Candy Flip

Chapter Five

The sun had fully set by the time Emilia and Lucy made their way out of the house and back into Emilia's beat-down Volkswagon. Lucy tried to memorize the streets by judging the turns that Emilia took and before she knew it, they had reached an active part of Bakefield town where music pounded through the doors of nightclubs and bustling youngsters spread across the roads dressed in showy attire.

It was a warm summer night and Lucy appreciated the gentle breeze that kept her cool when her head was feeling as heavy as it was after smoking a joint with Emilia. Emilia directed her car out of the nightclub area after scanning the throngs of people as though hoping to recognize someone. She parked her car a few blocks away in a lot that sat beside a smoothie shack and a liquor store.

"Where are we heading?" Lucy asked as they scrambled out of the car. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as soon as the door shut and couldn't help but smirk in mild surprise. Emilia had attempted Lucy's makeup and transformed Lucy from an averagely innocent teen to a gorgeously glamorous woman. Her mane of chesnut hair erupted around her, falling down her back in rippling waves. Her eyes sparkled with glittering eyeshadow that complimented the white slip-on dress and she had slipped her feet into a pair of Emilia's gold encrusted sandals.

"I think my friend Elia is at the liquor store with one of Wyatt's friends," Emilia replied as the two of them set out of the lot.

The liquor store was a testy place with a flickering neon sign outside, stating its purpose. A beefy tattooed man stood outside, leaning against the showcase window with a bottle of Jack in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He eyed the two girls contentedly as they entered the store.

It was quite empty save for a pair of older women contemplating a bottle of champagne and a boy and a girl standing at the spirit aisle. Emilia directed themselves towards the boy and girl and they both turned in acknowledgment.

The girl was short with tanned skin, a waterfall of dark straight hair and a pair of olive green eyes. She had sharp features with a pointed nose and high cheekbones. Standing beside her was a tall skinny boy with a skinhead and small brown eyes. He wore a stylish snapback on his head.

"Hey slut," Emilia greeted them with a smile.

Elia grinned and rolled her eyes then glanced at Lucy in mild curiosity.

"Lucy, this is one of my main hoes, her name is Elia. Elia, this is my bosses niece, Lucy," Emilia said placidly. "And this is Elia's fuck buddy- cough - I mean friend, Sean."

Lucy smiled at the two of them politely and they both laughed awkwardly and nodded.

"So what's the plan? Where's Wyatt and the others?" Emilia questioned.

"Well we're meant to buy a bottle of vodka and tequila but not everyone pooled in their money so we need to buy a shitty brand," Sean said. His eyes drooped and he seemed just as baked as Lucy felt.

"Which is this one," Elia held up two bottles of unrecognizable brands of vodka and tequila.

"Here," Emilia fished inside the sequined clutch she brought with her and handed Elia a scrunched up ten dollar note. Elia took it and glanced at Lucy in an expectant way.

"Um," Lucy mumbled slowly, her head failing to keep up. She stuffed her hand inside her sidebag and pulled out a ten dollar note that sat beside the rest of the cash her mother had supplied her with for the summer.

"Perfect," Elia chirped and they turned towards the counter where a morbidly obese woman stood wearing a top that seemed three sizes too small for her.

As Sean and Elia whispered to each other in hushed silence, Lucy and Emilia stood behind them as they waited for the fat shopkeeper to deal with the champagne buying women.