Our young protagonists grow older without us.

At the annual Christmas dance - chaperoned by their teachers, who would put tape on the inner and outer sides of the changeroom doors (the gym being the only appropriately sized venue for prepubescent dancing at their disposal), thus ensuring that should some mischievous pair decide to sneak off (indeed, an ill-founded concern, considering it was a relatively infrequent occurrence) the faculty would certainly know about it, albeit after the fact when they went about to check their tapey handiwork - he snuck in a joint.

Unsure of what might happen next, thrilled by the possibility, she followed his lead. Squeezing through the doors, they burst outside. Together they took off towards the back, down a small hill and into the forbidden trees bordering the basketball court. She would giggle nervously, tweetering on the edge of something, learning she loved the adrenaline that comes with the possibility of getting caught, of being bad publicly. He would watch her reaction, relishing his ability to show her something new, something with the potential for great.

They'd smoke, inhaling improperly and not feeling the effects, killing them by over analyzing every thought, every feeling, every smell and sound.

Several spritzes of cheap body spray later (the kind young girls carry around in their purses when they are trying to act beyond their years, aging themselves prematurely but without enough floating dollars to do so properly. They always settled for the drug store name brand, which inevitably leaves 40+ girls smelling the the same.) they would return to the dance, catching one another's eye and bursting into that secret, special laughter of partners in crime, reveling in rebellion.

It would become habit, something to keep them close together at an age where feelings were peach fuzz and awkwardness ruled. Saved by this, an activity to fill the time left empty by conversation. Their mutual dependancy waning, she would practice naïveté in all matters drug, leaning on him, loving to watch him play teacher, knowing he appreciated her feigned innocence. It was in this manner that they would escalate. Him wanting to impress, her craving the ride.