Shooting Stars and Satellites

As soon as I walked into my house, I slammed the door on John, who was behind me, and threw the box of donuts and kolaches on the table. “Here’s your damn food.” I turned around and ran straight up the stairs, into my room, which I slammed the door to, as well. I was incredibly frustrated with John and with what he had said. I plopped down on my bed, falling onto my back, and stared up at the wood ceiling.

On the surface, I suppose Gavin would come off simply as a ‘stoner’. But if you knew him, like I knew him, you’d know that, that wasn’t the truth at all. Gavin grew up in a broken home; his parents splitting when he was only five. He was raised by his mother alone, and they’ve never had a lot of money. His mother, Justine, has worked two jobs all her life, in order to support the two of them. When Gavin was introduced to selling weed, it turned his life around. He was finally able to give back to his mother, who, although knew that Gavin was doing something suspicious, had no idea of the truth. He’s also got the biggest heart out of anyone I know – willing to help anyone on the drop of a dime. It’s one of the things that immediately made me fall for him. As a boyfriend, he’s simply amazing. He tells me he loves me every day, and makes as much time for me as possible. When his ‘trips’ come up, it’s really the only time we spend away from each other.

I heard a knock on my door, followed by Kennedy’s voice. “Alaska, are you okay?” I could tell that he was worried by the tone of his voice.

“Yes, Kennedy, I’m fine.”

“Then why did you slam the door on John, and stomp all the way to your room?”

I rolled my eyes. “Why don’t you ask that arrogant asshole?”

He cracked my door open. “’Laska, seriously, what happened when you guys went to get donuts?”

I sat up straight and stared at him. “He started running his mouth about shit that he knows nothing about.”

Kennedy arched his brows. “Like what?”

“Gavin! He barely knows him, and yet John feels that he can immediately judge him.”

Kennedy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sure he feels sorry.”

I scoffed. “I doubt it.”

“Well … are you gunna come down and eat with us?”

I shrugged. “Is John going to be down there?”

“Yes, Alaska,” he sighed.

“Then probably not.” I stood up and grabbed my towel from my closet door. “And tell him that he can go fuck off.”

Kennedy laughed. “I’m not telling him that.” He walked out of my room, and I smiled.

I walked out of my room, and into the adjacent bathroom. I turned the water on, allowing it to warm up, before stripping out of my shorts and tank top.

I wrapped my pink towel around my body, as well as one in my hair, and wiped the steam from the mirror. I made a fish face, and laughed at myself. I opened the door, and walked back into my room. As I closed the door and turned around, I nearly had a heart attack, seeing John sitting on my bed.

“What the fuck are you doing!?” I yelled, making him jump up.

“Oh, shit! I’m sorry, Alaska! I just – I …” he trailed off, staring at me.

I pulled the towel around my body tighter and glared at him. “Get the fuck out!”

He shook his head and walked to the door. “I’m really sorry, Alaska.”

I pushed him out, and slammed the door shut, going to lock it, only to remember that I didn’t have a lock. “Dammit!” I groaned and walked over to my dresser, pulling out an underwear and bra, slipping both on. I walked over to my closet and pulled on a pair of jean shorts, along with a black and white loose flannel shirt. I looked into the full-length mirror, hanging on the back of my closet door, and ruffled my brown hair with my fingers; it would dry to be wavy. I took a deep breath, before opening my door and walking downstairs.

Garrett, Jared, Pat and John were all sitting on the couch, munching on what was left of their food, and watching TV. I glanced around, looking for my brother. “Where’s Kennedy?”

Pat looked at me, his mouth full with a powdered donut. “He went to go pick up Roxie.”

I nodded my head. “Oh, okay.” Roxie, who happened to be my brother’s newest girlfriend, lived a good fifteen minutes away. I reached into the right pocket of my shorts, knowing that they hadn’t been washed since the last time I wore them, as they weren’t dirty, and heard my baggie crinkle. I smiled, and looked at the guys. “Hey, I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?” Garrett asked; obviously in a better mood than earlier this morning.

“Just outside real quick. I have to … make a phone call,” I lied.

“To Gavin, your loverboy?” Jared asked in a teasing tone.

I flipped him off and walked over to our back door, stepping on the deck. I shut the door and walked down the four steps, leading to the grass, and sat down, my back against the wood. I pulled out the small bag, with about a dime of weed, and grabbed the zig-zag paper from my pocket as well. I sat both on my thighs, and broke up the weed, making sure to pick out as much of the stems as I could, before rolling it into the paper. I licked the side, sealing it, before placing it to my lips, and lighting it. I inhaled, holding the smoke into my lungs for as long as possible, before blowing it out.

“You’re not really good at hiding,” John said, standing beside me.

I looked up and rolled my eyes. “Whatever.” I took another puff, holding it in again for a good minute, before exhaling. John sat down beside me and held his hand out. I looked at him as if he were crazy. “Is there something I can help you with?”

He laughed. “Just let me have a couple of hits, ‘Laska.”

I sighed, but handed the joint to him anyways, brushing the stems from my legs. “You’re lucky I don’t like smoking by myself.”

He exhaled, coughing a little as he did so. “Who do you normally smoke with? Gavin?”

I nodded my head. “Him, or whoever I’m hanging out with.”

He took another hit, before passing it back to me. “It’s good.”

“The weed?” I asked.

He nodded his head. “Yeah.”

I laughed. “Gavin gives me the best.”

“Does everyone else get the snickelfritz?”

We both laughed. “You’ve been watching too much Pineapple Express, John.” I took my hit.

He smiled and brushed his jeans. “So, do you forgive me for being an asshole earlier?”

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

He pushed his shoulder into mine. “Just say you do, please.”

I rolled my eyes and handed what was left of the joint back to him. “Don’t push it, O’Callaghan.”

“Fine.” I could hear the smirk in his voice.

With the last two puffs, the joint was gone and I smushed it into the grass, before throwing it under the deck. I could already feel my mouth going dry, and my body began tingling; particularly, my legs. “Do you feel it yet?” I looked at him, and instantly began laughing, because his facial expression told me the answer: he was gone.

“Can you tell?” he asked, after seeing me laugh.

I nodded my head. “Your eyes are already drooping, John.”

He began laughing. “I’m fucked if Kennedy shows up.”

I smiled, and pulled out a Visine. “It’ll help a little.”

He nodded his head, grabbing the small bottle. “Thanks, ‘Laska.”

“No problem.”

He put the bottle to his eye, squirting the liquid, but missing completely; it was all over his cheeks. At this, we both began laughing hysterically and I leaned on John, causing us both to fall onto the grass.

“You are such an idiot!” I told him, still laughing.

“Shut up! I just didn’t aim right.”

“That’s what he said!”

John began laughing harder. “Shit, you got me.”

After a few minutes, our laughter died down, and we both stared up at the blue sky, which was littered with white puffy clouds.

“Oh, shit! There’s a whale in the sky!” John yelled, pointing to a cloud.

I cocked my head to the right, and saw the marine animal. “Fuck, you’re so right, dude!”

“It’s going to slap us with its tail!”

“Should we hide?” I whispered.

He looked at me. “We should take shelter and go inside.”

“Inside?” I lowered my voice. “We’re high, John.”

“But, there’s donuts inside,” he whispered.

I smiled. “Shelter, here we come!” I stood up, and grabbed John’s hand, pulling him up as well.

“Fuck you, Shamu! I never liked Free Willy, anyway!” John yelled.

We both ran inside, and I was laughing so hard at John’s outburst, that tears began to fall from my eyes. We both bent over, our hands on our knees, laughing and talking to each other, although I couldn’t understand one word of what he was saying, as I’m sure he couldn’t understand me either.

“Woah! What the fuck?” Garrett asked, walking into the kitchen and seeing us.

“What happened?” I heard Kennedy’s voice, and suddenly, my buzz began to die down.

I looked at John, who stopped laughing as well. “Open your eyes, fucker,” I whispered.

“They are open!” he whisper-yelled.

I saw Kennedy’s shoes on the tiled floor, and a pair of feet clad in sandals beside his – Roxie. I looked up and gave him a smile. “Hey, Kennedy,” I paused and looked at Roxie, “Roxie.”

She laughed. “Hey, Alaska.”

Kennedy looked between John and I. “I’m guessing you two made up then?”

I looked at John and he nodded his head, avoiding looking at Kennedy. I decided to speak up. “Yeah, we did. He apologized, and I accepted.”

Kennedy nodded his head. “Good.” He looked at John. “What the hell are you staring at?”

John had been staring at the fridge since Kennedy stepped into the kitchen. “Huh? Oh … um, nothing. Just … yeah.”

Roxie laughed and held her hand over her mouth. “John’s high off his ass, right now.”

“What!?” Kennedy yelled.

I glared at her, and she stopped laughing, giving me an apologetic look. John rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and avoided meeting Kennedy’s gaze.

“Look at me,” he said.

John sighed and looked at Kennedy. “What?”

Kennedy looked at me. “Where’d he get the weed from?”

I shrugged. “How would I know?”

“Alaska Annab-“

“Guys! I have a serious problem!” Pat yelled, interrupting Kennedy.

We all looked at him. “What is it?” Kennedy asked, irritated.

“I got powder all over my shirt!” he whined, making a face.

And just like that, the attention was taken off me and John, as everyone began laughing. John looked at me and winked. I rolled my eyes, and went to grab a donut. Thank God for Pat’s childish antics.