Chapter Nine

Ileave Dahlia in the car. I don't have a valid reason for why I brought her. That's a lie. I love to make her squirm. Watch her blush. There's just something about getting under her skin that gets me off.

The wooden steps creak as I go up to knock on the door of Remy's uncle's trailer. He gives me the family discount or at least he claims to, but I think he overcharges because he knows no one else will take the risk of selling to us.

The front door slowly opens. "State your purpose." The end of a shotgun pokes me in the chest.

"Jesus, man. Is this really necessary?" I push the weapon away and he sits it just inside the door for quick access. Dude is paranoid.

"You alone?" He grumbles, then belches in my face. He's a greasy overweight bastard.

"Yup."

"Then who is the hottie in the car?" Jonesy demands, holding a palm out outstretched for payment.

"Not important. She's cool."

"Yeah. Sure, she is. Until Mommy and Daddy presses her for where she got the weed. Introduce me."

"She won't say anything."

"You know the rules. You want the weed. I gotta meet her."

"Whatever," I mutter as he crosses his arms over his hairy chest. I shuffle quickly back to the car and tap on the passenger window. "Get out."

Dahlia looks at me with wide eyes, clearly spooked, but she doesn't argue for once. "What's going on?" She asks as I grab her by the hand, interlocking my fingers tightly with hers.

"A complication. It's fine. Just be cool."

"I don't like this," she whispers as we near the trailer.

Jonesy's pit bull continues to bark, testing the limits of the chain he's hooked on. "He's more bark than bite." I don't only mean the dog.

"Well…well…well," Jonesy says, taking Dahlia's appearance in. "I see you dumped that emo bitch and upgraded."

I don't correct him. "Dahlia, this is Jonesy. He's Remy's Uncle."

"Nice to meet you," she says in a strained whisper.

"Darlin', I'm not sure about that, but I'll surely fucking take the compliment coming from your pretty little mouth." My gut twists as his gaze glides up and down her legs. "Where've you been hiding her?"

"My bedroom," I snap.

"Heard that." He chuckles. "Step into my humble abode." He waves a tattooed arm to the side, giving us entrance to his moldy ass place that reeks of body odor, cat piss, and weed.

The sweat coating Dahlia's palm slicks against mine. I give her a reassuring squeeze. Jonesy is just being a dick. He drops his ass to the couch littered with burn holes with the stuffing squeezing out through them.

"Have a seat," he says, opening the black metal lock box full of cash and pills that sit on the coffee table.

I sit in the recliner, pulling Dahlia onto my lap with an arm securely around her waist. She startles slightly and the sweet smell of her perfume assaults my senses. I tease my fingers against her belly, and she shivers. I press my lips to the side of her neck. Goose bumps pebble along her thighs and arms.

"What will it be?"

"Goodie bag." I slide to one side, moving Dahlia to my right leg so I can grab the cash out of my left pocket. Leaning forward slightly, I toss the cash onto the table.

"What are you two up to tonight? You should stick around. I got some new party favors in. Could test them out. Free of charge." He winks at Dahlia as she tenses against me.

It's apparent exactly what this piece of shit has in mind. Thinks he can knock me out and dope Dahlia up to have his way with her. He pulled that shit on Gauge and Prestley last summer. Sick bastard.

"Can't. I don't get her home in the next twenty minutes she'll be grounded for a month."

"Too bad." He counts the money and sticks it in the box, then reaches to a milk crate by his feet and grabs a plastic bag full of an assortment of drugs. He lays the bag on his lap. "Why don't you come over here and get this, sweetheart?"

"Fuck off, man." I jump up, taking Dahlia with me. I reach across the table, holding my hand out. "We've really got to get going."

He waves me off. "Just fucking with you. You kids be safe." He licks his lips and makes a kissy face at us.

"Later." I grab the bag as he extends it toward me.

"Don't be a stranger. Bring your little girlfriend next time you stop by." He laughs louder as we dash out the door. "I'll be betting on you Saturday night."

Dahlia jerks her hand from mine, running for my car. I get into the trunk to put the drugs inside of one of my amps for my sound system. When I get back behind the wheel, she's hugging her knees to her chest, refusing to look at me.

"I wouldn't have let him do anything to you."

"What's wrong with you? Do you have a death wish or something? Chemical imbalance? I don't understand you."

"You and everyone else. Don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad. I'm disappointed."

"And why is that?" I back out of the driveway.

"You could have anything you want. The whole school worships you. But you choose to throw it all away."

"What would you know about any of it?"

"Enough to know your mom would be devastated if anything happened to you."

"You think she cares about me? She can't wait to be rid of me. Her and your precious Uncle John don't give a fuck about me as long as I don't tarnish their reputations."

She finally stares at me.

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

"It doesn't matter. After graduation, I'll be gone and none of you will have to worry about it."

Her gaze flits to the window and I leave the conversation there. We don't have anything in common. She doesn't understand what it's like. The pressure I'm under to be the perfect son. To get a scholarship to pay for my college. My mother's an alcoholic and John fucks anything that moves except for her. I don't even know why they stay together.

The two of them would love nothing more than for me to be out of the picture.

I drive Dahlia back to the house she thinks is picture fucking perfect.

She hesitates before exiting the car. "I won't say anything to anyone about tonight, but I need you to promise me something."

"And what's that?"

"That you'll be careful."

"That shit isn't for me."

"Either way. If one person takes the wrong thing and someone rats you out for giving it to them…its game over for you."

"I'm touched that you care."

"I may dislike you ninety percent of the time, but I care about what happens to you."

"And that other ten percent?"

Her cheeks bloom pink as she shuts the door without responding. I lay my head back against the headrest and close my eyes. After a few minutes pass, my cell phone vibrates with a text message from Gauge.

Did you get it?

Yup. All good.

He refuses to go back to Jonesy's after what happened last time. Can't say that I blame him, but he should have known better. Nothing is free. Especially not from your local drug dealer.

By the time I drag my ass inside, Dahlia is in her room. Her light is out, but I can hear her on the phone with someone. Probably her punk ass boyfriend. I should go into her room and fuck with her for the hell of it. But I figure I've tortured her enough for one day and I have a paper due.