John snorted. “Yeah, and did you see those cop lights behind us before we tore into here at 95 mph? I dunno, man, d’you think it’s straight to hit the road again?”
“Christ, who cares?” Mike stuck his cigarette between his lips and leaned back against the windshield. “It’s so fuckin’ nice here. No cops, no cars, I could sit out here for hours. Why doncha put yer worry to some use and pack us another bowl.”
John threw him a small plastic baggie. “Pack it yourself,” he said, and hopped off the car. “I’m gonna go find a tree to piss on.”
“Man,” Mike called after him, “you need to chill, dude. Look around you for chrissakes. The damn cop’s long gone, your parents are 30 miles from here, why are you so worried? Ya think the bears are gonna smell somethin’ and come after us?”
A few more seconds passed before John’s form re-emerged from the shadows. “Right. More like I’m afraid some other kids’ll smell it and want some.” He hopped back up on the car trunk. “I dunno though. Rich got arrested last week when he was pulled over on the highway. Shit, man, I don’t want a police record before I’m outta high school.”
“Aw, please,” Mike said, meticulously packing the bowl. “Rich is an idiot, you know he’s an idiot. Remember when he used to smoke in the parking lot every day at lunch just to see if he could get away with it?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” John conceded. “Hurry up though, I bet cops check this place after dark.”
“Damn, yo,” Mike said without looking up, “you can’t rush a man with his art. Go hide in the trees or something, jeez.”
“Shut up, asshole.” John grabbed the baggie from the trunk and stuck it in his jacket pocket. “Where’s your lighter?” Mike produced a lighter from the depths of his jeans and tossed it over. John lit the bowl and inhaled deeply. “Ah, man,” he exhaled slowly, suppressing a cough, “this is retarded. I don’t want any more.”
Mike took the bowl back. “No more! Dude, no way, you can’t do that. I put a lot in here for us!”
“Fuck you,” John replied. “I have to drive. C’mon, let’s go, you can smoke that in the car.”
“All right, sure, whatever,” Mike sighed. They both stood up and turned toward the car doors. John stiffened as a pair of headlights shined down the dirt road off the highway, then relaxed when they turned away. Mike rolled his eyes.
“Paranoid!” he said, getting into the passenger side and slamming the door behind him. Ignoring him, John got in and started the car. Mike lit the bowl again. “You sure no more?”
John half-smiled. “Nah dude. It’s all you.”
Mike shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He brought the bowl to his lips again as John turned on the headlights and drove back down the dusty road.
