Blue Rush

It's 6:42 in the morning. That's way to early to be awake, too early to be alive. I've been lying in my bed staring at the ceiling for what feels like 10 minutes now. I really don't want to go to school. I'm halfway through junior year and I'm already fed up. Everyone at Central Fulton High School is earlier high or a jerk, and the jerks are usually dealers trying to make a quick buck off of the school's addicts. I'm so sick of it.

I myself have never tried Azure before. The risk just never seemed worth it. Why would I want to risk my life to feel invincible for 15 minutes? And then there's dad…

I roll over and look at the clock on my nightstand. 6:56 it glows at me in a ghostly blue light. I groan and get out of bed. If I get offered an Azure pill today, I'm going to lose it. I get dressed then check myself out in the mirror. My hair looks like crap, but I can't be bothered to brush or comb it. I run my fingers though it to try and tame it as I get my backpack. I open my room door and step out.

My mom is at the kitchen table, looking extremely tired. She looks up at me with huge bags under her eyes.

"Good morning, sweetie," she says, her voice almost a whisper.

"Hey, mom," I give her a hug. "How was work?" I ask, already aware it has not gotten any better.

My mom is a hospital technician at Fulton's massive and only hospital. She has been talking to me about how as of late, nearly all the patients have been affected by someone who was on a blue high. Countless people die there because they came off a high a little too hard. It's sad really.

My mom gives me a sad smile. "The usual."

I nod. "You still need to sleep, though."

My mom stands up and tousles my hair, undoing the work I put into keeping it down this morning. "I'll get on that kiddo. Just make sure you get to school on time."

I pull out my phone. 7:18 it says. Class starts at 8.

"Will do." I give her one more hug and head out the front door.

We live on a street with cookie-cutter houses, the kind that you'd see in a 21st century sitcom. We're on the outskirts of the city, just outside of the noise; just outside of the trouble.

I have to take the Air-Bus into the city to get to school. You read that right, Air-Bus. Nothing touches the ground these days, not that I'm complaining. I am content with this, because heaven forbid, I have to walk. There would be far too many dealers and people under the influence for me to make it there in one piece. My mom and I believe that it's a real problem.

I arrive at the bus stop and check my phone. 7:30. The Air-Bus should be here any second. A couple minutes pass, then I hear the low hum of the bus overhead. The massive vehicle slowly lowers to the ground and comes to a stop. The door slides open and I step on.

The bus is pretty empty except for a couple of people. I swipe my bus-pass and walk towards the back. As I am walking back a hooded man grabs the end of my jacket.

"Hey kid," He whispers, keeping his voice low and his head down. Even with his voice low I can still smell his rancid breath. "Wanna get a rush?" He pulls out a case of Azure pills from his hoodie pocket. "They're real cheap right now. I can get 'em to you for-"

I smack his hand off of my shirt. "Don't touch me," I say coldly. "I don't want your shit."

The hooded man shrugs. "Your loss. I was even gonna lower my normal price for ya."

"I don't care." I finish my walk back and sit down.

I hate dealers more than anyone in the world. They're the scum of earth, trying to sell illicit drugs to kids for pocket change. I put in my earbuds and wait for the bus to get to school. I'm already sick of today.

After 15 minutes the bus arrives in front of Central Fulton High School. I walk to the front of the bus making a point to ignore the guy that tried to sell to me 15 minutes ago. As I hop off the bus I look back. The guy from earlier is staring at me through the window.

He's an unshaven man with a square jaw. He smirks down at me. I spit on the ground and turn to walk inside.

I don't enjoy nor hate my time at CFHS. A couple of years ago I would have loved it here. I had a group of friends back then. Friends I thought I could trust. That doesn't matter anymore though. I'm fine by myself. I'm safer that way. Safe. That's a word I haven't said in a while. That might be because this school is anything but safe.

I step through the sliding door. The smell hits me immediately. The smell of dipotymene is strong in the halls. The smell on top of the noise is almost unbearable. Everyone is carrying on as normal though. I sigh and walk over to my locker. I scan my student ID, and it flips open. I put my backpack in there and close it the door back. As I turn to walk to class, I hear footsteps running up behind me.

"Hey, Evan! How've you been?"

I know that voice. I pretend not to hear and walk faster. The footsteps behind me quicken, then I feel a hand grab my shoulder.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

I sigh and turn around. It's Archie, my former best friend.

"Hey, Archie," I groan.

"Hey, how've you been?" He says staring at me.

I clench my jaw. Archie is on a Rush.

When someone is on a Rush you can tell by their eyes and face. A Rush can be identified through wide eyes and minimal to no blinking. And the person's face is almost always flushed, but not flushed red. Their face is faintly a lavender color because of the dipotymene in the person's blood.

"I'm good. Look I really have to get to class, and I'll catch up with you later," say starting to walk away.

Archie grabs my wrist. "Okay but before you go…" He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a small case. Rush pills.

"Archie, you know I don't do those," I say pulling out of his grip.

"Aw c'mon man, just one or two," he presses, inching closer. "And once you hit a third you feel like your feet weigh nothing! And after a fourth…"

"Archie STOP!" I smack the case out of his hand. The pills spill across the hall.

Archie's eyes never left me. The hall is completely silent now.

"Not cool, Evan," he says in a monotone voice. "You have to pay for those."

I straighten myself. "Like hell I do. I never wanted those stupid pills in the first place. And I'd sooner die than fuel your addiction."

Archie scoffs. "I am NOT addicted."

I turn away and walk to class.

"You owe me, Evan!"