Cocaine Hearts

Chapter 7

It was lazy Saturday afternoon where everyone in the group overslept. As I groggily woke up, I noticed Brandon still lying in Ashley's bed, his eyes open but clearly still feeling the effects of a wild night. Curiosity got the best of me, and I couldn't help but ask about his sleep.

With a massive yawn, I inquired, "How did you sleep?" Sitting up in my sleeping bag, I stretched my tired body.

He responded, "Actually, not too bad, considering how drunk I was. How about you?"

I replied curtly, glancing at my cellphone, "Same. Oh my god, it's already past noon! We were supposed to be tripping by now."

He chuckled, questioning, "Who plans to hallucinate before noon, though?"

I shot back playfully, "Well, clearly you haven't been to a party with Ashley and me before." Laughing, I made my way to my suitcase, rummaging through it to find the perfect outfit. Eventually, I settled on a chic little black dress. Holding it up, I asked Brandon, "Do you mind?" glancing towards the tent door.

Blushing slightly, he replied, "Not at all!" I watched as he left the tent, zipping it up behind him.

I grabbed my hairbrush from my bag, attacking the tangled mess of curls. Thankful that Brandon and I were just friends, I didn't have to worry about impressing him with my hair. It was true that I had many male friends, but most of them made their desires quite obvious. After all, isn't that how most teenage boys are wired?

With my hair finally tamed, I swiftly changed into the black dress and grabbed my small black purse. Excitedly, I made my way out of the tent to join the remaining members of our group, about ten people in total. Brandon was still there, and I couldn't help but smile at him. Digging into my purse, I pulled out an enormous bag of psychedelic mushrooms and waved it around, giggling mischievously. Turning to Brandon, I asked with a playful tone, "Have you ever tried them before?" I plucked a stem from the bag, ignoring its unpleasant taste as I chewed on it.

"Hmm, no." Brandon hesitated before giving me a small smile and reaching into the bag. "But I have always wanted to try."

Excitedly, we walked around together, munching on stems and caps as we handed out the mushrooms to the rest of the group. The anticipation grew as we knew that in just an hour or two, this forest would transform into a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Eventually, we settled around a small fire, the sounds of rock music filling the air as we talked and laughed, eagerly awaiting the effects of the mushrooms.

Finally, the mushrooms kicked in, and laughter erupted from our group as we found ourselves rolling in the dirt, overcome with joy. At some point, I ended up with my head resting in Brandon's lap, gazing up at his distorted yet beautiful face, which was adorned with an infectious smile.

Suddenly, a craving for a cigarette struck me, and I turned my head to face Brandon. "Can you hand me a cigarette?" I asked, my words coming out slowly and deliberately.

His response matched my pace, "What?"

I pointed to the pack of cigarettes next to him and repeated my request. With careful movements, he reached over and slowly retrieved a cigarette, revealing the longest one we had ever seen. We burst into laughter, sharing a moment of pure amusement. I lit the cigarette, watching the smoke dance around his face, and without thinking, I placed the palm of my hand on his cheekbone. "You kind of look like an angel, you know," I remarked, still gazing up at him.

He laughed, his laughter sounding almost melodic. How had I not noticed his beautiful laugh before? Perhaps it was because I wasn't under the influence of the mushrooms. He began running his fingers through my hair, sending waves of pleasure through my body. Acting purely on instinct, I sat up and kissed him briefly on the lips, pulling away slightly and giving him a questioning look. He seemed a bit surprised but quickly placed one hand firmly on my waist and the other on my cheek, leaning forward to kiss me slowly.

Our lips met in a kiss that seemed to stretch on indefinitely, as if time had decided to take a break. The shared kiss, amplified by the hallucinatory effects of the magic mushrooms, was a dance of passion that made every nerve in my body sing. When we finally pulled apart, I was left panting, my eyes wide as I gazed up into his face. "This is insane, isn't it?" I murmured softly to him.

He looked at me, a playful gleam in his eye as he questioned, "Why?"

I responded, my words tumbling out in a rush, "Because we're polar opposites, two completely different people. It would never work out between us."

He looked at me, an amused smile playing on his lips as he offered a different perspective. "Ever heard the saying, 'opposites attract'? You never really know until you give it a shot," he said, his voice soft but firm. I simply nodded, unable to form a coherent response, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

Was it my own emotions that were making me see him in a new light or was it just the mushrooms' mind-altering effect? The line between reality and hallucination was blurring, and I found myself both excited and terrified at the same time.

***

As the hours dissipated into a euphoric blur, the hallucinatory effects of the shrooms stretched the fleeting eight hours into what felt like days. We huddled around the crackling fire, our voices merging into a symphony of laughter and nonsensical chatter, each of us lost in our own psychedelic world. Brandon remained glued to me, his solid presence behind me a comforting anchor.

Nestled between his legs, my back leaning against his chest, I felt the subtle thrum of his heartbeat against my spine. His arms were looped gently around me, his fingers tracing absent patterns on my shoulder and collarbone, each touch sending sparks of electricity racing through my veins.

Bathed in the warmth of his embrace, I felt a sense of security and contentment that was unprecedented. Our conversation, if it could even be called that, was a jumble of disjointed words and sentences that probably made little sense, but the companionship we shared was genuine and comforting. As twilight descended, Ashley and Zeke retreated to their own sanctuary, and Brandon and I found ourselves alone once again.

This time, we dismantled the separate sleeping arrangements Ashley and I had and transformed it into a single, cozy nest in the middle of the tent, laden with an assortment of plush pillows and blankets.We nestled into our improvised bed, our bodies intertwined in a silent dance of affection. After a time, Brandon broke the silence, his voice a low rumble against my ear. "Are you still tripping?"

I shook my head slightly, "Not really. Just some lingering colors. It's fading now."

"Me too. That was...incredible." His tone held a note of awe as he stared at the canvas ceiling of our tent.

I tilted my head to look at him, taking in his tousled sandy hair and the chiseled contours of his jawline. I'd always thought he was attractive, but under the soft glow of the dying firelight, he was downright irresistible. Normally, I would have let the evening progress to a more physical intimacy, but something held me back this time. I knew he wasn't a virgin; with a year-long relationship with his ex, it was unlikely he lacked experience, but I suspected his experiences were limited.

Compared to my own...varied history, his innocence made me feel a pang of regret, a sense of discomfort. But the enveloping warmth of his arms, the tender kiss he planted on my forehead, made me forget my reservations. With a content sigh, I closed my eyes, surrendering to a sleep filled with vivid, colorful dreams, all featuring Brandon.