Marco tugged on his eyebrow ring, something he only did when he was nervous. He looked around and then dropped in close to my face, invading my personal space in a way I didn’t appreciate.
“There’s just been rumblings...” he began to say, but then I heard my name being called.
“X!”
I looked over to see Vincent, Gash’s lackey, motioning for me to follow him.
I turned back to Marco. “I’ll catch up with you later, all right?” I said.
Marco shrugged as though he hadn’t been really weird only seconds before. “Whatever. See ya.” And then he bled into the crowd, returning to his spot at the front door.
I followed Vincent to the back of the room and into a tiny office. Gash was inside with a handful of people, smoking a spliff.
“X! Good to see you, come in,” Gash said, his voice tight with a lungful of smoke.
He waved the rest of the people out until I was left with only Gash and Vincent.
“I wasn’t sure you’d be coming back,” Gash said, though I could tell by the smirk on his face that he knew he’d see me again. And he knew exactly what I was here for.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about your offer,” I started to say.
Gash nodded to Vincent, who reached into a leather satchel and pulled out two freezer bags full of pills.
I felt sick taking them from Vincent. They burned my fingers with guilt and shame.
I couldn’t believe I had resorted to this. I had worked so hard to put this behind me, and here I was jumping back in with the sharks.
But I was feeling desperate and I was tired of not being able to provide for myself. I just needed to make enough to get by until I could figure something else out. This wouldnotbe a permanent solution.
I was dedicated to my new life. This would just help ensure that I didn’t drown while I was trying to live it.
At least, that’s what I’d managed to convince myself.
“It’s important that you’re here next Saturday with all of that. Be here no later than ten o’clock,” Gash said firmly. I frowned. Gash had never given me such specific instructions before. It was always just sell the shit and give him the money.
“Any particular reason why?” I asked, dropping the drugs into the book bag I had brought inside with me for this very purpose.
“Because I fucking said so, that’s why,” Gash yelled.
What had him so wound up?
“Okay...”
Gash smoothed back his graying hair and gave me his trademark smug smile. “You’re going to make us a lot of money, X. It’s good to have you back in the fold.”
I bristled. “I’m not back in the fold, Gash. This is a one-time thing. I just need some cash to help me get by. Times are tough, ya know.”
Gash laughed, a disingenuous sound. “Of course. A one-time thing. No strings attached. I get it.” Wow. He was being uncharacteristically agreeable. I had expected threats of bodily harm at the very least for not wanting to go back to dealing full-time.
“All right, well, I’m gonna go. I’ll see you next Saturday,” I said, backing up toward the door.
“Don’t be any later than ten, X. I’m fucking serious. Otherwise things may happen to you and the people you love that aren’t very nice. You get me?”
There was the Gash I knew and hated.
“Yeah, I get ya,” I responded, hoisting my bag up on my shoulder.
I left Gash’s makeshift office and headed to the front door. Hands reached out trying to grab me. Girls pressed themselves up against me, begging me for the thing I had always been able to give them.
