The Drug Years

Quinton's point of view
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We had stopped at the food court to pick up something for dinner. I was the only one who wasn't hungry though, so I just got a soda that I had barely taken two sips from.

I smiled as I watched Lacey eat a whole Chick-Fil-A fry in one bite. She wasn't like most girls. Most girls would have taken small, unsatisfying bites and ate really slow in front of guys. Not her. She didn't care what I thought of her eating habits. And to be honest, I loved that about her. High self esteem is what most girls lacked.

"What?" She asked, self-consciously wiping her face.

I stifled my laughter. "Nothing," I replied before looking away from her. She was certainly funny even though she never meant to be.

"Where are we going first?" Jaden asked between chews.

I looked back to Lacey.

"Why do you both always stare at me when a question is asked?" She questioned.

I shrugged.

"You're being very one-word-answery today," she stated.

"Actually he's being more no-word-answery today," Jaden amended. "You've barely said anything since we've gotten here."

"You're right," she said to Jaden. "He is being a bit strange."

"I don't appreciate being talked about," I said. "Especially since I'm right here."

"He spoke!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Yay!" Lacey smiled.

They both laughed.

"So Jaden," she began, "I don't really know you that well, so do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"Not at all," he responded.

"You never asked if it was OK to ask me questions," I stated.

"That's because you would have said no. I knew if I kept asking you, it would annoy you enough to tell me," she looked at me concern showing in her eyes, but she hid it as best as she could. "When did you two become friends?" She asked looking back to Jaden.

"Well, I was friends with Greg and Greg was friends with Quinton, so one day we just all hung out together and me and Quinton became friends."

"That's cool," she said. "Do you do drugs too?" She asked bluntly.

"Well...I used to, but I haven't in a few days. I'm trying to stop."

She stopped her questions and finished her meal.

"Are you done?" I asked when she placed all trash items into the Chick-Fil-A bag.

"Yep," she replied not as cheerfully as she usually did.

We all stood up. Her and Jaden threw their trash away in the nearest trash can. We began to walk.

There were two ways to choose from to go. Left and right. They both ran back into each other because the mall was circular in shape.

We decided to go left first. "Hey, you two wait here. I need to get some vitamins," Jaden said before entering the GNC store. There was a bench directly in front of the store, so me and Lacey sat down.

The mall had a glass ceiling, so that lights weren't needed during the day. There were some fake plants set in random places. The floor was tiled in a checkered pattern and each store's entrance was different.

"What's wrong?" Lacey asked.

"Nothing," I replied looking at the ground, the ceiling, anywhere but her.

"I don't believe you," she stated. "Something is wrong, but you won't tell me what. What is it? I won't get mad. Why are you so afraid to tell me? I'm guessing that whatever it is has something to do with not eating."

"I wasn't hungry," I replied.

"If you don't live with your parents and you don't have a job, how do you pay for stuff?" She asked out of nowhere. "How do you pay for gas and food? At school, some classes have fees. What are you not telling me?"

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," I said.

"Why won't you tell me then?" She asked on the verge of tears.

"Can I stay at your house tonight? I promise I'll give you answers. Later."

"Fine," she said as Jaden walked to us with a small bag.

"Let's roll," he said as we stood up and continued walking.