My note...I apologize for the long wait in updates. This chap may seem a little AU, but from the lack of actual detail the episode gave us(and waaaaaay too much Darcy), I feel the need to embellish with my own take on it.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
CHAPTER 2: THE NEED FOR WEED
This seemed to be a common sight, nowadays. The small group of friends gathered in the familiar kitchen, huddled around the table.
"Well it's not like Spinner's never smoked weed before", Paige chuckled playfully. Questioning eyes fell on her. "What?", she spat back incredulously. "C'mon guy...don't tell me you've never tried it".
Ellie shook her head.
"Nope", Marco added simply.
"Never", Jimmy replied.
"Are you kidding me?", Ashley quipped, stealing a quick glance over at Jimmy. "One bad experience with drugs was plenty for me", she muttered under her breath, as she walked over to get a drink from the fridge.
Marco leaned back in the arm chair he was sitting in and folded his arms over his chest, while he recrossed his legs. "Is there something you're not telling us Paige?", he taunted her with the knowledge of her own self-exploration with the substance, only a few months before...and the potentially dire consequences that exploration almost had on her college placement.
"What me? Um, no...I mean...", Paige wavered slightly, and slowly narrowed her eyes at Marco. "We're talking about Spinner here, people", she shot back defensively, quickly changing the subject.
"Yeah, and what we're gonna do about his new found habit", Marco added pointedly.
"Really guys...", Paige sighed over-dramatically. "...I still don't see what all the fuss is. It's only weed".
Jimmy frowned, hands hovering in mid-air, over his rims. "Only weed?", he quipped incredulously, as his hands finally decided what they wanted to do, and he moved forward. "Paige, marijuana is a mind altering, highly addictive drug...not some harmless herbal supplement".
"Jimmy hun, don't you think you're overreacting just a tad here?", Paige challenged playfully, but Jimmy wasn't amused.
"And don't you think you're under-reacting Paige?", he countered snappishly.
"Is under-reacting even a word?", Ellie whispered into Marco's ear during the heated exchange.
"Jimmy's right", Marco cut in, earning a satisfied smirk from Jimmy and a heated glare from Paige. "And Paige is too", he amended quickly. "We all care about Spinner well being, but if smoking a little weed helps him through cemo...".
"It's what happens after the chemo is over, that worries me", Ashley interrupted softly, her words leaning more towards Jimmy's argument.
"Exactly", Jimmy agreed. "Spin's getting this crap from one of Jay Hogart's dudes...God knows what's in the stuff he's giving him", he added angrily. "I mean c'mon guys...we've already got one friend in rehab for drug addiction, we can't...".
"Jim, that's totally different", Paige protested firmly.
"How is it different Paige?", he shouted back.
"Craig has a serious drug problem Jimmy", she defended simply. "Being hooked on cocaine is a lot more dangerous than smoking the occasional joint".
Jimmy sighed heavily, "I know Paige, and I'm not comparing the two. I'm just worried this is going to balloon into something more serious".
"Like maybe a rekindled friendship with Jay Hogart?", she snapped.
A look of disgust crossed Jimmy's face and he shook his head in disbelief. "Jay's got nothing to do with this", he tried, unconvincingly.
"The hell he doesn't", Paige argued. "You said it yourself, Hun...Spin's getting this stuff from someone in the ring of delinquents, Jay runs with..."
Jimmy tuned out the rest of Paige's words. Lowering his head, he wished with every fiber of his being, that he had the ability to stand up at that very moment. Standing would give him a full foot height advantage over her, and the satisfaction of staring her down. But from his current vantage, or disadvantage point, as the case was...all Jimmy could do was glare up at her.
Paige stopped when she notice Jimmy's tense, hurt expression. She knew she'd stepped over her bounds and let a comforting hand fall, apologetically, onto his shoulder. "Hun, we all know how much Spin means to you, he does to all of us...", she stated, sinking slowly onto her knees at Jimmy's side. "...and none of us are standing in line to join the Jay Hogart fan club...", there was a slight pause followed by a soft chuckle, both from Paige and Jimmy. "...but this is Spinner's fight, and we have to let him deal with it, in whatever ways he feels necessary".
Although he didn't like it, Paige was right...and Jimmy knew it.
"That's not to say we won't keep a watchful eye on him", Ashley offered softly as she stepped forward, next to Paige. Jimmy looked up at her and offered small, but genuine smile.
"To make sure he's getting all the love and support he needs", Marco added, joining the group.
"And to be there in case things get out of hand and an intervention is warranted", Ellie quipped lightly, as she took the last spot and closed the circle.
"He left class to get high?", Ashley questioned under her breath, as she and Jimmy headed over to a courtyard picnic table to eat their lunch.
"Again", Jimmy gritted out quietly, pulling up to the end of the table. "...only this time, he announced it to Kwan's entire fourth period English class".
Ashley felt her stomach drop. Sure Spinner hated English, but this was a low move, even for him. "So, what are you going to do about it?", she queried gently.
"What am I gonna do about it?", Jimmy snapped, incredulously. "What do you mean what am I gonna...". His words trailed off as he glanced over his shoulder, in the direction of Ashley's gaze, to see Spinner racing toward the school on his bike.
In an instant, a pair of flushed cheeks and a heaving chest were in front of Jimmy, the bicycle discarded carelessly, the front wheel still spinning wildly. "Dude, I'm so glad I found you I was at the ravine with Darce and I realized if I didn't get back Kwan'll fail me and that'll be the third time I fail English and then Hatzilakos'll won't let me graduate with you and Ash and I'll become nothing if I don't die first and...".
"Spin, slow down", Jimmy urged, tugging on Spinner's sleeve for added emphasis.
Spinner pulled free and shook his head, "No man I gotta go explain or apologize or somethin...".
"Not yet", Jimmy warned, this time grabbing his arm instead of just the sleeve. "You go running in there now, like this, and Mrs. H'll expel you for sure".
"Have a seat Spin", Ashley insisted, sliding over on the bench she was sitting on. She patted the seat with her hand and motioned for Spinner to sit next to her.
"Yeah man, cool off for a little bit", Jimmy added calmly. Spinner looked confused and conflicted as he mulled over his options. Ashley patted the bench again and he reluctantly lowered himself down.
Jimmy and Ashley exchanged worried glances, but their concern was soon interrupted when Spinner let out a wicked chuckle. "Lunchtime. Cool.", he laughed, eyeing the two sandwiches in front of him, hungrily.
Now their expressions turned to confused and conflicted.
"You want some?", Jimmy asked, offering half of his sandwich to his best friend.
"Hers looks better", Spinner replied, nodding to Ashley's lunch.
Ashley couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Go ahead", she stated, and took the half Jimmy was now offering her.
The two watched Spinner devour the club, watching carefully, to see if he was still able to breathe. "Mmmm, shurkeee", he mumbled, mid-chew.
"Easy man...you're gonna choke", Jimmy warned worriedly.
Spinner smiled through a mouth full of food and shook his head vigorously, then reached for Jimmy's can of pop, with trembling hands.
"Yeah. I really don't think you need any caffeine right now Spin", Ashley commented jokingly, intercepting the can and replacing it with her water.
Spinner smiled appreciatively and took a swig and continued to eat. He alternately stuffed mouthfuls of sandwich, with handfuls of chips, all the while, with his knees bouncing up and down anxiously.
"Hey Spin, you okay?", Ashley questioned softly.
"Yeah, sure, fine...why wouldn't I be?", he answered dismissively, and added his fingers to the mix.
"Because you're a mess man", Jimmy added pointedly.
"Naw, really Dude...I'm fine", Spinner assured, a little less confidently this time. Jimmy watched as Spinner closed his eyes and started massaging his temples.
Not sure if it was a symptom of stress, or an effect from the drugs, Jimmy reached his hand out. "Maybe we should go see the nurse or something...".
Spinner's eyes shot open. "I said I was fine", he yelled, swatting at Jimmy's arm and jumping up from the bench. The force was enough to knock Jimmy slightly off balance and he needed to grab onto the table with his other hand, to steady himself. "I-I'm...", was all Spinner was able to get out before his stomach turned on him and he had to run for the nearest garbage can.
Jimmy sat patiently while Ashley rushed over to tend to Spinner...rubbing comforting circles on his back while he was retching, and offering a sip from the water bottle and a stick of peppermint gum when he was finished.
Spinner walked slowly back over to Jimmy to finish with his apology. "Man, I didn't mean to...".
"I told you not to eat so fast", Jimmy quipped, looking sideways up at Spinner. There was a long, strained pause before Jimmy spoke again, "Is this stuff really helpin' you, Spin?".
He shrugged, "Yeah...I guess...most of the time". Jimmy looked at him skeptically. "It eases the nausea and gives me an appetite, it lightens my mood, makes me mellow".
"Makes you goofy", Jimmy muttered under his breath, but loud enough for Spinner to hear.
"It takes some of the pain away", Spin countered defensively.
"But not all of it", was the quick retort. "I've been there before man...getting shot in the spine isn't totally pain free", Jimmy went on to explain, causing Spinner's eyes to snap up and meet his. "The drugs only dull the pain Dude, they don't make the problem go away...", there was a momentary pause as Jimmy cleared his throat. "...and when they wear off, you're still in the same boat you were in before...".
Spinner nodded slowly in understanding. An ironic smirk started to creep across his lips. "And now I'm up a creek in that boat, without a paddle", he chuckled ruefully and shook his head. "Dude, I go back in there and Hatzilakos'll hand me my one remaining nut on a silver platter".
"Maybe not man", Jimmy said encouragingly. "Just go in there with a clear head and a breath mint, and tell her exactly what's going on. I'm sure she'll understand". Spinner looked at him skeptically and shrugged, so Jimmy added, "If you want, I go in there with you and..."
Spinner's eyes widened at Jimmy's proposition. "You'd do that for me, man?".
"Of course I would...we all would", Jimmy replied incredulously, speaking not only for Ashley, but their entire ring of friends. Spinner nodded again and Jimmy was pretty sure he heard a soft 'cool', escape his lips. "So, you ready?", Jimmy asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah", he replied with a confident smile. He looked between his two good friends. "...but you stay here with your queen bee...", he motioned in Ashley's direction. "I'll be fine on my own", then turned to walk away.
"You sure?", Jimmy called out.
Spinner stopped to look over his shoulder, "Positive". And he was, but only because he knew his friends would always have his back.
Okay, well it's done...finally. I had a HUGE amount of trouble with this chapter, probably because I started it before I got to see the rest of the cancer episodes, and didn't have very much to go on...except for the fact that I don't think Darcy should've been the one Spinner turned to in PTD...and not just because I despise Darcy(okay, so maybe that was part of it), but because I think it would have been so much better if we got to see how ALL of Spinner's friends dealt with his diagnosis. I will put a complete on this one(even though I'm not completely satisfied with it), because I'm sick of having it hang over my head. It's time to move on to bigger and better things...like the three other fics I'm working on:) :) :)
Degrassi is not mine.