Running on Adrenaline

Heidi was close to follow Oli and when she caught my smirk she stopped and snared at me.
I shrugged and looked away bringing a bottle to my lips, Heidi whacked the bottle away from me, leaving it to fly across and smash against a tree.

“That’s fucking dangerous Heidi”

“Do yeh think i care?” i honestly didn’t understand the problem she had with me.

She just stood there with her hands balled up into fists.

“What now? Huh? Are you gonna hit me?” she raised a hand and it collided with my stomach. I leant over in pain and Heidi’s friends got there just in time to hold her back and take her away.

“Lia, you right?”

I waved them back and went into the nearby trees to be alone. The hit was hard enough to keep the air from my lungs for just a moment.

“Yeh righ’?” James startled me enough to get me breathing again.

“Shit. Don’t do that” I ordered.

“Sorreh” he chuckled, clearly under the influence of something “Yeh not lucky at parties are yeh?”

“I’m pretty sure everyone just loves to hate me”

“Heidi packs a hard punch eh?”

I just nodded holding my stomach.

“i got a smoke on offer tonight” he hopefully hinted.

I thought back to the feeling that pill brought me, could this possibly bring me that same satisfaction? That same escape from everyone for just a few hours? I thought long and hard about it, well not that long or hard.

I took the smoke from his hand and inhaled a small amount. I coughed and James smiled. I took another drag, a long one this time. It filled my lungs and the blood rushed to my head. Bringing me that feeling again.

I sat with my back against a tree and James lay beside me, looking up through the leaves and to the pitch black sky.

“I promised my boyfriend i wouldn’t do this” i guiltily mentioned.

“I promised my best friends i would stop this, but now they do it too” he laughed.
“That doesn’t help me”

I just shrugged and we stayed there for what felt like an hour, once I felt like I was stable enough to pass as just drunk I stood up and brushed myself off.

“Thanks” I said.

He stopped me “Do yeh want a supply?” he curiously asked.

i shook my head “No thanks”

“Suit yehself” he went back to lying down and just looking up at the starless sky. I was guessing whatever he was on gave him the impression the sky was full of stars.

I stumbled back to the bonfire, searching with my hazy vision. I took a bottle from nearby too look like i had been just drinking. Hannah was by the fire dancing and singing loudly with a group of girls, i joined.

Hannah saw me and looked confused “Where ‘ave yeh been?” she slurred.

“With you this entire time” she just nodded.

Then it really hit me, i felt even more under the influence than before, whatever James had given me made my unusually happy and separated from reality, but it wasn’t long before i was laying on the grass too tired to get up.

I had mental flashes of Brains face, Toms face and Hannah’s laugh. I saw the back of Jeremy’s car as Brian drove and lastly i woke to find myself placed in my room with a large t-shirt on. I sat up leaning my head back and squeezing my eyes to try and relieve the headache. I looked to see Heidi sleeping.

I had just enough time to catch a shower and throw my shit together before first period maths.

The water did its job of washing me clean of last night, it made my eyes drop with sleep, but i shook my head and got out. I quickly dressed just leaving my hair out wet and pinned my now too long fringe back.

I gathered my clothes and leaned into my room to chuck them in, unfortunately when i threw my clothes in they collided with Heidi. She took my clothes and threw them hard back at me and shoved me to get me out of the way. I really wasn’t physically or mentally up for a confrontation and i could tell she wasn’t either, so we just ignored it for now.

Having maths first thing if the morning was a crime, i sat with eyes trying to close as i took down the notes I needed. Just before I my head was going to hit the desk my teacher came over smiling.

“Amelia” she addressed, i replied by smiling innocently “I have a student who could use your tutoring” she proposed.

“Its Oli isn’t it?” I asked unsurprised.

“Yes” she looked surprised “Do you two know each other?” she seriously asked.

“I suppose so” I answered, she told me the details and I agreed to meet with him this afternoon at the library.

I then walked to my next class which brought me straight to lunch.

I found our usual table empty, but I sat anyway with a tray of food and a bottle of water. While i ate a partly familiar face sat next to me. I turned to James.

“Where are yeh friends?” he asked reaching for a chip on my tray.

I shrugged and took a sip of water “I wish i knew”

At that moment Heidi came over and looked from me to James.

“Gettin’ yeh supply?” she cracked.

“Yeah” I answered sarcastically.

“Heidi, can’t yeh see I’m talking to her here” James faced her and she instantly shrugged and walked away.

“How did you do that? I can’t seem to get rid of her when she’s around”

“I guess I’m polite” he chuckled.

Finally Hannah showed up with a couple of books in her hand, she looked at me and at James, and then she started to look worried.

“I’m not getting a supply” I assured “Aren’t you known for anything else here?” I asked James.

He thought for a moment and shook his head; he then took another chip and walked away.
“Where were you guys?” i asked Hannah.

“Studying for the English exam” she reminded me.

My mouth then snapped open, i completely forgot about it. Hannah could tell by the look on my face that i had an issue on my hands. She put her notes in front of me and pretty much gave me a crash course on what i had to write. I nodded but the worry still wracked me.

I excused myself and walked to the bathroom to gain composure. I had to do some convincing to make sure i wouldn’t freak out in the middle of the exam. Thinking about my mums pride really didn’t help at that point.

“Yeh ready?” Oli casually asked while walking right past me.

I grabbed his sleeve and shook my head; he saw my face and rolled his eyes.

“Yeh improved, don’t worry yeh’ll be fine, just think about all the stuff i told yeh” he tried to calm me.

I was about to ramble on when i stopped and realised “Wait. Are you okay?”

He sighed and pushed me to the side of the hallway “Yes” he simply answered.

I looked unconvinced and quirked a brow.

“Don’t give meh that face” he warned.

“Don’t give me that explanation” I retorted.

“I’m fine” he nodded “I promise”

I laughed “Sure, but when you need to talk-“

“Yeah yeah, I will” he interrupted as if embarrassed to let me finish and to admit that he might need someone to talk to.

He stood there for a few moments “Good luck” he finally broke the silence he gave me a genuine smile and walked away. It was still lunch as far as i knew, so I quickly grabbed the notes Oli wrote to help me and crammed some study in the library. When the bell rang i rushed to my English room which was offcourse far away from the library.

When i finally got there i sat and started straight away. I guess it went fast, because it was over before i knew it. When my bundle of paper with scribbled writing on each page was handed to the teacher and i slumped in my seat thinking about how i was never gonna forget another exam.