FicWad

Chapter 4: Addicted

The next several nights went by passably enough; the usual arguing between Archie and Atlanta, the usual admiring between Neil and his mirror, and the usual amount of video game hours played with Herry and Odie. But there was a lot of 'silent' tension between Jay and Theresa; only Atlanta knew why. The scene in the restaurant stirred things up between them three days previous and Brook was no longer ignoring Theresa at school or at home, but using up all her energy to making her life a living Hell. But the knowledge that Brook was going crazy over not totally winning was satisfactory enough for Theresa. Hatemail was the new word for Theresa's Hotmail account and her Facebook comments were filled up with 'Fuck off, Theresa you bitch!', 'Take a fucking walk and leave everyone else alone...it'll be a favor for us!', and the simple, yet most commonly used 'FUCK OFF!'. But on a Saturday night, everything changed. Archie went out to a party with Atlanta, a Senior party held by the football team, and even though Herry warned them not to go, but they, being very stubborn, ignored him. About three hours into the party, Atlanta started to feel a bit woozy, and even though Archie volunteered to bring her home, she said that she didn't want to ruin his night and made him stay to have fun. Unfortunately, he followed her orders and stayed put. The party noise was getting loud and even with his current drunken state, he could still tell that if he stayed any longer, then his eardrums were about to pop. He entered a room where a small group of quiet people were sitting in a circle, a bag of white substance being passed around it.
'Hey, guys!' Archie said cheerfully. They all turned to him, huge bags under their eyes, their cheeks hollow, and their skin was a sickly pale grey.
'Do you want some?' One of the guys asked.
'What is that,' Archie said, unaware of his current situation. 'Marijuana?'
'Yah, want some?' The guy said again.
Archie never got to answer. The sound of sirens bellowed over the music and the guy tossed him the bag into his face as he shouted, 'It's the cops! Run!'
The bag opened and sprayed into Archie's face, the marijuana entering his senses. But it wasn't a bad feeling. It wasn't good or bad and he couldn't get it off of his face. Archie heard people running out of the house, and he heard the door being slammed on, being locked, he couldn't get out, and with weed covered all over his face, it didn't look good. He scrambled out the nearest window and ran as fast as he could down the streets to wear the nearest park was. He needed to take the smell of weed out of his mind, and soon realized that he had his i-Pod in his pocket. He pulled it out, turned it on to the first song that he got and placed it in his ears as he began to race himself around the park.

'It's like you're a drug
It's like you're a demon I can't face down
It's like I'm stuck
It's like I'm running from you all the time,' The song rang in his ears and, to his utter horror, he understood exactly what was going on in the song.
'And I know I let you have all the power
It's like the only company I seek is misery all around
It's like you're a leech
Sucking the life from me
It's like I can't breathe
Without you inside of me
And I know I let you have all the power
And I realize I'm never gonna quit you over time.'

A million thoughts swarmed through Archie's head, the voices of the people who were already addicted to marijuana, the looks of the faces of them and the wonderous smell and odd dizziness of it.

'It's like I can't breathe
It's like I can't see anything
Nothing but you
I'm addicted to you,' No, Archie thought forcefully. I am not an addict.
'It's like I can't think
Without you interrupting me
In my thoughts
In my dreams
You've taken over me,' Not yet, he thought. No! What am I thinking? Not at all! I will not endanger myself and my friends and the world just because of one drunken night.
'It's like I'm not me
It's like I'm not me.'

He had never had that clear sensation before, like he knew exactly what was going on and what was going to happen, I suppose that this is what it's like right after one of Theresa's visions, Archie thought, smiling.

'It's like I'm lost
It's like I'm giving up slowly,' I won't give up. Never, I will never give up.
'It's like you're a ghost that's haunting me
Leave me alone
And I know these voices in my head
Are mine alone
And I know I'll never change my ways
If I don't give you up now.

He knew that this one drunken night would end badly, he knew that he should have left when he had the chance with Atlanta, this was a bad road to take, a very bad road.

'It's like I can't breathe
It's like I can't see anything,' the clarity and focus had disappeared completely to be replaced by an unearthly dizziness and tiredness.
'Nothing but you
I'm addicted to you
It's like I can't think
Without you interrupting me
In my thoughts
In my dreams
You've taken over me
It's like I'm not me
It's like I'm not me

'I'm hooked on you,' Archie knew it, he needed to have weed in his blood now...as soon as possible.
'I need a fix
I can't take it
Just one more hit
I promise I can deal with it
I'll handle it, quit it
Just one more time
Then that's it
Just a little bit more to get me through this
I'm hooked on you,' I need it soon.
'I need a fix
I can't take it,' I...
'Just one more hit,' ...need...
'I promise I can deal with it
I'll handle it, quit it
Just one more time,' ...now...
'Then that's it
Just a little bit more to get me through this.'

He stopped, his mind racing faster than he was or that Atlanta ever could, a thousand thoughts forming in his head, and he could only think of one cure for it...

'It's like I can't breathe
It's like I can't see anything
Nothing but you
I'm addicted to you
It's like I can't think
Without you interrupting me
In my thoughts
In my dreams
You've taken over me
It's like I'm not me
It's like I'm not me.'

Archie needed marijuana. He needed help.