Where It Went Wrong

Erin shifted back and forth, her chair squeaking with every movement, but she just couldn’t get comfortable. Everything itched so much. Ugh, now the teacher had stopped lecturing and was glaring at her. How the fuck was she supposed to make it through today!

Erin and Lanie were hanging out at the edge of the field when Alex approached. She looked around to make sure no one else was watching, and pulled a little brown box out of the back pocket of her JNCO jeans.

“Oh shit, cloves, where did you get them?” asked Erin excitedly.

“Who gives a fuck” Lanie said, “I have a lighter, let’s go smoke.”

The three disappeared down the seldom used trail that lead into the oak woods at the edge of the field, making their way carefully on the muddy path until they were far enough that they thought they were hidden from anyone who might wander by on the field above. Alex pulled the pack out again, ripped through the foil lining, and carefully removed a long thin brown cigarette. Lanie hastily grabbed it from her hand, placed it in her mouth, lit it, and inhaled. She quickly blew out a cloud of sweet spicy smelling smoke then gave it back to Alex.   Around the circle it went, with each girl taking a clumsy drag before passing it on. When it had been smoked to the filter Erin bent down and ground the smoldering tip out in the mud. She shoved the butt into her empty soda bottle and screwed the cap closed.

“Let’s get back” Alex said, turning to head up the trail.

“Wait, I have to pee” Erin responded as she pulled down her pants to squat on the edge of the path, but the ground was soggy from the winter rains and she slipped, tumbling down the hill bare ass first, she landed in some bushes ten feet below.

“Dude, Erin, what the fuck” Lanie giggled.

“Shit” Erin exclaimed, as she scrambled back up the muddy slope, her pants still around her ankles. She reached the path, yanked them up, and collapsed into a fit of laughter.

Alex just rolled her eyes “you know that was poison oak”.

“Nuh-uh” Erin countered.

“Whatever” Alex said as she turned to head up the trail again “We gotta get back, my mom is picking me up soon and you are going to need to think of an excuse for why you are so muddy, you know how your parents are.”

Erin woke up and looked at the clock, 2 am. As she rolled over to go back to sleep she reached down to scratch an itch. Suddenly she remembered what Alex had said earlier. She sprung out of bed and ran to the bathroom. She turned on the light while slamming the door shut, pulled down her pajamas, and spun around to look in the mirror. Her entire back side was covered in an angry red rash. Shit, it was poison oak.