Chapter Thirteen

Everything sounded clearer. The world was brighter. Even music sounded better. My mouth was a desert, but I chomped at the bit for food. I felt fuzzy on the inside and totally relaxed. This is what I've been missing. I'd never felt so calm. Seconds felt like hours, but everything felt like everything and nothing at the same time. It was all good.

An array of snacks lined the aisles, and the colors popped. I dragged my hand across a row of Cheese Puffs and cradled them in my hands. The bright fluorescent lights buzzed above my head. I scoured the aisles for candy. Val tapped the glass from inside one of the drink coolers and laughed. With a small wave, I cackled and dropped my Cheese Puffs onto the floor.

"Guys." Da-Bin rushed around the corner, pulling Val out. "They're gonna kick us out. I like this gas station."

Val choked. "Gas! He said gas."

Why was everything so funny? I flexed my muscles and forced a fart out. It whizzed through the air, sounding like popping bubbles. The smell funneled through my nose. Da-Bin swatted his hand in the air with a frown. Val and I couldn't contain ourselves. She let out a fart too. I howled in laughter, and we fell to the floor.

Scrambling onto the cold tiles, she picked up one of my Cheese Puffs and threw it at my face. "Puff, puff, pass."

Wren and Shae came around the corner. Wren's eyes were so bright, he looked like a mythical creature, Da-Bin's tattoos moved, and Shae's fro was so big, they looked like CeCe from The Proud Family.

The three of them stood in disbelief. Val looked up at Da-Bin and spit out her soda. He rolled his eyes as mountain dew sprayed from her mouth and onto my skin. I screamed. It felt sticky and splattered onto my dress. But Wren said I looked pretty.

When Shae's whole body laugh caught my eye, I smiled for the picture they took of me.

Oh! I forgot! I took out my phone and snapped a few pictures, too. My cheese puff, Wren's face, my face.

Wren picked me up from the floor. "I can't take you back to Mrs. Davidson like this. She's gonna kill me."

"It's okay. I can stay with you."

He blushed, and I poked his cheek. "You look cute when you do that," I said.

I stared at him. He really was beautiful. His fingers wrapped around my hand, and he pulled me to the counter. After paying for my things, we headed back outside. Val, Shae, and Da-Bin followed behind when I heard a loud plop. The three of them screamed in laughter, and Da-Bin helped Val up.

It sent me to oblivion, and I laughed so hard, I cried. Wren pulled me to the car, and I hopped in the backseat with Shae. When Da-Bin and Val were secure in their car, Wren's engine rumbled. My teeth rattled as he sped onto the street. He drove with the top down again. Where were we going next?

The air made me feel sleepy, and at some point, I fell asleep. When I woke up, we were in The Grove's parking lot. Buskers lined the street. From one genre to the next, music met us at every turn. The park was too crowded and the restaurants were overcapacity. So we commandeer a picnic table.

The smell of pizza made my mouth water. Val and I ganged up on Wren until he agreed to get one.

When my phone buzzed, I knew who it was without looking. Mrs. Davidson must be checking up on me. When I tried to answer, Shae snatched the phone from my hands.

"If she finds out, she'll tell Dad."

Like he'd actually care. But he'd be disappointed I brought Shae along.

"We could just get Val to say Nora's staying over," Da-Bin said, turning to her. "Val, you have to be really good, okay?"

She was practically asleep, leaning in the crook of her arm. "Okay."

"You gotta call Mrs. Davidson, and tell her that Nora is staying with you tonight."

"Yes."

"No, it's not a question. You gotta do it." He pulled her up and pressed his hands into her shoulders. "What are you gonna do?"

"Call Mrs. Davidson."

He waited for her to finish but she didn't. Pulling her closer, his eyes went wide. "And then what?"

"I'm gonna tell her Nora is staying over."

"Right."

I giggled while Shae called Mrs. Davidson. When it began to ring, they pressed it into Val's ear. "Mrs. Davidson. Um...Nora-"

"I can tell her the truth. We talked about this earlier." I snatched the phone from her and took over. Mrs. Davidson would be proud of me.

Shae jumped up. "Nora-"

Before they could get to me, I hopped out of the way. "I'm dancing like you said. I'm so high right now."

"What?" Mrs. Davidson screamed. "You know damn well I didn't tell you to do that. Don't you go telling people I told you to get high. Don't let me find you."

"Uh...Mrs. Davidson, she was just joking." Da-Bin took the phone. Then, his face paled and he took a seat. I could hear her screaming.

Shae wagged their finger. "She gon' beat yo ass."

"Y-yes, ma'am." Da-Bin hung up the phone. "That felt like a civil war flashback. I thought I was getting yelled at by my mom for a minute." He looked us over and sighed, "We're screwed."

Clapping like a seal, Val screamed, "Pizza!"

The thought of Mrs. Davidson went out the window when Wren placed a large pizza on our table. I devoured two slices whole. The cheese oozed over my tongue. It was so hot but so good. I slapped my cheese puffs on top and shoved another slice into my mouth.

"You've changed, Nora." Shae's laughter sounded lively.

I got high and made them proud. Unlike Mrs. Davidson. "I'm different, now," I said.

Wren leaned into the table. "Well, tell me some of your dreams?"

"Maybe she doesn't have any!" Val was tired of him asking. So was I.

"Everyone has dreams," Da-Bin interjected.

"Okay," Shae pulled napkins from the container and passed them around. Taking a handful of pens from my bag, they gave one to all of us. "Everyone write down their top five dreams, and then we can share."

Ugh. An ice breaker? Everyone got to work. I couldn't stop thinking about how the napkin felt under my fingertips. Val ripped a piece off. I copied her, and we giggled. After being scolded by Da-Bin, we tried our best. By the time everyone finished, I'd successfully written three. Close enough.

"I'll go first," Shae stood up. "One. Go to college for fashion in New York."

"Woo," we cheered them on, and they bowed.

"Two. Design a dress for my momma. Three. Participate in New York, London, and Seoul Fashion Week. Four. Design something for the Queen, Beyonce-"

"I thought they were talking about Elizabeth," Val snorted through her drink.

"And five, make enough money to take my big sister on a trip around the world."

I pressed my hand into my chest. "Aww!" Those were great dreams.

"Me, me, me," Val screamed, standing on the bench. "Get my psychology degree and be like a counselor for kids or something, finally make my mom proud, go bungee jumping, get married, and..." She stopped and looked at Shae. "Can I go with you guys around the world? That sounds fun."

"Sure," Shae nodded.

Val sat back down and Da-Bin got up. "Okay, so, first, I'd get my own shop."

"You can do that now!" Wren shouted, and Da-Bin playfully punched him in the arm.

"Shh," he laughed. "Make enough money to own my own shop. Second, visit my family in South Warren, but after I become a really big tattoo artist so my parents can stop thinking I'm wasting my life. Uh, third, get married." He looked over at Val and winked at her. She squealed, sinking into the table. "Fourth, swim with sharks-"

"Oh hell naw," Shae shouted. "You wildin'."

"And fifth, be in the front row when Wren finally wakes up, gets that record deal, and sells out Madison Square Garden."

We cheered, and Wren shrunk in size. His face turned bright red as he stood up. "Alright, alright. Anyway, most of my dreams have come true, so-"

"You're living vicariously through Nora because you're afraid to dream bigger," Val mumbled.

The table went quiet when Wren's laugh didn't reach his eyes. Da-Bin and I looked at each other, but he shook his head. I guess I wasn't supposed to notice the way Wren held his napkin a little tighter after he was called out.

"Did you write anything down?" I asked.

When his eyes fell on me, they softened. "Uh, I did, actually. I want to do a proper tour, travel further than Elk Rose. Make better songs, hear one of them on the radio, also prove to my mom I'm not wasting my life, and uh, five was a lot so..." he dropped his hands and fell back into his seat.

He rushed through his dreams. I wasn't used to him being shell-shocked. Val must've got him good. But was it true? He was trying to live through me because he was afraid to dream. Plot twist!

"It's your turn, Nora," Shae said.

I stood up. "Okay, mine are boring compared to everyone else's." I sighed and looked over my list. "Go to the beach and actually get in the water, go on a road trip to anywhere, it doesn't matter, and meet Mr. Fisher again."

"Who's Mr. Fisher?" Wren asked.

I sat back down and fumbled with the napkin. "My middle school art teacher. He inspired me."

I wondered how he was doing. He probably didn't even remember me. I wasn't very memorable. Not then, and not now. Even so, I felt like I lived by his words, or at least strive to live by them. I wasn't doing a very good job, but I was trying.

"Let's do that then," Wren suddenly announced.

Da-Bin twisted in his seat. "What?"

"A road trip. Let's go to South Warren. You can visit your family, and I mean, I know it's not technically traveling the world, but it's a start."

Val droned, "Some of us have jobs."

"Take off." Wren shrugged. "Tell your managers you need to help a friend and need a week off. They'll let you."

"Well, I can't leave the restaurant and have to get ready for London, but I'm all for Nora going. Take lots of pictures, bestie," Shae shouted across the table.

A road trip sounded good on paper but in practice? I just got kicked out of the house and was warming up to the idea of being on my own. Now, he wanted me to drop everything and leave? Does he ever slow down? "I...would've just started working, and-"

"Do you want to go?" He'd been hanging out with Shae for too long. Wouldn't even let me find a reason to back out.

Why should I? It was a part-time job, and it was the summer. I didn't want him to convince me to live my life anymore. I could make decisions. I could follow my dreams if I wanted, and I wanted to prove to myself there was life outside what I knew.

"Yes." I rose up and pumped my fist in the air. "It's time to be reckless and spontaneous. It's time for me!"

"Hell yeah!" Wren shouted, throwing his fist in the air. "You're so high."

"Oh, yes, she is." A wild Mrs. Davidson emerged from the depths of the crowd with her belt in hand. "You showing your ass out here, ain't you?"

Wren, like a noble Knight, stood up to her. He trying to die. "Mrs. Davidson, I don't think-"

She revved her hand back, but before she could get a good swing, everyone apart from Wren lunged out of the way. Like birds walking to a safe place, we watched in horror as she swiped Wren with her belt. He finally got a clue and ran for cover.

"All of y'all need a good whoopin'. I'm too old for this." She limped to a chair and sat down. No one dared to get closer than ten feet.

Author Note: One of my favorite chapters. It was so much fun to write. I've never been high before, so I had to find a Reddit post on it. Lol They were very helpful. And there was no way in hell I could leave out Brutal from my playlist. It works so well for this chapter. In Olivia Rodrigo We Trust.

🌻Full playlist?

Just type in "Smelling Roses" in Spotify.