Standing in the back alley behind a Chinese food restaurant doing a drug deal made me nervous. I was eager to hurry up and get out of there. I kept glancing around, wary of being caught.
“No thanks, I’m not interested. Here.” I shoved a wad of cash into his hand before spinning on a heel and rushing away down the alley.
Even though I was annoyed at the higher price, I was happy to have my security blanket back in my hands. As soon as I got in the car, I popped two in my mouth, washing them downwith some water from the bottle in the cupholder. The nerves that had been racking me all day began to ease.
Starting the car, I pulled into traffic, heading toward the other side of town where my mom lived. I would have done almost anything to avoid making this trip. I really didn’t want to see her.
She lived in a rundown neighborhood filled with old duplexes and a few mobile homes. The occasional bungalow here and there. This had once been a main residential area in town back when it was new and much smaller. Now it was considered old Wintervale. A place where people went to live cheap.
I parked in front of the duplex where I’d once lived with my mom. Being back here brought back so many terrible memories. The nonstop fights. The steady flow of strung out people that my mom associated with.
Wanting to get this over with, I hurried up the front walk to the unit she occupied. The screen door sat ajar. It didn’t close properly anymore. I tested the front door before pulling out my key. Unlocked. Not that anyone would bother to rob a place like this.
“Mom?” I called as I entered the small front porch.
There was no answer. I found her passed out in the living room, sprawled on the couch. She wore a T-shirt and a pair of shorts that looked like they could use a wash. Her blonde hair tied in a messy bun. The coffee table next to the couch was littered with empty beer cans, Red Bull, and cigarettes. Tossed in with the rest was a used needle. Jesus Christ.
I thought about waking her up then decided against it. I didn’t really want to talk to her in person anyway. If she was coming down off something, there was no telling what kind of mood she would be in.
Reaching into my purse, I pulled out the rolled up stack of bills I had been saving for her. It wasn’t much. Most of my tips from the last two weeks. She would likely shoot it, snort it, or drink it within a day or two. There was nothing I could do about that.
Staring down at her passed out form, I tried to remember a time when she hadn’t been like this. I had foggy memories of her being better when I was younger. Too young to know what had been going on. My father had known. That’s why he left. That’s when everything spiraled into hell.
She gave a sudden startling snore before rolling over and almost falling off the couch. That was my cue to leave. I was out the door before she could open her eyes and find me standing there. No doubt she would complain about the amount of money I’d given her, claiming it wasn’t enough. It never was.
On my way home, I listened to a podcast about quantum physics and reality. That stuff had always been so interesting to me. The kind of rabbit hole one could fall down and never emerge from.
I was surprised to find Auryn waiting in the lobby of my building when I got home. I jerked to a stop.
“Hey,” he said, shoving away from the wall where he’d been leaning. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“So I see. Everything is fine if that’s what you’re wondering. I haven’t seen Jamie since class.” Confused and curious about Auryn’s presence, I flipped through the keys on my keychain until I found the one for the door in the lobby.
“Good, then I don’t have to kill him. Yet. I want to come inside with you. Is that cool?” Auryn stepped forward, ready to follow me into the building.
I wasn’t sure what to make of this. “Uh yeah, I guess so.”
He had this intensity that fed my curiosity. What was it that caused him to show up unannounced? As he followed me upto the apartment I shared with Athena, I wondered how I would explain this if she was home.
When I opened the door to discover the place empty, I breathed a sigh of relief. She must have stopped off somewhere on her way home or hung out later on campus.
Not knowing what to say, I motioned to the kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink or—”
Auryn pulled me against him, silencing me with a kiss. His mouth hungrily moving on mine. Making my heart race. When he backed me up against the closed door and slid a hand up into my hair, I almost melted into a puddle.
“Take me to your bedroom,” he murmured against my lips.
I didn’t think to question it. Taking his hand, I led him down the short hall and around the corner. Once we were in my bedroom, he closed the door behind us and pushed me down on the bed.
I peered up at him in mesmerized wonder as he frantically pulled my shirt off, whisking it up over my head. His hands were on my breasts, kneading them through my bra. His gaze locked on my cleavage.
“I can’t get you out of my head, doll. I need to see my cock in your mouth.” Auryn pulled the straps of my bra down in an effort to free my breasts.
Reaching behind my back, I unclasped the bra, flinging it aside. Giving in to his demand. He surprised me by undoing his pants and pulling out his thick erection. Sliding it between my breasts. Fucking them with slow thrusts.
After a few moments he pulled back, tugging me off the bed, and guiding me to my knees. I dropped down before him, finding something deeply satisfied in his brown eyes when I glanced up.
“Fuck yes,” he whispered. I hadn’t even touched him yet.
