“A Slacker’s Guide to the Galaxy/Euphoria and Reverence”

“J! Hey, fancy seeing you here.”

“Uh, hey — ”

“Mary. Mary Mags. Calculus class. French class. PE?”

“Oh, oh — yes, Mary. Hey,” Jadeveon was always awkward around the girls, unlike his uncle, who spent all of last summer preparing ‘J,’ as they called him, for this moment.

“So, how’d you get to the party?” Mary plays with her shirt and J’s eyes widen.

“Uh, I walked here with Moses and the guys. You know Moses?”

“Who doesn’t know Moses? He’s the only guy in school with a full beard. He said his dad gave him that stick with all of the designs on it; swears it has powers. Does it?”

“I’d say yes, but it’s just a silly guess. Probably not.”

“Wanna drink?”

“My dad says I shouldn’t. It’s okay, though, I don’t judge — yet.”

“Oh, you want to be a lawyer?”

“No, just a judge.”

“But don’t you have to be a lawyer, first?”

“I can win any trials that may come.”

“I like your confidence, J,” Mary bit her lip and grabbed J by a hand. “Come…I want to show you something.” J stumbled over partygoers, coughing uncontrollably. His head felt strange, like he had too much wine with…