Forrest stepped outside of the building that was containing the George Hunter High prom and into the cool night air. The dull throb of the music from the prom itself could still be heard. The air quietly vibrating to the rhythm in a way she found relaxing. She had stepped outside into the relatively cold dark void that was the night to take a break, not because she was getting tired or anything. It was for a smoke break.
Not a regular smoke break either.
She and Andy had decided to clandestinly...clandestinely, sneak out to get a quick joint in, because it wasn't a party if you didn't light up at least once. That was the rule she had made up but she was going to stick to it. Plus it was prom and prom was for having fun. She had fun by putting foreign substances into her body to change the way the world was. That was fun to her. To other people, fun was dancing in long dresses that got caught on everything to a playlist of dance tunes that was fine and there was nothing wrong with that. Who was she to deny someone else their fun?
Exactly, no one.
But they had decided to take their fun outside because it was frowned upon by the people who ran the venue. Plus the cool breeze offered by the outside world was a nice momentary reprieve from the overwhelming warmth of the interior of the party.
As she looked out into the dark she wondered about things, life, the universe, her future and if anyone had spiked the punch? Not that she needed help on that front. But all popular culture created the narrative that the punch was spiked, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy where people spiked the punch because it was punch and that was what you did no? What came first, the punch or the spiking? Was spiking the punch even a thing before TV and Movies decided to push that narrative like it was avocados.
Eventually, Forrest dug her lighter out and passed it to Andy.
"Here is flame. Create smoke."
Why she decided to speak like a caveman she had no idea.
Pure Thrill Killer
Private
Pure Thrill Killer
V8
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine
Prom was... fun. It was fun so far. Probably. Andy didn't feel like he was having a bad time, at least? It just wasn't like, magical or anything. High school movies were liars, who knew.
He'd been doing everything right, though. Dressed up nice (as in, he didn't show up in sweatpants because Mikki had said she would hit him with a lizard if he did that. He didn't know what that meant, exactly, but it would mean he was in trouble, so he dressed up.), only got a little buzz going on before they headed in. 20 minutes to get dressed, all black to match Mikki, another 20 to light up a joint, and then they were here and it was, uh... not party city, but it was fun. They'd danced and gotten all sweaty, and then Mikki said she wanted a drink and told Forrest to supervise Andy while she went to the punch table.
(And there was no punchline, ba-dum-tish.)
It wasn't like Mikki didn't know he had another joint tucked into his shirt pocket or that they were planning to step out and smoke it somewhere away from the crowd and chaperons anyway. Andy figured she'd be out to join them in a few minutes.
20 minutes for things overall, maybe. 20 plus 20 plus 20. One hour out of the whole night to prepare and rally. Sounded like a plan. Andy hadn't told anyone else that it was the plan, but it was the plan.
He took the lighter from Forrest when she offered it. "Me make smoke. Have good time." He grunted at her and then grinned, fishing the joint out of his pocket and making sure it wasn't too crumpled before lighting the end. He took a long drag, exhaling a cloud towards the sky, and handed the joint over along with the lighter.
He'd been doing everything right, though. Dressed up nice (as in, he didn't show up in sweatpants because Mikki had said she would hit him with a lizard if he did that. He didn't know what that meant, exactly, but it would mean he was in trouble, so he dressed up.), only got a little buzz going on before they headed in. 20 minutes to get dressed, all black to match Mikki, another 20 to light up a joint, and then they were here and it was, uh... not party city, but it was fun. They'd danced and gotten all sweaty, and then Mikki said she wanted a drink and told Forrest to supervise Andy while she went to the punch table.
(And there was no punchline, ba-dum-tish.)
It wasn't like Mikki didn't know he had another joint tucked into his shirt pocket or that they were planning to step out and smoke it somewhere away from the crowd and chaperons anyway. Andy figured she'd be out to join them in a few minutes.
20 minutes for things overall, maybe. 20 plus 20 plus 20. One hour out of the whole night to prepare and rally. Sounded like a plan. Andy hadn't told anyone else that it was the plan, but it was the plan.
He took the lighter from Forrest when she offered it. "Me make smoke. Have good time." He grunted at her and then grinned, fishing the joint out of his pocket and making sure it wasn't too crumpled before lighting the end. He took a long drag, exhaling a cloud towards the sky, and handed the joint over along with the lighter.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Never one to disappoint, Andy played along with the caveman speak. He also lit up, which was the best. The party could finally kick into a slightly higher gear, going from a solid five to maybe a six. Sick stuff.
Now the reason they were outside was simple, they had wanted to go outside and Forrest had been given supervision of Andy duties by Mikki as she had gone to do...whatever. Forrest hadn't actually heard that part. Ok, she'd heard that part, but she hadn't committed it to memory. The important part was that she had been told to supervise Andy. So obviously as soon as Teen Stoners Go! (Registered Trademark, Patent Pending etc. etc.) had been given free rein they had immediately gone to do what they always did. And that was why they were outside getting high. That and Forrest hadn't taken anything else. Crazy, she knew. She had however had some drinks before arriving because it was prom and someone had to be buzzed.
As she stood outside with only Andy for company Forrest also had to admit that he looked nice. Actually, he looked good, pretty good. She liked his tux, it made him look like an emo penguin. Man, everything had been linking back to penguins recently. Regardless, Forrest took the joint when Andy offered it to her and took a long, deep drag, making sure to hold it in her lungs before slowly exhaling.
"Nice outfit by the way," She said as she took another long drag before exhaling the smoke like a dragon, one of her favorite tricks. "I like the use of color."
Now the reason they were outside was simple, they had wanted to go outside and Forrest had been given supervision of Andy duties by Mikki as she had gone to do...whatever. Forrest hadn't actually heard that part. Ok, she'd heard that part, but she hadn't committed it to memory. The important part was that she had been told to supervise Andy. So obviously as soon as Teen Stoners Go! (Registered Trademark, Patent Pending etc. etc.) had been given free rein they had immediately gone to do what they always did. And that was why they were outside getting high. That and Forrest hadn't taken anything else. Crazy, she knew. She had however had some drinks before arriving because it was prom and someone had to be buzzed.
As she stood outside with only Andy for company Forrest also had to admit that he looked nice. Actually, he looked good, pretty good. She liked his tux, it made him look like an emo penguin. Man, everything had been linking back to penguins recently. Regardless, Forrest took the joint when Andy offered it to her and took a long, deep drag, making sure to hold it in her lungs before slowly exhaling.
"Nice outfit by the way," She said as she took another long drag before exhaling the smoke like a dragon, one of her favorite tricks. "I like the use of color."
"Yeah, you know me. Always working the color palette." Would have been nice if there was like, a railing or a wall or something for Andy to casually lean on and look at least kind of cool, but whatever. As usual, school events did all they could to crimp his style, or harsh his vibe, or whatever the fuck the cool kids said now. Andy wouldn't know, because as established, he wasn't allowed to be cool.
But you know what, this was good, this was fine. He didn't have any jitters. Knock on wood, if there had been any wood around either.
"We got anything lined up for after this, or...?" Andy figured there was some kind of after party that Forrest and Mikki had their eyes on. He hadn't paid a lot of attention to the plans anyone was making for post-prom since he had expected they had things worked out already, and it would just be up to him to drag Hel and Axel along. Maybe go on a drink run later, if he could be convincingly sober.
That was probably a "no" but why not leave possibilities open?
But you know what, this was good, this was fine. He didn't have any jitters. Knock on wood, if there had been any wood around either.
"We got anything lined up for after this, or...?" Andy figured there was some kind of after party that Forrest and Mikki had their eyes on. He hadn't paid a lot of attention to the plans anyone was making for post-prom since he had expected they had things worked out already, and it would just be up to him to drag Hel and Axel along. Maybe go on a drink run later, if he could be convincingly sober.
That was probably a "no" but why not leave possibilities open?
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Forrest took another quick drag and passed the joint back to Andy. Then put her fingers on her chin as if she deep in thought.
"Mikki mentioned something; I also heard about some stuff as well." Man, Mikki had said something but Forrest didn't know what it had been. She had been busy. Well, ok, not busy but she had been vacant, not really there, absentee human at the time. It happened more than you'd think. But hey she knew there was a thing, at least she thought there was a thing. Correction, there was one hundred percent a thing. It was just a question of where the thing was and she didn't know that part. Forrest didn't really pay much attention to that stuff because things tended to just work out for her; even being abandoned as a baby got her two of the coolest dads ever.
She looked over at Andy. Yep, everything worked out.
"But I was also thinking about going home and changing out of my dress," Her hand reached down and flapped one of the pleats from side to side. Her dress was an A-line sleeveless and backless, pleated dress in dark green that came to just above her knee. It was cute and she felt cute in it, which may have been a minor miracle because she never wore dresses. Although it had helped that had got a SPECIAL PRICE on it. At least that was what the website had said. It had only cost ninety-seven dollars for a saving of two hundred and seventy-two dollars as the website had been keen to stress to her.
"Then again, I might just wear it to whatever afterparty we go to because I think it looks nice. What do you think?"
"Mikki mentioned something; I also heard about some stuff as well." Man, Mikki had said something but Forrest didn't know what it had been. She had been busy. Well, ok, not busy but she had been vacant, not really there, absentee human at the time. It happened more than you'd think. But hey she knew there was a thing, at least she thought there was a thing. Correction, there was one hundred percent a thing. It was just a question of where the thing was and she didn't know that part. Forrest didn't really pay much attention to that stuff because things tended to just work out for her; even being abandoned as a baby got her two of the coolest dads ever.
She looked over at Andy. Yep, everything worked out.
"But I was also thinking about going home and changing out of my dress," Her hand reached down and flapped one of the pleats from side to side. Her dress was an A-line sleeveless and backless, pleated dress in dark green that came to just above her knee. It was cute and she felt cute in it, which may have been a minor miracle because she never wore dresses. Although it had helped that had got a SPECIAL PRICE on it. At least that was what the website had said. It had only cost ninety-seven dollars for a saving of two hundred and seventy-two dollars as the website had been keen to stress to her.
"Then again, I might just wear it to whatever afterparty we go to because I think it looks nice. What do you think?"
Andy was halfway through an inhale when Forrest hit him with the question. He promptly inhaled a little more and ended up choking and hacking like some kind of prude smoking his first joint. "Huh- what, I mean, uh, yeah. Yeah." Yeah. That was what he thought. Yeah.
"I mean, I think- yeah. It's, uh, nice, you know?" This wasn't weird, right? Right.
Andy stuck the joint back in his mouth for another drag, staring very intently out across the parking lot. She did look nice. Green was a good color on her. He wasn't supposed to think about that, because they were just friends now, good friends, and everything was nice and normal, right? Just... two friends sharing a joint and Andy definitely not looking at the bare spot of Forrest's back because, like, that'd just be fucking weird, wouldn't it.
Where was Mikki, again?
"I mean, I think- yeah. It's, uh, nice, you know?" This wasn't weird, right? Right.
Andy stuck the joint back in his mouth for another drag, staring very intently out across the parking lot. She did look nice. Green was a good color on her. He wasn't supposed to think about that, because they were just friends now, good friends, and everything was nice and normal, right? Just... two friends sharing a joint and Andy definitely not looking at the bare spot of Forrest's back because, like, that'd just be fucking weird, wouldn't it.
Where was Mikki, again?
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Andy spluttered on the joint like he had never touched weed before and Forrest couldn't help laughing. But he agreed with her and that was a good feeling, even though she knew he was probably just being a good friend and saying the polite thing. She glanced over and took a look at the profile of Andy's face, a smile forming on her face as she looked out over the car park as well.
Although as her fingers played with the end of her dress she did get a fun idea.
"Hey Andy, look, I can go full Disney," Forrest said as she stepped back and went into a twirl.
Unfortunately, Forrest was closer to the stairs than she realised and as she twirled she lost her balance. Her foot went out to steady herself but there was no solid ground beneath it. So she went flying.
Her arms went out to try and break her fall and everything went quiet.
Then there was a loud CRACK as she hit the concrete.
Although as her fingers played with the end of her dress she did get a fun idea.
"Hey Andy, look, I can go full Disney," Forrest said as she stepped back and went into a twirl.
Unfortunately, Forrest was closer to the stairs than she realised and as she twirled she lost her balance. Her foot went out to steady herself but there was no solid ground beneath it. So she went flying.
Her arms went out to try and break her fall and everything went quiet.
Then there was a loud CRACK as she hit the concrete.
You went full Disney, man. You never go full Disney. The comeback was right on his tongue before Forrest even did anything, almost voiced before she abruptly dropped out of the corner of his vision.
Andy wasn't sure if it was the weed or if things really did slow down when you saw a disaster occurring, but he didn't get there in time. He turned towards her, dropping the joint in the process and throwing his arms out, like his flailing would do any good anyway, and by the time he reached the edge of the steps, Forrest was already on the ground.
"Shit!" Andy jumped the stairs entirely, somehow landing on his feet, though it jarred up to his knees, and then promptly dropped down to his knees anyway next to her, not caring about scraping up his formal pants on the parking lot. "Shit, shit, you okay?"
He couldn't stop himself from asking, even though he knew it was stupid. He'd heard that same kind of crack before more than once, like when he'd jumped out that window in sophomore year.
Andy wasn't sure if it was the weed or if things really did slow down when you saw a disaster occurring, but he didn't get there in time. He turned towards her, dropping the joint in the process and throwing his arms out, like his flailing would do any good anyway, and by the time he reached the edge of the steps, Forrest was already on the ground.
"Shit!" Andy jumped the stairs entirely, somehow landing on his feet, though it jarred up to his knees, and then promptly dropped down to his knees anyway next to her, not caring about scraping up his formal pants on the parking lot. "Shit, shit, you okay?"
He couldn't stop himself from asking, even though he knew it was stupid. He'd heard that same kind of crack before more than once, like when he'd jumped out that window in sophomore year.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Forrest felt a dull throb in her right arm. She looked down at it to assess.
She heard and felt Andy rush down next to her. He was always there for her.
Rolling into a seated position Forrest faced Andy. Her face going paler than usual due to shock starting to take effect.
"Yeah I'm fine, but uh..." She raised her arm up to show Andy.
There was a bend in her forearm that almost looked like she had a second elbow. Her hand also hung limply at the wrist as a result of a large dent in it.
"I don't think arms are supposed to look like this."
She heard and felt Andy rush down next to her. He was always there for her.
Rolling into a seated position Forrest faced Andy. Her face going paler than usual due to shock starting to take effect.
"Yeah I'm fine, but uh..." She raised her arm up to show Andy.
There was a bend in her forearm that almost looked like she had a second elbow. Her hand also hung limply at the wrist as a result of a large dent in it.
"I don't think arms are supposed to look like this."
Andy looked at Forrest's arm for several seconds.
"...Nope."
It took an agonizing few more seconds to for the rest of his brain to catch up. "Fuck, okay, uh. Just. Shit, sit here, okay, and I'll go... find a..."
Andy blinked a couple times at nothing in particular as reality dawned on him. "...A teacher."
...Maybe they didn't both obviously smell of weed? Where the hell had he dropped the joint?
"...Nope."
It took an agonizing few more seconds to for the rest of his brain to catch up. "Fuck, okay, uh. Just. Shit, sit here, okay, and I'll go... find a..."
Andy blinked a couple times at nothing in particular as reality dawned on him. "...A teacher."
...Maybe they didn't both obviously smell of weed? Where the hell had he dropped the joint?
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Forrest nodded as she took in what Andy was saying. Her left hand was holding her right arm at the elbow—her original elbow—as she couldn't lift it up properly herself.
There was a strange cold and warm sensation sweeping over her arm in waves. She guessed it must have been due to her heartbeat and everything being messed up by the changes to her anatomy.
"Hey Andy, look at this," Forrest said as she lifted her arm up and down quickly, causing her newly disconnected joints to flap around.
"That's trippy right?"
There was a strange cold and warm sensation sweeping over her arm in waves. She guessed it must have been due to her heartbeat and everything being messed up by the changes to her anatomy.
"Hey Andy, look at this," Forrest said as she lifted her arm up and down quickly, causing her newly disconnected joints to flap around.
"That's trippy right?"
Andy made a noise that was weird even by his standards and flapped his hands in turn at Forrest, not wanting to actually touch her in case he made everything worse. "Don't- don't do that. I'll be right back, 'kay?"
Shit, shit, shit, okay. Breathe. He needed to breathe. He couldn't focus even to count, but he could at least breathe. What good was he if he lost his shit when his- you know, one of his- when Forrest was hurt?
He staggered up to his feet and booked it back inside the venue. Fuck, where was a chaperon? He didn't have any car keys, and he probably wasn't okay to drive anyway, buzzed and freaking out, so-
So-
Andy was so consumed by his now-spiraling thoughts that he ran smack into his objective.
"Shit!" He stumbled back a step, new swear words forming on his lips and abruptly dying. "Shhhhheeey, Coach."
They were so boned.
You know what happened sometimes? Miracles.
Miracles like Coach Freaking Oppenheimer (Gil to his friends) not immediately clocking that Andy was reasonably high and so was Forrest when they got to her, even though the pain was clearly hitting her. Or miracles like Coach noticing that they were kind of high but not caring because hey, a trip to the ER kind of overruled the whole "garbage teenagers you smoked a weed and now you'll die in jail" kind of thing that teachers were legally obligated to spew.
Miracles like Andy, sweating in the back of Coach Oppenheimer's car with Forrest leaning on him, desperately, desperately trying to act sober.
Oh god it was hot in here.
Shit, shit, shit, okay. Breathe. He needed to breathe. He couldn't focus even to count, but he could at least breathe. What good was he if he lost his shit when his- you know, one of his- when Forrest was hurt?
He staggered up to his feet and booked it back inside the venue. Fuck, where was a chaperon? He didn't have any car keys, and he probably wasn't okay to drive anyway, buzzed and freaking out, so-
So-
Andy was so consumed by his now-spiraling thoughts that he ran smack into his objective.
"Shit!" He stumbled back a step, new swear words forming on his lips and abruptly dying. "Shhhhheeey, Coach."
They were so boned.
You know what happened sometimes? Miracles.
Miracles like Coach Freaking Oppenheimer (Gil to his friends) not immediately clocking that Andy was reasonably high and so was Forrest when they got to her, even though the pain was clearly hitting her. Or miracles like Coach noticing that they were kind of high but not caring because hey, a trip to the ER kind of overruled the whole "garbage teenagers you smoked a weed and now you'll die in jail" kind of thing that teachers were legally obligated to spew.
Miracles like Andy, sweating in the back of Coach Oppenheimer's car with Forrest leaning on him, desperately, desperately trying to act sober.
Oh god it was hot in here.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
She was in pain and it felt like a lot.
Andy—being super reliable as he was—had managed to get help super quickly. It had been Coach Oppenheimer, who Forrest would have assumed would have been the worst possible choice but surprisingly he had just gone straight into helping mode. He and Andy had taken her to his car and he had started driving them to the hospital.
His face when he had seen her arm told her that it was bad. She assumed that being a high school coach he had seen some stuff, but even he had paused for a moment after seeing it.
So that was how she had ended up in the back of a teachers car, head resting on Andy's shoulder, broken arm supported by her good hand and trying to act sober.
The night had taken a turn. That was for sure.
But at least the company was good.
"Hey, Andy," She said, her voice quiet and slightly strained. "Thanks for helping so quickly and like putting up with me. You're the best."
Andy—being super reliable as he was—had managed to get help super quickly. It had been Coach Oppenheimer, who Forrest would have assumed would have been the worst possible choice but surprisingly he had just gone straight into helping mode. He and Andy had taken her to his car and he had started driving them to the hospital.
His face when he had seen her arm told her that it was bad. She assumed that being a high school coach he had seen some stuff, but even he had paused for a moment after seeing it.
So that was how she had ended up in the back of a teachers car, head resting on Andy's shoulder, broken arm supported by her good hand and trying to act sober.
The night had taken a turn. That was for sure.
But at least the company was good.
"Hey, Andy," She said, her voice quiet and slightly strained. "Thanks for helping so quickly and like putting up with me. You're the best."
"Hey," he echoed, feeling like he should whisper. "No... no problem, you know? I mean, it's uh. Fuck." Andy's eyes darted up to the front of the car, but Coach was stoically looking straight ahead, apparently not paying them any attention. Andy didn't think he was really ignoring them, but it helped that he wasn't glancing over his shoulder every few seconds.
He sighed. "Um. It'll be okay?" Goddammit, he was no good at serious stuff. Forrest needed her hands for... things. Like making music and feeding her lizards. Andy hadn't wanted her to spend prom night in the hospital with some jackass who didn't know how to be properly comforting for company.
Well... at least he knew how to be a jackass. Play to his strengths. He leaned in closer, dropping his voice further. "If we go back to the parking lot later, you think that joint'll still be good?"
He cracked a weak, crooked smile, hoping to at least get the same out of Forrest.
He sighed. "Um. It'll be okay?" Goddammit, he was no good at serious stuff. Forrest needed her hands for... things. Like making music and feeding her lizards. Andy hadn't wanted her to spend prom night in the hospital with some jackass who didn't know how to be properly comforting for company.
Well... at least he knew how to be a jackass. Play to his strengths. He leaned in closer, dropping his voice further. "If we go back to the parking lot later, you think that joint'll still be good?"
He cracked a weak, crooked smile, hoping to at least get the same out of Forrest.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
He responded and comforted her. It was thoughtful of him to be worried about her. As Forrest thought about it Andy had always been there for her, both originally and even after he had started dating Mikki. Not that it was his choice to date Mikki. Ok, that was poor phrasing. He had started dating Mikki after she had broken up with him...due to stuff. She had forced him away because she was a mess and that was what she did. But he hadn't blamed her or become bitter. He had remained her friend and stuck by her. No matter what.
Andy leaned in closer to her to whisper a joke about the joint they had abandoned on the floor of the car park and when he smiled so did she.
In the back of her mind, Forrest thought about Mikki.
But then she thought that for just one night, maybe she deserved to feel happy.
So Forrest lifted her head up and kissed Andy.
Andy leaned in closer to her to whisper a joke about the joint they had abandoned on the floor of the car park and when he smiled so did she.
In the back of her mind, Forrest thought about Mikki.
But then she thought that for just one night, maybe she deserved to feel happy.
So Forrest lifted her head up and kissed Andy.