Life didn’t change overnight. There were still days when Jaden would reach for the kush, when the silence would feel too loud. But now, he was more aware of it. He was learning how to find balance, how to let go when he needed to, and how to stay grounded without the constant need for escape.

Maya still came around, and they still shared the occasional joint and cranberry juice. But the difference now was that Jaden had learned to live with the messiness of life, to embrace the moments that weren’t so perfect. And that, he realized, was the real high.