Paper Is a Social Construct

NOW

Salem Marrad gripped the wheel tighter. Preparing to hit the gas as hard as he could, once the light was green, of course.

School was going to get him incarcerated, specifically his friends. His record was going to be horrifying once he got out of this, if he even got out of jail in time to check. . .

"I'm so done." Gray banged his head on the dashboard. "Let's just go back to school."

Salem gave him an incredulous look for even suggesting something so stupid.

"Yeah, right. I'd rather come to school naked then not finish a dare. That's suicide."

Gray lifted his head and frowned.

"You're right," He groaned.

Salem wasn't sure if it was because he was right, or because he had to finish out the dare.

"Let's ride, I guess."

TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES BEFORE.

An evil grin spread over Jade's face.

This was a very bad thing.

It meant she was going to ask of something incredibly impossible or embarrassing.

Or both. 

We were sitting in a circle, on the floor, because the couch would probably break under Salem. He wasn't overweight or anything, but he did have multiple bricks in his pockets from a different dare. Long story short, those would be staying in his pockets for the rest of the day.

Instead of lunch in the cafeteria, Mona decided she wanted to hang out in Jade's dorm, since Jade was the only one of us who lived at school.

I didn't want to, but wherever Mona went, Salem went, and Jade ended up going because it was her dorm and⎯of course, unreliable-Isaac had to be with Jade because they were in love or something.

"What are we doing here?" Isaac sighed.

He was laying down on his back and staring at the popcorn ceiling.

"Shut up." Gray kicked Isaac, a little too hard, in Jade's opinion.

Isaac was on some kind of drug lately. He questioned his own and everyone's existence a lot. And Gray wanted to throw a chair every time he did it, which somehow related to his hate of dystopian novels.

Salem once pointed out that Gray didn't like when people "challenged authority" in seventh period. Everyone seemed to agree, to Gray's outrage. It seemed like a rich people thing, which made it a Gray thing.

"Having fun." Mona deadpanned.

Mona did not hate dystopian novels. She loved every genre of books (Westerns were tolerable).

She would also encourage any crazy ideas Jade and Mateo would pull out of their behind. 

"Anyone want a Gucci belt?" Jade asked, returning from the bathroom with her eyes glimmering . 

It would've sounded random. But it was Jade, so...

"I have one, I'm rich. " Gray smirked.

Everyone who was paying attention, which was everyone but Isaac, glared at him.

Jade went from glimmer to dangerous glint.

"Rock, paper, scissors to find a belt and bring it to the winner." Mateo offered.

He went back down to scroll on his phone, so he didn't notice Jade's demonic grin widening.

Mona did and slowly began to back away.

"Not playing." She sang and moved to sit on a stool across the room. No doubt preparing to watch the chaos unfold. 

"You're no fun! I'll promise to use paper," Jade cried.

"Paper is a social construct," Isaac snorted, focusing. 

"Do you even know what that means?" Gray snorted back.

He knew he shouldn't have spoke when Jade's wild eyes fell on him. She threw out her fist.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" 

"Only a wimp would decline," Gray scoffed, an ironic time for very angry wasps to start punching around his stomach. 

"Rock"

"Paper"

"Scissors"

"SHOOT!"

" ..."

Gray looked at his hand as if they'd betrayed him. Jade smiled at her own, proud.

"DAMN IT!"

FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE.

"I need a Gucci belt." Gray demanded.

He seemed in his prime, in a weird way. With his blonde hair and blue eyes, Gray seemed like the demanding, mean and very wealthy type.

"I need a break," The cashier pressed a button that nobody could see. "go look for it yourself."

"I don't know where it is!" Gray repeated, frustrated.

"Then you obviously don't belong here!"

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"

"Nope."

Gray held in a scream and sighed heavily. It was Salem's turn to jump in.

"Can you at least point us in the right direction?" He offered.

The cashier nodded at his arm, which was in an ugly green cast.

"Nope."

"Fine!" Gray threw his hands up and stomped off.

"And so the search begins." Salem mumbled.

They looked for ten whole minutes before finding a useful person to help.

"The belts and fanny packs are in the back, I believe. I remember because I bought around twenty-six for my grandson's elementary class on his birthday. He's in Harvard now, can you believe it? It feels like yesterday-"

Gray was forced to listen to her annoying rant while Salem grabbed a belt.

"And Penny, his wonderful girlfriend, she's a DAH-ling!"

His interest was piqued. Penny?

His sister, maybe?

She'd been quite the sneak recently, and a secret boyfriend would make sense.

Mother and Father would love that. It would be enough to make her burn all the dirt she had on Gray. Especially since this guy was older, at least by two years.

"Penny Ferris?" He clarified, interrupting the lady.

"Huh? No, I'm Dana." Dana corrected.

Gray rolled his eyes, thanking the universe when Salem returned and nudged him. He had the belt. And the exit to this dry conversation.

"Never mind. Thanks, Dana."

TWO MINUTES BEFORE

"SLOW DOWN!" Isaac screamed as they ran another red light.

"No. You slow down!" Jade giggled.

Mona ran her hands through her hair, taking her a while because of its length.

"Please, for the love of god-STOP!"

They both stared at her, surprised at the outburst.

Mona was supposed to be the quiet one.

A loud honk snapped the trance. Jade was supposed to be driving.

"JADE! EYES ON THE ROAD!" Isaac screamed, again.

Gray and Salem's car pulled up next to them, Gray dangling the belt from the luxury car. He must've been really desperate, to be letting Salem drive his ("precious") baby.

"Take it, or I'm going to be late for class." Gray growled.

"Please," Salem added.

Jade laughed, loudly.

Louder than the roaring truck next to them, holding a small child with blotched cheeks. She stared at them with wide eyes.

"Late for class? Aw-" Jade smirked. "I. Don't. Care."

And she sped off, Mona and Isaac screaming as loud as they could.