“I don’t have cash on me.”
As if I'd ever have enough for whatever he's supplying.
His tongue clicks like a gong while he takes out a credit card and something else. “You telling me you came here thinking I’d give you freebies?”
My mouth dries out. In the cramped space, I can’t see what he’s doing.
“No, I—”
He barks a laugh, grasping my shoulder. “We can work something out, Bunny. Give this a try.”
I’m dragged forward where four lines of fine powder wait patiently. There’s an invisible belt around my chest, restricting me from taking a full breath.
A firm hand grasps the back of my neck, massaging the tense muscles as his scruff tickles my ear. “You wanna feel good, right?”
So badly.
“How about I go first?”
I nod.
He chuckles, shifting me aside—barely—and picks up the rolled-up dollar bill. Glancing at me, he winks and snorts two of the strips. His head tips back and his eyelids flutter.
“Fuck, yeah.”
I’m shaking.
What if I get caught? I’ll go to jail. Dad will be furious. Would it get his attention? It’ll piss him off if he has to bail me out. But what if Idon’tget caught? What if it works? What if the pain stops?
The price of peace is steep.
“Fuck it."
Mason releases a manic giggle. “Damn straight, Bunny!”
Ignoring him, I pinch the rolled-up bill in trembling fingers and bend to the counter.
One… two…
Fire ignites my sinuses. I stumble back, eyes watering and nose burning, a metallic taste sliding down my throat. Mason’s hysterical cackles bounce off the walls like tambourines. Blinking away the blur, a fuzzy tingle begins in the center of my forehead, spreading and spreading.
“Whoa.”
“Whoa is right, Bunny,” Mason snickers, slipping into the space in front of me. When did he grab my waist? It’s been so long since someone’s held me. My skin is warm and his hands are on my chest and they feel nice.
“Iknewyou’d like molly.”
“Molly,” I giggle. “What a stupid name.”
He snorts. I laugh harder. He was right. What was I scared of? This isamazing.
Time warps I'm not sure how long we giggle and babble and touch. It feels like hours and seconds simultaneously, but it doesn't matter either way because I'm floaty and fuzzy.
“You gotta pay up, now Bunny.”
“Sure, yeah.”
I’ll pay whatever as long as this lasts.
