The Drug Years

Lacey's point of View
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I pulled up to the end of the road. This must be Quinton's secret spot because his car was here. He drove a Ferrari. I wasn't sure how he could afford it, but I didn't want to ask.

He got out of my car and motioned for me to follow, so I did. He entered the back seat of his car instead of the front. "Come in," he said.

I obeyed and got in on the left side. His car was angled towards the end of the cliff. I looked out the windshield into the vast sky and saw such a beautiful sight. I laid against his chest and his arm was around my shoulders. I looked up at him and he looked down at me.

"Is this all we are going to do today?" I asked.

"No, I've got other plans for us. Like swimming, but first we will watch a sun rise."

"How romantic," I said playfully.

He leaned down to me, our lips brushing for only a moment. "Is it possible to love someone without really knowing them?" I said a loud accidentally.

"I was hoping you had the answer to that."

I sighed. I had never felt like this before. "I guess it is possible." I concluded.

I looked out to the slow sun peaking its way above the horizon. It was beautiful. A bunch of different colors: red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, purple, and some hints of green.

"I'll be right back," Quinton said out-of-nowhere.

I stared off at him, confused. He got out of the car and walked a distance away.

What was he doing? I thought to myself.

I got out of the car as quietly as I could manage, and made my way slowly towards him. He still had his back turned away from me, but I could tell he was doing something. What, I wasn't sure.

I was five feet away from him when he turned around. He looked at me with a perplexed expression. I started at him confused until I looked at his hand to find him holding a cigarette. "Why are you over here?" He asked.

"I wanted to know what you were doing," I mumbled.

"I'm smoking," he stated bringing it up to his mouth and inhaling deeply.

"I can see that." I said kind of annoyed at his obviousness.

"Do you mind if I am a smoker?" He asked serious.

"No. I can't change who you are. Even if I don't like it, but smoking is better than hard drugs. Then again that doesn't really matter because you smoke those too."

He looked at me, hurt shown clearly through his eyes.

"I love you," I said trying to make him feel better. "Even your drugs," I said jokingly. "It makes you who you are, and that's what I'm in love with. You don't have to hide it from me."

"I want to protect you from me," he said finally speaking.

"Why?"

"Because I'll end up influencing you."

"No you won't," I replied.

"Look around you. I told you to skip school with me and you did with little hesitation. You don't say 'No' to me."

"I said no to sex!" I said defending myself.

"At first, then afterwards you changed your mind. It was me that told you no."

I couldn't think of anything else to say. He was right.

"I'm going to school," I said trying to prove him wrong.

"OK. It's better if I don't go."

"Why not?"

"We are having an argument, and we are supposed to be on the DL. So don't you think that would be difficult if we both were at school today?"

He had a point, but I wanted to talk things out. "I'll see you later?" I asked.

He just shrugged his shoulders. "Why do you do this?"

"Do what?" He asked.

"Push me away. I don't care if you influence me!" To prove my point I came closer to him and reached for his cigarette.

"What are you doing?" He asked. "Are you crazy? I don't want this!" He held his arm up and since he was taller than me I couldn't reach. "You will regret it! I know I do!"

"Well then stop or at least try to cut back!" I yelled at him. I was a foot away from him by now. "You don't even realize how hard it is to go a day without anything. Trust me, I've tried many times," he said, not yelling like me.

"I'll help you," I said honestly falling into his familiar embrace. He dropped the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I don't want to stop completely. Just cut back for now." He told me.

"Fine," I replied. "Let's go to school then."

"I can't."

"Why not?" I asked.

"I'm suspended remember. For two days."

"OK then. I'll just be sick for two days."

"No you won't. Just go to school and I'll be fine."

I exhaled deeply deciding that he was right and I should go to school.

He walked me to my car and kissed me softly before I got in and drove away.