“We don’t have to get into it. I’m sure you don’t want to hear me complain about my first world problems.” I wave my hand in the air dismissively.
“I asked, didn’t I?” The look in his eyes tells me he actually wants to hear what I have to say, so I let my mouth take control.
“So, my parents are traveling veterinarians and they go on different expeditions to help save endangered species and other things. It was cool when I was younger, but now it feels like they chose animals over their own daughter. When theyarein town, they try their best to make up for lost time, but it’s not the same. They don’t even know who I am anymore.” I let out a deep sigh, glad to finally be able to talk about this with someone other than Amethyst.
“Have you tried talking to them about it?”
“Yea when I was like 12, but they wrote it off as me going through typical teenage emotions.” I use air quotes for emphasis. “I know Amy’s parents more than them.”
There’s a silence and I can see his mind working through what I just said.
“Sorry for all the heavy. I just —“
“Want to get out of here?” He cuts me off asking.
“Um, sure?”
~~~
The sun is setting as we drive down PCH.
We stop by the burger place we went to with Amy to grab some greasy burgers, then he runs into his job to get something.
We drive for what feels like hours but is really only about 30 minutes before we finally reach our destination.
Canon turns the car down a rocky trail and parks once we come to a clearing. A white sandy beach stretches for miles and beautiful soft waves flow up and down the shoreline.
There’s no one at the beach, so we have it all to ourselves. Canon grabs the burgers and urges me to get out and follow him.
The setting sun casts a beautiful orange glow, and the wind blows so perfectly that this might be my new favorite place.
“Wow,” I say once we find a spot to sit.
“Sorry I don’t have a blanket for you to sit on. I usually don’t bring one, so I wasn’t thinking.” He says as he sets the bag of burgers down next to him.
“I don’t mind. It’s just sand,” is all I say before diving into the bag and pulling out my food. I take a huge bite and let out a satisfied sigh because this is the best burger I’ve ever tasted.
“I know a way to make it taste even better,” Canon chuckles as he reads my mind. He pulls a perfectly rolled blunt out of the bag.
“Where’d you get that?” I ask through my chewing.
“I work at a weed shop, remember? I picked it up on the way. Figured you could use the stress relief.”
“It’s all for me?” I ask wide-eyed. I’ve smoked weed before, but it was a long time ago during a time I’d like to forget.
“Hell no,” he laughs, “we’re sharing it. You never heard of puff, puff, pass?”
“Of course I have. Just light it.” He smiles approvingly before pulling out a lighter and placing the blunt between his lips. He uses his left hand to cup the blunt and keep the wind from blowing out the fire as he lights the tip and puffs a few times to make sure it’s burning.
He holds the blunt out towards me and I grab it, place it between my lips, and inhale.
“Whoa, slow down. You must want to cough your brains out.”
That’s when I immediately start coughing like crazy while the back of my throat and my chest start to burn.
“You have to savor it,” Canon starts. He takes the blunt to demonstrate. He takes a quick inhale, blows the smoke out of his mouth then immediately sucks it back in through his nose. He holds it in for a second before eventually blowing it back out his mouth.
I do the same thing and he nods in approval. We pass it back and forth for a while and I start to feel the effects. Everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion, but it also feels amazing at the same time. I take a bite of my burger and it’s like I’ve reached nirvana.