Chapter three: Anywhere But Here
Paige hadn't heard from Jay since he drove her home from the bonfire on Friday night. So, she did what every other concerned 'friend' would do; she went to his apartment. Two words: big mistake.
When Paige got to Jay's apartment, she noticed that there was an eviction notice outside his front door. Jay hadn't said anything about him being in trouble like this. She knocked three times…no answer. So, she decided to call his phone…disconnected. Paige decided that she absolutely had to find out what was going on.
Even though her better instincts told her not to, she re-visited the spot of the bonfire party from Friday night. She walked around for about five minutes until she noticed the same stranger from that night: Brad. Paige decided to walk up to him and ask if he had seen Jay…another huge mistake. "Hey, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Paige, the girl who came with Jay on Friday night." Brad smiled a wicked smile. "Oh, yeah. I remember you. You're the girl that Jay kept talking about."
"What? Wait…is Jay here?" "Well, you see that green van over there?" Paige looked in that general direction and nodded. "He'll be there." As she walked away, Brad laughed darkly as if he was hiding something.
Paige knocked on the van and the door slid open. "Oh. My. Gosh." Paige dropped her car keys in shock of what she saw. Jay lay there higher than high, with a tray of cocaine sitting nearby. "Oh, um…Hey Paige." Jay's voice was distorted and his eyes were bloodshot. His breath smelled of alcohol and lies. "I went by your apartment, Jay." "Yeah, and?..." "Why is there an eviction notice on your door? You used your rent money for the drugs didn't you?" "Is that a rhetorical question?" Jay laughed. "It's not funny, Jay. I thought something very bad happened to you." Paige said in a tearful voice.
"Give me a break Paige. I know that you think this is all some joke, but this happens to be my life, so why don't you just go practice some cheers or something?" Paige gritted her teeth and slapped him. "Why don't you start living your life instead of letting drugs, sex and alcohol live it for you?" "Get out. Just leave and go cry to someone else, okay? Because, I seriously don't want to hear it anymore." "Fine, that's what you want, that's what you'll get." Jay laughed and then suddenly fell to the floor.
"Jay, stop it, this isn't funny…Jay!" Paige quickly jumped out of the van. "Somebody call 911!!" People just stood there and stared at her in amusement. Paige rolled her eyes and crawled back into the van to check on Jay. He was half awake and let out a laugh, and a grin spread across his face, with eyes half open. "That is so not funny." "Oh c'mon Paige get real. Haven't you ever gotten high before?" Paige thought for a moment. "Yes. But, I tried to put all of that behind me. I didn't like who I was on drugs." Jay sat for a moment in thought.
"Well I guess that's the difference between you and me, Paige." "That's not the only difference I hope." Jay rolled his eyes as well as he could. "Well, when you decide that you would actually like to talk soberly to me, give me a call…that is when your phone is working." "Fine. Don't hold your breath." "Oh, don't worry, that is the last thing I would do. Bye Jay." "Later."
Paige walked to her car and paused for a moment. There, leaning against her car was Brad. Paige crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want Brad?" "Oh, nothing. Nice car Paige." "No, seriously, what do you want from me?" Brad smiled. "Well, actually, I just thought that you might have wanted to know a little something about your boyfriend." "Oh he is not my boyfriend." "Whatever. Anyway, you see, Jay is one of my best customers. He has been for quite some time." "Okay, what's your point?" "My point is, I don't need some little cheerleader coming and ruining that for me. So, why don't you run along and play with your dolls at home, since you can't play with the big boys." "Oh, yeah? Well how's this for a cheerleader?" Paige kicked him right where it hurt the most. "Now, Brad. I suggest you run along and play with the 'big boys'."
Paige got in her car and drove. She turned up the radio and drove for a long time. She wasn't aiming for anywhere particular. Just anywhere but here.