Marijuana Girl Read Online Free PDF

Mom? Dad?" He deserted the table and went into the living room, where he tossed himself upon the couch. This hadn't been the way he'd expected it to happen at all. He had always thought that the first time--well, there would be an exaltation, as well as a tremendous feeling of having achieved adulthood. And it wasn't like that. Not a bit like that. Instead he was terrified, feeling as guilty as though he had stolen money. He was frightened because Joyce had not called, because he had not been able to find her. Supposing she had--well, maybe not that. But you never knew. She had been a little drunk yesterday, and now perhaps she regretted so much that she had been driven to ... to what? How could you think like that? But after all, wasn't Joyce different? Didn't she have those funny moods, where she did odd defiant things. And if Joy had ... done something like that, it would be his fault, because he, Tony Thrine, should have had more self-control!
    He remembered his father saying: "Tony, the most important thing you must learn in the process of growing up is to exercise self-control." How long ago had the old man said that? A year? Two years? Anyway, it didn't matter, because when the time came that was just what he hadn't done. And now Joyce? What had happened to her? What would happen? Would she--uh--become interested in other boys? Rumor suggested that this was inevitable. But he didn't want her to. He wanted her for himself. She belonged to him. She was his girl ...
    The telephone rang, faintly, as though troubled with timidity. He leaped up from the couch and started toward it, calling, "I'll get it, Dad."
    He snatched the instrument from the hall stand. "Hello?"
    "Tony?"
    "Joyce? I've been going out of my mind. What happened to you?"
    "Oh, don't be like that, Tony."
    "I've been calling and calling your aunt!"
    "How could you be so stupid? I told you not to call there. Do you want her to find out about me?"
    All the pent-up worry and fear in his mind turned to anger. "You promised to meet me right after classes. I waited over an hour for you."
    "Maybe I didn't feel like meeting you. Maybe I had something more important to do."
    "More important! Listen to me, damn you. After last night ..."
    "Last night," her voice was cold, "doesn't mean you own me. I had things to do today, and I couldn't spend the afternoon thinking about some silly boy ..."
    "Joyce," he said, filled with a cold rage, "do me a favor. Drop dead!" He slammed the receiver into place and started back to the living room.
    Then, suddenly frightened by his own anger, his own presumption, he ran back to the phone and hastily dialed Joyce's number. Her aunt picked up the phone. "Hello?"
    "Hello, this is Tony. Let me speak to Joyce, please?"
    "Tony? She's not here. She just called and said she wouldn't be home for dinner; that she was meeting you."
    "Did she say where she was calling from?"
    "No. Is something the matter?"
    "No. Nothing." He started to put the telephone down, then raised it again. "I just got something mixed up. Thanks very much." He hung up. For a long moment he stood there, hating himself for his stupidity, for his meaningless anger. But she must be downtown somewhere. Maybe he could find her. He went to the doorway of the dining room. His father and mother were still sitting at the table. The crystal chandelier over the table cast little glints of light on their faces.
    "I'm going out," he said. "Maybe to a movie or something." He went through the butler's pantry and the kitchen and out to the garage, started his car and was passing into the driveway when he heard the telephone ringing again.
    He stopped, got out of the car and ran into the house, reaching the hallway just in time to hear his mother say, "No, Joyce. He just said he was going out and he just went out the driveway this minute ... Wait, here he is now. Joyce? Joyce? Oh ..." She put the receiver in its cradle, and turned to Tony. "You just missed her. She hung up."
    He went back