Pretty, Precarious & Prohibited

BONUS CHAPTER

~Poison - Brent Faiyaz ~

Ajax's POV

"Yeah, I'll be there in less than a week," I assure.

"Ajax."

"Three days Heath. Promise," I reassure for what feels like the tenth time.

"Later."

I hung up the phone before looking up. "It's left, why're you going right?" I ask. We are supposed to be heading to some huge party.

"Just a delivery, chill A," Gabe says. He's a drug dealer and a good friend of mine. Yes, I'm friends with a drug dealer. I get free weed, the benefits are worth it. Plus, I'm a good friend too, I help him sell.

He pulls over to the side of the road and rolls down my window. A girl wearing sweats and a hoodie pulled over her head comes to my side of the door.

Gabe reaches into the back grabbing his backpack. I look up at the girl who is quiet. "Hi," I greet. She lifts her head up slightly, just enough for her eyes to meet mine.

I don't miss the fading bruise on the side of her face. She spares me a small smile. It's small but it's something.

Her eyes avert mine when Gabe begins talking. "Here's your oxycodone and codeine Prystyne." He holds his hands out over my lap as the girl takes it before handing him a $100 bill. "Going to the party tonight?"

Why does the name Prystyne sound so familiar? It's rare but familiar.

She shakes her head. "No-" her voice comes out hoarse and gruffed as if she hadn't used it in a while. She clears his throat and shakes her head. "Sorry. Not tonight," she rephrases this time in her regular voice.

"Wait, why? You should come," I suggest. I don't know what came over me, but I don't want this to be a one time interaction.

She shakes her head. "I'm not exactly dressed. I just came for these." She holds up the bag of codeine and oxycodone Gabe gave her. Why would she even need those?

"I'm Ajax." I hold my hand out to her.

She bites down on her lip and nods. "Prystyne," she replies yet leaving my hand in the air. I replace my hand back on my lap. I can't tell if she's not interested or shy.

"Well Prystyne, if you come to tonight's party I'll take you out for a nice dinner," I offer. I never ask out girls on a date like this or one's I just met and don't know a single thing about them.

She shakes her head. "I'm not feeling well enough to even go to a party," she admits. By the looks of her current state, I can tell she's not lying. She looks sore if anything.

I take off my seatbelt and open the door. She steps back, giving me space. "How about I walk you home, I'll be the perfect gentleman," I assure her.

She looks over at Gabe. "Gabey, what do you know about Sir Ajax here," she jests. So she is pretty and she has jokes.

Gabe looks at me and I plead with my eyes hoping he doesn't say anything bad. Not that I have anything to hide, I just don't want this girl to know my dark secrets before I can even take her out on a date.

He looks back at Prystyne and smiles. "He's a good guy, I've known him for a few years," he explains. It's true, I've known Gabe since I was 10. Our parents are pretty good friends.

Prystyne turns to me and nods, giving me the okay. I turn back to Gabe. "I'll meet you at the party later." I salute him as he drives off.

I snatch the bag from Prystyne's hands. She reaches out for it but I hold up a hand stopping her. "The perfect gentleman, a lady would never have to hold anything." She shrugs and begins walking.

I catch up to her with a light jog. I know she's not going to make this easy for me. "You don't talk much do you?" I notice the slight limp in her walk but don't say a word. I don't want to make her uncomfortable.

She shrugs. "I am more inclined toward suppressing my verbal input to elude the fortitude of individuals bullying me," she mutters quietly but I heard every last word.

I stop walking. She takes a few more steps before turning around and realizing I stopped. She raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"Did you hear that?" She shrugs in response, not knowing what I am talking about. "That's the sound of my brain exploding. Who the fuck talks like that." I laugh, throwing an arm around her shoulder as gently as possible.

She seems almost fragile.

"I'm not making fun of you, you can laugh," I tell her. She gives me another small smile. "You don't have to talk like that, it's not a school essay. Do you not get bullied for talking like that?" I know anyone in my school would happily bully anyone who talks like that.

She shrugs, answering my question. "My bad, I shouldn't have asked that. What school do you go to, I'll give them hell," I tell her. This time I get a bigger smile than the last, it's still small but it's something.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she confesses, referring to herself being bullied.

"Give them hell. It's probably weird taking advice from someone you just met but listen, a bully will always be a bully." We stop walking and face each other.

"You don't have to stick up for yourself but show them you don't care. What you're going to do is first, stop talking like you're writing a book for NASA." She laughs softly and it's a beautiful laugh. "Second, never give in. I'm not saying fight back but use your words."

She gives me a small confused look.

"The words 'fuck off' never fail me." By her reaction, she doesn't seem impressed. "Don't be afraid to swear. Call someone a bitch or asshole or say fuck you. Those words, fuck, bitch, shit and ass, use them. Tell me to fuck off."

She shakes her head. "Do it babe."

"Don't call me babe."

I gasp dramatically. "And so she speaks. What if I were to call you babe again, babe." I know I'm taunting her but someone has to teach her to stick up for herself. If we do get to hangout again, I'll be that person.

"Dick," she mutters, bumping her shoulder into mine.

"Woo! I didn't even have to teach you that one. That's all it takes, keep your head high, act like you own the bitch and don't be shy and nerdy. It's cute but people won't take you seriously," I tell her.

She nods slowly understanding. "And don't stay quiet. Talk. Curse if you have to, it adds expression and flavour to the sentence in my opinion." That joke she laughs at.

"Okay."

"Okay what?"

"Okay bitch," she laughs.

I put my hands in the air. "Hey, I'm nice to you. Save the energy for the assholes. Now I have two very important questions for you Princess Prystyne."

She gives me a weird look but I shrug it off. The words came out before I even thought about them.

"Yes Ajax?"

"Do you want to go get ice cream with me, right now?" I don't know if she has plans but I doubt she does. And the party can wait, they'll be many more.

She takes a second to think. "Sure."

"That's it? That easy? I could be a serial killer, you just met me," I point out.

She smiles. And this time not a little one. "I need a little danger in my life anyways," she says.

I hold up the bag of pills. "The drugs just aren't doing it for you huh," I joke. She laughs pushing my hand back down to my side.

"The second question Ajax," she reminds me.

I take a step forward, closer to her. "Princess."

"Yes," she answers with a slight eye roll.

"Let me kiss you," I whisper.

"That did not sound like a question," she points out. Well it wasn't, I don't want to give her the option. I just want to kiss her.

I place one hand on the side of her face. "I'm giving you the chance to back out. If you don't move, I'm taking this as my opportunity," I make clear.

She smiles, not even bothering to move away from me.

I lean forward slowly, when I notice her eyes flutter close, I close mine and connect our lips.