Are You Anywhere?
an excerpt

The faint hum of a motor distracted Jase from wiping yet another plastic cup clean and the vibration that accompanied the vehicle prompted him to dry his hands and trot outside, boyish grin flashing. The older teen in the rusted truck in front of him lifted his head in response and nodded, twisting the keys backwards until the ignition turned off. Leaning over the worn gray seats to unlock the door, Jase seated himself beside his redheaded friend, baby face and ginger hair belying the actuality of his being nineteen. Mitch jerked the keys back a little farther and tapped the radio button, which was wired to play the scratched black iPod that sat on the center console. Jase picked it up, absentmindedly scrolling down through the list of bands, exclaiming happily at several before settling on a particular. He mouthed the words and breathed the screams, Mitch beside him doing the same. The two boys sat in silence for several moments, chain-smoking down to the lucky. Flicking the ash out his window, Mitch took one last drag before tossing the cigarette to the pavement. He slowly purged his lungs of the smoke as he spoke, turning the volume’s knob just enough to be sure Jase could hear him.
“Want to come smoke later?” Jase looked confused for a relative second, holding out his cigarette before he understood.
“Oh,” A laugh. “Like toke? Hell yeah.” Mitch half-smiled and nodded.
“I’ll come get you later.”
“Before my mom gets home.”
“No shit.” The teens laughed and nodded before Jase jumped out.
“Hit me up whenever you get close.” Mitch nodded, and Jase waved before he walked back to the complex and trudged back up the dingy stairs to the apartment, instinctively bringing up a knee to discourage the giddy canine and rearrange the clothes on his floor so that it at least looked like some degree of effort had been put forth to cleaning.