Cadence looked shocked. And then she turned pissy and petulant.
“What are you doing smoking weed?” she asked him. “When did you start all this?”
“About three weeks ago,” Oliver replied.
Cadence thought for a moment. “Is that why Kim broke it off?”
“Yep.”
“So you chose weed over a pretty girl who was head over heels in love with you?”
“I didn’t understand why I couldn’t have both.”
“You’re a moron.”
Oliver shrugged.
“Is this, like, your rebellious stage or something?” Cadence asked.
“Yep.”
She nodded. “Yeah? Well, guess what? This is my rebellious stage, too.”
The siblings stared at one another. And then Oliver made a decision.
“As long as we’ve got each other’s backs,” he said quietly.
“Always,” she replied.
Pete lit the joint and passed it around the group. Oliver instructed Cadence how to take a hit. Suck in. Hold it in the chest for a few seconds. Blow out the smoke through the nose. Cadence followed his directions and waited for the few seconds it took to feel a mini high. And then the mini high grew into a moderate one. And then the moderate one turned into a fucking awesome rush.
“Kicking it old school,” she said, passing the joint to Pete.
“That’s how I roll,” Pete replied. “No pipes in my pockets.”
They laughed.
Cadence giggled as Wesley recounted his failed date with Tiffany. Actually, she laughed hysterically, then asked for another hit.
“One more, little girl,” Charlie said. “And that’s all you’re getting. This is strong weed. Don’t want you doing anything crazy.”
“Just gimme the weed,” Cadence said.
“A kiss first,” Charlie suggested.
“No, man. No way,” Oliver argued. He lay out on the one small patch of grass in the skate park with his head resting on his skateboard. “Cadence, if you kiss him, I’ll kill you. Then him.”
Cadence clapped her hands. “Yay!”
The boys burst out laughing.
“What are we cheering for, Cay?” Wesley asked.
“I dunno,” she said. “I dunno!” She laughed hard and rolled over on the ground. “I want more weed!”
“Cay, if I give you more weed, what are you gonna do for me?” Charlie asked.
“It’s not even your weed, dude,” Pete said. “She oughta be kissing me.”
“You have a girlfriend,” Wesley pointed out. He passed the joint to Oliver, who took another hit.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot,” Pete said. The group laughed all over again.
“Gimme gimme,” Cadence said. She reached her hands out to Charlie. He took them and pulled her to her feet.
“Don’t make out with my sister,” Oliver mumbled, eyes closed.
Charlie pulled Cadence close.
“I have a boyfriend,” she whispered.
“Oh, I know,” Charlie said. “I’m just gonna kiss you a little, and you can pretend to resist if it makes you feel better.”
Cadence giggled. Again. She shook her head and smiled demurely.
“Not even one little kiss?” he pouted.
She cocked her head and screwed up her face in thought.
“Fine,” she said suddenly, and kissed him lightly on the lips. Pete passed her the joint, and she took her second and final hit. Charlie grinned from ear to ear. He wanted tongue, but he’d settle for what he got.
The gang sat around and talked about politics, God, women’s breasts, nutritional benefits of fruit versus vegetables, TV shows, and sex.
“I think God is, like, super huge,” Pete said, lying spread eagle on the ground.
“What do you think he looks like?” Wesley asked.
“Just, like, this huge man. With really huge hands.”
Cadence nodded in agreement.
“Is thunder really angels bowling?” Pete asked.
“Yeah,” Oliver replied. “It’s, like, in the Bible.”
“Dude, seriously?” Pete asked.
“I think so,” Oliver said.
Cadence thought for a moment. She’d always heard that thunder was the sound of angels bowling, but she wasn’t sure if it was actually in the Bible. She’d have to look it up when she got home.
“We live in a fascist authoritative state,” Wesley said.
“We do?” Cadence asked.
“I don’t know. I was just putting it out there for discussion,” he replied.
“That’s what all the punk music teaches us,” Pete said.
“This ain’t a democracy,” Charlie said in a deep, scruffy voice.
The group burst out laughing.
“Where’s that from?” Cadence asked.
“The Walking Dead. Hello? Rick’s like, ‘Hey, this ain’t a democracy’. He used the same deep, gruff voice, then laughed. “Or something like that.”
Cadence fell on the ground laughing. She lay on her back and pulled her knees to her chest, hugging her shins.
“Dude, I read somewhere that women’s brains are scientifically designed to share secrets,” Wesley said.
Cadence piped up, “Scientifically designed?”
“Yeah. It’s, like, you can’t keep a secret. Once you hear one, you gotta tell,” Wesley explained. He plucked blades of grass and twirled them between his thumb and forefinger.
“That’s not good,” Cadence mumbled. And then she had an idea. “Hey, let’s try.”
“Huh?” Wesley said.
“Tell me a secret, and let’s see if I can keep it.”