Talia

vi

safe to say that i may have overreacted. the second i walked inside my room i was met with lilia tackling me and crying into my chest. "im so sorry talia. please..please dont hate me." she sobbed as she buried her face into my chest. after stabling myself from falling to the floor and bringing lilia up with me, i pried her away from my chest as i spoke. "lilia..its not that serious.."

she sniffled and looked up at me, her fists balled up in the hoodie she was wearing roughly rubbing at her eyes. "i-its not.. i kn-know you're mad at m-me." she hiccuped between words, the pout and tears staining her face evident. i sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "seriously lilia.. i overreacted. it was a year ago and i know it didn't mean anything to you. i guess just earring it was johnny really threw me for a loop and old emotions resurfaced." forcing a smile i rubbed the back of my neck and looked at the hiccuping girl in front of me.

"p-promise you're not mad an-and gonna kill me in m-my sle-eep?" i couldn't help but snort as i pulled her into a hug and rubbed her head. "no i cant promise that but i can promise that i wont d it anytime soon." that reply was enough for her as soft giggles left her lips. she pulled away and smiled at me before walking to her bed and climbing up, tapping the empty space in front of her. i walked over, noticing the new white sheet and pink comforter. i frowned knowing that she changed her sheets after i threw the half empty beer at her. i sighed and climbed up into her bed, apologizing for the beer.

she shook her head with a soft "s alright" before smiling softly. i couldn't help myself as i smiled and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. her smile grew as she squeezed back. we sat like that for a while, in silence as we looked at each other's hands.

"who was better?" i asked suddenly breaking the silence. the question not only surprised lilia but myself as well. my eyes widened as i looked up at her face, wide eyes meeting even wider ones.

"what?" lilia asked as she sniffed, rubbing her nose. i sat frozen, biting my lip before speaking. "raine or johnny..who was better?"

"oh my- talia sinclair!" lilia shouted as she smacked me with her pillow, her face turning bright red.

*

"i still dont understand why i had to come with you." atlas huffed as he shoved his hands into his pockets, the air making his body shiver. "do you want the shit or not?" i huffed, hastening my steps into the dimly lit alleyway. considering atlas didn't have a smart ass remark, i took that as a sign that he finally decided to shut up. after walking for what felt like forever, we stood in front of a rusty door that read EMPLOYEES ONLY. with three harsh knocks and a soft kick, the door opened slightly revealing a tall kid, roughly high school age.

"here to see jax. he knows were coming." i spoke as i motioned behind me to a concerned atlas. the kid nodded and opened the door wider before turning and calling out. "jax..! raine!" i walked inside, following the kid, dragging atlas behind me.

"god can you look anymore like a virgin?" i asked as i peered over my shoulder at him. he frowned, pulling his hands out of his pockets and ruffling his hair. "i've never been in a drug den before so yes, i am a virgin." i chuckled, shaking my head. "lilia is with such a pussy." before atlas could even retort, an older looking man came out of a back room wiping his hands together before smiling widely.

"well well if it isn't rainer jacobs!" he said happily as he came over and pulled me into a rough hug. i grunted softly and roughly patted his back before pulling away. "long time no see jaxson." i smiled. he hummed, nodding before looking over my shoulder. "who's this? i dont think i've ever seen you before" i glanced back at atlas, a sigh leaving my lips. "he's atlas, my roommate. he's the one who actually is buying from you."

jaxson hummed as he crossed his arms. "is that so?" he asked. atlas nodded as he glanced around. "y-yeah..my girlfriends turing twenty-three and were gonna have a party." he spoke quickly, avoiding jaxsons gaze. "is he always this nervous? its like asking a virgin to give a blowjob." jaxson laughed as he threw his head back enthusiastically. atlas chuckled, the tips of his ears turning red as i snorted. "told you you look like a virgin dude." i shrugged. "oh fuck you raine." atlas huffed.

jaxson chuckled before letting out a sigh. "alright, well lets see what we got in stock." he said as he made his way back to the room he had previously came out of. i smirked, motioning for atlas to follow as i walked behind jaxson. once inside the room,  i stepped up to the table, glancing down at the wide range of products.

"lets see here.. party party yeah.." jaxson mumbled to himself as he pulled open the drawer beneath the table and pulled out multiple small ziplock bags and a scale. "alright, got any idea what ya want?" he asked as he glanced at the two.

atlas hummed as he glanced at raine with a soft shrug. "you're the drug enthusiast, you pick and ill pay." he said softly. i groaned, running my hand through my hair as i sighed, pointing at different piles. "let me get some percs, cocaine, some oxy, special k and...speedballs." atlas looked over dumbfounded, resulting in me to glance at him and shrug. "i knew you were a druggie but damn..what all haven't you used?" he asked. i watched as jaxson weighed and bagged everything, thinking of an answer to atlas's question. "angel dust." i responded bored. "shits too much..its stuck in you forever.. no detox gettin you past a piss test."

jaxson smirked as he nodded. "raines my best man. used about everything so he knows how to price it. hence i give him my shit to sell." atlas nodded as he watched raine pocket the bagged drugs. "speaking of..when'd you start recruiting high schoolers?" i asked glancing up at jaxson. "theres no way door boy is older than sixteen."

"he's eighteen." jaxson huffed. "yeah fucking right. with a baby face like that?" i replied as i glanced out and over to the door, seeing the kid in question tapping away on his phone. i sighed shaking my head as i glanced at atlas. "its $275."

atlas pulled out his wallet and placed the wadded up cash on the table lazily before glancing around. "we done?" he questioned. i nodded and glanced up at jaxson. "see ya in a few weeks." jaxson hummed as he watched as we left, leaving out the same door we entered through. i sighed as i dug my hannds in my pockets and dug out a lighter and a box of cigarettes. pulling one out and putting it between my lips, i quickly lit it before showing the box and lighter back in my pocket.

atlas glanced over, his hand buried deep in his pockets. "so..you and talia." he started. i glanced over at him as we walked out of the alley way and onto the sidewalk, walking back toward our apartment. "what about her?" i asked as i exhaled the smoke.

atlas shrugged and followed behind. "you two seem awfully close." i glanced back at him with a raised brow. "what do ya mean by that?" i asked confused. atlas sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "just figured you were into her. i mean after everything that happened with-"

"atlas.." i cut him off. atlas raised his hands as he stopped walking. "sorry." he apologized before he continued walking. i frowned before placing the cigarette back between my lips and taking a drag.

"we're just acquaintances who get high and occasionally fuck." i shrugged. atlas hummed as he continued following behind me. "i'm pretty sure you guys have only fucked and gotten high together once. you're acting as if it's a daily thing between you two."

i stayed quiet as we continued walking down the sidewalk toward our apartment. once we made it back, i went straight into my room and grabbed a box hidden in my closet.

sitting on the edge of my bed, i opened the box and pulled out a small baggie, a spoon, a lighter, and a needle. i glanced at the door to my room before pulling out my phone and looking at the time.

i sighed and laid the phone down before dumping some of the contents in the bag on the spoon and burning it with the lighter. once the powder turned into a thick tar like substance, i filled the syringe with it and rolled up my sleeve.

i slowly lined up the needle in the crease of my elbow before piercing the skin and injecting the drug into my veins. once the needle was empty, i pulled it out and laid it on my nightstand before laying back, closing my eyes, and letting out a deep sigh.