My own Demise: Part 2

Jay and I had been working together for two weeks in chemistry when he finally started to talk to me. He was a man of little words untill you got to know him.

"What are you doing after chem?" he asked me one tuesday morning.

"Um, I have advanced algebra." I told him.

"Advanced huh, You must be smart."

"I guess so." I replied looking down at my notebook.

"Well, I'm ditching school for the rest of the day." he said as he looked out the window.

"You can come with me if you want."

"Unless your too afraid." he said his eyes coming back to me.

I faked a small laugh, "I'm not afraid."

"Meet me out back in twenty minutes then." he said raising his hand.

Mr. Collins noticed Jay after a few seconds, "Yes, Mr. Young."

"My stomach hurts, I need to go to the nurse." Jay lied.

"Very well." Mr. Collins said excusing him.

Maybe he knew that Jay was ditching class. Maybe he didn't care. Or maybe he really thought Jay's stomach was bothering him. I guess I'll never know. I'd find out that Jay could use people to his advantage. Getting them to do what he wanted. I know this because I was one of them.

Twenty minutes later I had gotten together my things and told my friend Kelly that I was cramping and wasn't going to be in class the rest of the day. "Oh, Tay I'm sorry. I'll let the teach's know, k?" she said sympathy written all over her face.

"Thanks Kel." I told her feeling like a total loser for lying to one of my best friends. I would learn later that lying to them would get easier and easier with no regret.

Going out the back entrance I looked around untill I spotted Jay and a couple of his friends. He saw me and waved me over.

"Taylor, this is Tom and Mary."

I looked at them with a smile. Mary was tall and very thin, her black hair pulled up high into a ponytail. She was dressed in ripped jeans and a tight, black Metalica shirt. Her feet bare, her shoes tossed in the grass beside her. She stood there smoking a cigarette and picking at the already chipped, purple polish on her nails.

Tom was about the same height as Mary. Also thin with long, blonde hair hanging in an unbrushed mess down his back and shoulders. "What's she doing here?" he asked his eyes judging.

"Hey, man. She's cool." Jay said his eyes watching me, his lip curled up to one side in a small smile.

"Whatever." Tom said as he took Mary's cigarette and took a drag.

"God, why don't you buy your own?" she asked pulling a pack out of her shoulder bag and getting another. "You want one preppy?"

"Um..."

Jay took two out of the pack and handed me one. "Course she does." he said lighting his and handing me the lighter.

I'd never smoked before in my whole life. But, I wanted Jay's friends to like me. If I refused they would look at me like some spoiled barbie doll. I didn't want that. I wanted to belong. I don't know why, but I did. Why not, what can a little cigarette do?" I thought as I stuck it between my lips and lit up.

Inhaling deep, it was as if all the stress was leaving my body as the nicotene filled my lungs. It made me a little light headed. It felt good.

"Are we going to go or are we going to stand her and get caught?" Mary asked annoyance filling her voice.

"We're going." Jay told her. "Geez, take a chill pill."

Mary snorted, "I will when we get to your house."

So I went with them to Jay's house. Jay rode with me in my car as we followed Mary and Tom in Tom's truck. Jay lived in town in a big, two story house. It was nice, it wasn't in a bad neighbor hood. It looked as if it were taken care of.

"Nice house." I told him pulling up into the small driveway behind Tom.

"Thanks." he said getting out.

I followed them in and up to the second floor where Jay's bedroom was. His room was large, an unmade queen sized bed sat in the middle, the matching nightstands on either side were cluttered, an old entertainment center sat across from it housing a small television.

There was a desk sitting in front of the window, it too was cluttered, the chair had clothes hanging all over it. There were also clothes littering the floor and the dresser. It kinda smelled in there.

Jay tossed the covers up on the bed so we could sit down. Mary flopped down on the foot onto her stomach and Tom opted for the desk chair, throwing the clothes on the floor with the rest.

I just stood there not knowing what to do or what we were doing here. Jay opend one of the dresser drawers and withdrew an ashstray and a couple plastic bags. He set the ashtray on the bed next to Mary and threw one of the bags to Tom. Sitting down on the bed he opend the other.

"What's your pleasure Taylor?" he asked removing thin white papers from the bag.

"Umm, can I have another cigarette?" I asked confused.

Mary threw me her pack and then her purple lighter.

"Tommorow your buying your own." she said.

"Ok." I told her lighting one up, pocketing a second and throwing the rest back. Jay sat on the bed rolling something into the white papers.

"Who wants a joint?" he asked looking up at me.

I stood there shocked. I knew the kids he ran around with were a little hardcore, but I didn't think they were on drugs. Tom and Mary both said yes and then turned to looked at me.

"Umm.. sure." I told them.