Before Everything and After

Sweating bodies pulse with the lights and the sounds. We always end up here on Saturday nights, in this rotting barn with the sweet smell of hay and the cloying scent of spilt beer. Haze from smoke of many sorts makes the place look dreamy.

I look over to my friend Tyler. He's high as fuck already, floating along to a beat separate from the one blasting through the Richardson's barn. "Dude, you're fucking high," I yell into his ear. He shudders and slowly looks over at me, a smile curling his lips.

"Dude, I'm totally not." Tyler takes a drag from his menthol and hands it to me. I take a puff; they always taste better when you're high. "Bro, isn't that your ho over there?" He points in the general direction of some hay bales.

I'm about to open my mouth to tell him off, but then my ho drifts out of the shadows. She isn't really a ho, and she isn't exactly mine. Marissa's my main dealer, but I've always had a bit of a thing for her. Her lips are painted black and she grins as she pulls up next to me.

"Enjoying the party?" she hisses into my ear, pulling away some of my over-long bleached hair from my neck to nip down.

Heat flares through the dull numb of the weed. I take a drag of the menthol to seem cool. "It's okay. The stuff you got us was pretty up."

She pulls away from my neck and gives me a smirk. "Bubblegum kush. You got it for a fucking great price too, considering." She leans in, her minty breath hitting my mouth. "You should be glad you're fucking adorable, Nick."

I laugh and blow some smoke into her face. "I try, Marissa."

She laughs back and steals my menthol from me. "I kinda figured, honey." She inhales and blows the smoke out in rings. "I've got some more stuff for you, but it'll cost you a little extra than last time."

I frown. The last batch cost me about a hundred dollars, so I'm not too thrilled about spending more money. "How much?"

Marissa's lips curl up, and her smoky eyes widen to show her big brown eyes. "Just a little lovin', babe." She hands back the menthol and jerks her head a little to the left. "Tyler's leaving ya."

I swing around to see Tyler dancing and making out with some girl from my homeroom. "Oh shit." I turn and give Marissa a one-armed hug, trying to keep the lit menthol away from her really long black hair. "Gotta go, when do you wanna meet up next time?"

"Well, where'd we meet up last time?"

"Stoner's Lane." Stoner's Lane was an empty gravel driveway where some parties were held, but most people just dealt there.

She laughs. "How about the little creek nearby? Tomorrow night?" She wiggles her fingers at me and melts into the crowd.

I have to take a short moment to get my breath back. Marissa was always seductive and beautiful; it's what made her a great dealer. But somehow, she has a real impact on me. It kinda sucks.

"Dude, I'd fucking tap that all night," Tyler says from behind me, clamping his hand on my shoulder.

I laugh, but I feel bitter when he says this. "Me too, bro. Me too." I take his beer out of his hand and lead him towards the door. "Let's go home. You're so fucked in the head. I'll drive."

He giggles. "Fine with me."

We both stumble outside and head for the cars. "Nick… Nick…"

I sigh. "What, Tyler?"

"Nick… I'm gonna get sick."

I sigh again and let Tyler stop and vomit up the contents of his stomach. "You good now?"

He nods and we head home.