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how I felt about mine.
    I took two more hits and put out the remainder of the
joint. I could tell Ali was feeling pretty damn good by looking at
her; I was, and I didn’t want her overdoing it.
    We sat across from each other talking, munching out,
and enjoying our buzz. Before long, the sun had set and I began to
worry about getting her home in time. She stumbled a few times on
the walk back towards the car and laughed so hard she thought she’d
peed her pants.
    Yes, Ali was definitely more toasted than I was.
    “Can I drive?” I asked her, once we finally reached
her car.
    “Do you even have a license?”
    “No, but that doesn’t mean I can’t drive,” I
replied.
    “Fine. I don’t think I can drive, anyway,” she
muttered, tossing me the keys as she flopped into the passenger
seat.
    I climbed in and put the keys into the ignition,
thankful for the munchies I’d bought and that we’d only smoked half
the joint.
    “Hold on!” she shouted just as I reached to put it in
reverse. I froze, startled.
    Ali opened the glove compartment and began rummaging
around inside until she found what she’d been looking for, a pink
camera. She held it up in front of her, a cheesy grin on her
face.
    I laughed. “You always keep that in there?”
    She nodded. “You never know when something’s going to
come along you might want to remember forever. Lean in.”
    I leaned in, her head fit perfectly against the
hollow of my neck. I draped one arm around her and a lazy grin came
on my face.
    “Smile,” she demanded, before clicking the button,
freezing the moment forever.
     
    The drive to Ali’s house was a short one. Her parents
had rented a historic looking place on Harrison Avenue.
    I pulled into the driveway behind a Honda Pilot and a
police cruiser, the reality of her dad’s occupation settled in, and
so did the fact I was the one bringing home his daughter
wasted.
    I cut the engine and climbed out of the car quickly,
hiding from the bright glow of the porch light, fearful her parents
might glance out the window at some point. I walked to the
passenger side where trees lined the driveway and I was hidden from
view. I figured if anyone came out, mainly her dad, I could duck
behind them pretty quickly.
    Ali stumbled as she got out of the car and closed the
door gently behind her.
    “You ok?” I asked in a whisper.
    “Yeah.”
    An awkward silence hung between us and I didn’t know
if I should kiss her or not.
    “Well, I’d better get inside before my dad starts
peeping out the windows or something,” she said.
    “Yeah, I’d better get going, it’s kind of a long walk
home from here.”
    “Is it? I’m sorry. But, thanks for driving.”
    “No problem.”
    Ali leaned in and kissed me. I was stunned by her
boldness, but recovered in time to move my lips against hers. She
pulled away first and began walking towards her house.
    I remained standing, watching her, and waiting for
her to disappear behind her front door before I moved. Before she
crept inside, she paused to glance at me one more time with a
smile.
    I took my time walking home, knowing there would be
no porch light on or anyone waiting up for me when I got there. Who
was I kidding, nobody probably even realized I’d been gone.
    When I finally did make it home, there was a light on
in the living room. I walked in to see my mom sitting on the couch
with a half empty bottle of rum on the coffee table in front of her
and a bowl of popcorn in her lap, watching a movie.
    “Seth, I’m so glad you’re home,” she said in one big
slur of words.
    I almost laughed, this was what was waiting up for me
at home, my drunken mother. I wondered what was waiting for Ali
when she had walked through her front door.
    “Thanks, mom,” I mumbled on my way down the hall
towards my room.
    I closed my door behind me and locked it, not wanting
to be bothered by anyone in my pathetic excuse for a family. I
pulled the half-smoked joint from my pocket and spread out on