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Reed slipped the joint out from behind his ear, passing it to TJ. He took it between his fingers, silently thanking the boy for his constant supply. TJ needed this to calm his nerves, he wasn’t even sure he was fully committed to telling him. He slipped the joint between his lips, pulling his lighter out of his pocket and sparking it. He cupped his left hand around the tip of the joint and let the flame catch, puffing it twice before taking his finger off the trigger of the lighter. TJ slipped it back into his pocket and then took the joint out of his mouth, passing it to Reed. Reed took a drag and TJ watched the heat eat up the paper, turning it black. Smoke started to fill the car, curling up and hitting the roof, attempting to sneak out the windows, but stopped by the seal.
“What’s up?” Reed asked, snapping TJ from his daze.
“Nothing,” TJ responded, taking the joint back from Reed and slipping it back between his lips. It normally took them ten or so minutes to finish one, but they were halfway through after only two drags between them. TJ didn’t suspect anything was on his friend’s mind, however. If TJ was hitting hard, so was Reed. The air grew heavier, and TJ took a deep breath, sucking in. He exhaled, adding to the smoke in the air and watching it pool along the dash.
Reed swiped the joint from between TJ’s lips and held it up in front of him. “Halfway gone,” he commented. TJ shrugged. “Obviously there’s something up, you’re hitting hard.”
“Don’t let it burn,” TJ said. “Give it to me if you aren’t gonna hit it.” He reached out, but Reed swiped his hand away, pulling the joint up to his lips and taking a drag. TJ watched as his cheeks hollowed, taking a big hit. The paper curled and ash flecked off the end, dropping into the console between them. Reed pulled the joint away and dropped his hand down, knocking the excess ash away. He picked it back up and took another hit. TJ turned away, looking through the building clouds of smoke and out the window of the car. There wasn’t much to see, just the empty, dying grass and trees of Shadyside, but he preferred the view to his friend at that moment. He he had to tell him, had to say something, but he wasn’t sure how. He felt Reed hit his shoulder.
“Want it?” TJ turned and looked at the joint, down to its last fourth. Reed had taken the brunt of it, probably trying to keep TJ from smoking himself into a haze. He knew he was preparing himself for something, Reed somehow always knew. TJ accepted the offer, placing it between his lips, but not breathing in. He puffed out, spewing smoke on the dash. Reed tutted and smacked him.
TJ scowled, “What?”
“Tell me, or I’ll beat it out of you,” he said. TJ took the hit and passed off the joint, exhaling slowly thirty seconds later.
“Maybe when we finish this,” he offered. He watch Reed take an exaggerated hit, burning through half of what they had left. “Or much later,” TJ said.
“Bro,” Reed sighed.
“Bro,” TJ mocked. He took the joint from Reed’s offering hand, took a hit, and looked his friend in the eyes. “You really wanna know?” He asked.
Reed smiled, “It’s hitting you, huh?”
“I’ll sober up real quick if you keep making jokes,” TJ snapped. TJ took another drag, hitting the joint until it was just the filter. He dropped it into the console and sighed.
“Yeah, I really want to know. You never hit me up for weed,” he reminded him.
TJ nodded, watching some of the smoke clear. The car was still hazy, and warm. “I want you to meet someone,” he finally said.
“Oh yeah?” Reed laughed. “What, your girlfriend?”
TJ laughed cynically. Yeah, if only. “Something like that,” he sighed. “Crush, actually,” he admitted.
“This is what you were so worked up about? Some girl?” Reed smacked him in the chest. “You’re a sap.” TJ nodded, staying silent. Maybe he could just, leave it at that. No luck, Reed could tell something was still bothering him. “Dude, what?”
TJ exhaled hard, taking a deep breath in the stale air. It was two words, just two words. “I’m gay, Reed.”
He laughed, obviously thinking TJ was joking. “Alright, great. We gonna have a real conversation or should I roll another one.” he asked, turning to dig around in the console. TJ stayed silent. Reed pulled out his grinder and then looked up, noticing TJ’s expression. “What?”
“I’m gay,” he repeated.
Reed blinked. “Oh. You’re serious?” TJ shrugged and Reed smiled, “In that case, definitely rolling another one.” TJ rose an eyebrow, “Celebratory coming out joint?” Reed offered. “You wanna roll?”
He couldn’t say no to that, it would be nice to have something to do. Besides, it was fine: Reed didn’t seem bothered, really. How he would react to Cyrus, however, TJ had no idea. The kid was the opposite of them, and best friends with the girl TJ had spent half a semester cursing. He opened the grinder, dumping the contents out into his hand. Reed handed him the paper and he balanced it on the console, holding it open with his other fingers. He funnelled his hand and let the weed slide out, onto the paper.
“So it’s Goodman, right?” TJ jerked at the mention of Cyrus' name, causing the paper and its new contents to go flying. Reed barked out a laugh, “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“How’d you—?” TJ was at a loss of words, the only thing he could assume was Reed could read his mind.
“I’ve seen you talk to him, the way you looked at him I just thought—I dunno, actually. Just thought you guys were weird,” he admitted.
“And…Now?” TJ asked.
“And now I think you’re just a dumb fuck with a very obvious crush,” he laughed. “Give that to me,” he said, motioning to the grinder. TJ gave it up willingly, not trying to waste anymore of his friends' weed.
“So you’ll meet him?” TJ asked.
Reed looked up from the paper he was now rolling. “Oh hell, yes,” he said.