted in anger.

There was nothing to say anymore. Jason screwed up, big time. He didn't have a chance to receive his high school diploma. He lost all respect as captain of the football team, our school's star player. What drug did Jason had to take in order for him to reach that point of hostility? Why would he have wanted to take a drug like that, which allowed him no state of recollection after the high? These were the questions that needed to be answered and I wasn’t receiving any of the responses that I wanted. It was time to investigate.

I searched online that night for drugs that would make one become hostile. Google had given me results such as alcohol, steroids and PCP. I doubt that it could have been steroids that he was abusing because he was not gaining any muscles. So what was left was alcohol and PCP. Though I knew that alcohol could make someone become more angry and irritable, I felt drawn to figure out what PCP’s side effects were. And my results matched Jason’s behavior to a T. But why PCP of all drugs, which is one of the most deadly and harmful drugs one can indulge in?

The next day, I told Liam before our first period classes to meet me where we were sitting before at lunch. I mentioned that it was a very urgent manner that I had to speak to him about.

When noon finally arrived, Liam sat down on the opposite side of me. He had his plate of disgusting cafeteria food in front of him. Before he started to indulge he cleared his throat and asked, “So what’s up?”

“I think I figured out which drug he’s been abusing.”

“Really? Let me hear it.”

“PCP.”

“No,” Liam’s body seemed to have gone numb “Not that.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“That isn’t a drug to be messed with. He should have known that.”

“What do you mean?”

“One of our old best friends fell victim to the addiction a few years ago. He isolated himself from us and it took us a few months to figure out exactly why he wouldn’t talk to us or hang out with us anymore. It was because he was too into his angel dust to give two shits about us.”

“Wow. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing anyone could do.” Liam shrugged.

“Do you know when Jason’s court hearing is?” I wanted to be there to hear the verdict. I firmly did not believe that he deserved a long sentence due to him not remembering his actions at all. He was under the mental possession of the drug. But I knew that the New York court was not going to go easy on him because he had a switch blade in his ownership and had broken school property.

“Saturday, 10 AM.”

“Let’s go together.” I suggested. Liam and I deserved to be there, or at least Liam did.

“Okay, I’ll pick you up at your house. Just give me your address.” He sheepishly smiles.

I wrote my address on a piece of notebook paper and handed it to him. He nodded and said that he would be there at 9:30 AM exactly. I was never one to run late.



When that Saturday morning came around, I became nervous. My palms were sweaty, my throat was dry. I was all the symptoms of a nervous wreck. But why? I wasn’t the one up at the stand facing the possibilities of years in prison. I was a bystander, hoping for the best for a guy that I knew wasn’t a bad person when he was sober.

Liam picked me up at, like he said, 9:30 AM on the dot.

“I hate being late, so I’m very punctual.” Liam explained as I stepped into his car.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a good quality to have.” We exchanged smiles.

There was something about Liam that was unlike Jason. Liam was calm and patient when it came to stressful situations. Jason was loose cannon, firing whenever he felt threatened. But they had to share some characteristic down the line, as they have known each other their whole lives.

“Would you say you and Jason share a characteristic?”

“Well, maybe. I would have to think a long time about it though.”

Out of nervousness, I started to bounce my leg. I don’t know if it was starting to annoy him or not, but he kept looking over at it, as if it was enticing. I wanted him to pay attention to the road more than my nervous habits.

“Nervous huh?” Liam said as we pulled into the parking lot of the courthouse. $14 dollars to only park for 2 hours was ridiculous. That was New York City for you.

“By the way, the answer is we both have ADD.” Liam cooed as he helped me out of his car and we walked to the courtroom where we would see what Jason’s faith would be.

Jason saw us as we stepped inside. However, he turned back around to the stand rapidly and kept his head hung low. The judge read out Jason’s file and case.

“Charged for criminal possession of a weapon and a Class A misdemeanor. Also you were high while at the scene. Why should I let you go any less than 2 years in prison?” The judge was stern and she was not messing around.

“My client pleads guilty to several charges your honor.” The lawyer, a very handsome young man, stepped from behind the desk to discuss the claims.

As the lawyer went on about the guilty charges Jason admitted to, I looked at him and examined his character. He was tapping his foot to a unheard beat and rotated his head left to right every few seconds. You could tell that the judge was getting annoyed with those habits.
“Mr. Mendez, do you have some….mental issue?”

“Yes, your honor. I have ADD and from taking several drugs over the years, my attention span is not the greatest.” One look at Jason would tell you that he felt caged in those handcuffs and the cuffs on his ankles.

“What drugs? Name them.”

“Marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol, crack and PCP.”

I glanced at Liam and I mouthed “I told you so.”

“PCP? Mr. Mendez, it sounds like sooner or later you were asking for life in prison. PCP makes people do dangerous things.”

“I have been informed many times, your honor.”

“Although under the laws of New York, I cannot charge you for having the drug in your system. Also, the drugs were not in your possession correct?”

“Yes, your honor.”

“Then could you tell me who has given you your drugs? If not, I will be forced to add years on your sentence.”

Jason began to fidget, “My best friend Jorge Hernandez.”

Liam stood up and yelled “I knew it! You were lying to me that whole time! How could you, Jason? We’re supposed to be brothers? How could you have fallen so low?”

“Order, order in the court! Security, escort that young man out of the building! You cannot come in here and disrupt my court like this!” The judge pointed at Liam and I tried to argue with the security officers to let him stay.

Liam was taken out of the doors and as I stood there and watched. I didn’t know what I was feeling. I was concerned, worried and saddened. Jorge had to be the best friend that gotten addicted to PCP. Unfortunately, Jason made some bad choices and followed down his path.

“Six months in jail within a rehab program. To set yourself straight, Mr. Mendez. Next case!” The judge brought down her glaive. The decision was final.

I rushed up to Jason before they decided to take him to the county jail, “Jason, I-“

I was fidgeting, I couldn’t keep still. “Nervous huh? Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Come visit me sometime.”

As they were taking him away, he shouted back to me “and tell Liam I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

I nodded and laughed to myself. He and Liam were exactly alike. I’m surprised they weren’t blood brothers. And the next six months would act as stepping stones into the right direction for Jason, Liam and even the rest of us affected by his arrest.

With the court hearing over, I noticed a sense of empowerment within myself. It was time to grow up and face reality. There were only a few weeks until my 18th birthday, which had made me realize that I was ready to move on and become the independent woman I was always meant to be. And fortunately, I got that characteristic from my mother.