Chapter One: Hot Summer Days
It was a sunny summer day in 1974 and I was spending it as I did most of my summer days in my teens, with my best bud, Eric. At school Eric was popular, not like I wasn't, but he was widely known by the whole school. He was a football star and quite the looker. He was about 6'2 and I'd say 190lbs of pure cut muscle. Not like those super lean guys, but the muscle was nice and formed giving him incredible arms and legs. He had dark black hair and could grow a great beard if he wanted but right now it was rocking a a thick mustache.
As for me, I stood about 5'11 and 170lbs, I played football as well and wasn't too bad, but nothing like Eric. I had dirty blond hair and was also rocking a mustache, mostly because that's what was in at the time and also cause my beard didn't connect well on the sides. Me and Eric were at our favorite smoke spot laying in the green shaded grass while spots of sun shone through the leaves. The hot late July sun was sizzling our skin anytime it peeked out from behind the shade. July was one of my favorite months because Eric's birthday was at the start and mine was in the middle. We were both freshly 18 and about to enter our senior year.
"Hey, you hear about the party at Derek's later?"
"Yeah I heard some people talking about it, what's the deal with that?" I asked back.
"His parents are gone for the weekend, and his older brother is supposed to make sure he doesn't get up to anything, but Derek said he's going camping with his girlfriend so he won't even be around."
"Ah sweet stuff, you wanna go together or you gonna go with Amy?" I asked with a slight tone of jealously.
"Dude of course I'll go with you, Amy has been stressing me out way too much lately anyways. I'm sure she'll go with Jennifer and Heather. I'll tell her I have a date already."
"What? Who? You been cheating on Amy?" I raised my eyebrow.
"No man, I meant you" he laughed and his straight white teeth shimmered in the sun.
"Ohhh sorry, this shit will get ya," I said motioning my head toward the joint in my hand.
"Yeah quit hogging it anyway Charlie, bring her here."
I sat up and put the joint to his pink lips and his eyes shot open.
"Shit man I thought a bug landed on my mouth."
He opened his lips and took the end of the joint in and inhaled while I continued to hold it. I pulled the joint out and he sucked in deeply before relaxing the cloud of happiness pulsing through our bodies.
"Whew that is some good shit, your brother knows his stuff."