I didn’t make things easy for my parents. I wasn’t a problem child on purpose—I just didn’t think things through. After sneaking out at 3 a.m. to get licorice, some guys tried to stuff me in a van, and the guards barely saved me. I was fine—maybe a little high—but now they didn’t trust me. That’s how I ended up with Sasha, my shadow. Just as I pulled out my last joint, a hand grabbed my blazer.

“Nice try, Lukas,” Sasha said, pocketing my joint.

“Come on! That was my last one!” I protested, but he just swatted me off. Defeated, I sat on the ground and pouted.

“Go to class, Lukas,” Sasha growled.

I shook my head. He grabbed my collar, hauling me up, but I went limp, sprawled on the ground.

“Be good, and I’ll give it back after school,” he said.

“Seriously? I thought my parents wanted you to confiscate my shit,” I muttered.

“Don’t swear. Deal?”

Reluctantly, I shook his hand and trudged to class. Amy raised a brow when I didn’t smell like weed. I just mimed hanging myself, and she snorted.Finally, the bell rang. I sprinted to my locker, dumped my stuff, and found Sasha waiting by the car. He held the door open, slipping me the joint as I climbed in.

I felt a rush of happiness as I took another hit, watching a rainbow form on the floor from the sunlight. Then my mom knocked, ruining the moment. “Are you coming to dinner?” she asked, wrinkling her nose. “You reek like drugs. Stay home. I’ll have the chef bring you something.”

I pretended to have a conversation with the air until I saw the disapproving look from Sasha and slunk back into my bedroom. "Are you alright?" His low voice came from the door I had forgotten to close behind me. I just fake-smiled in his direction. "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" I laughed and it sounded even worse than the smile felt on my lips. My hand shook a little as I reached for the remainder of the joint and lit it up. He stood watching me as I finished smoking the last of it