Gambling with My Fuckin Life

122 Days

It had been a while since Des took an everything shower, did her makeup and wore something other than jeans or sweatpants. She only had a couple hours now to get ready to go back to her new neighbors house for their cookout. She was nervous.
She ran a hot shower, washed and conditioned her hair, shaved everything and used a body wash that would leave her smelling like warm coconut. Des stepped out the shower, wrapped her hair and body with a towel and sat down on her bed. She reached into one of the boots sitting beside her on the floor and took out her straw and cellphone. "One now, before I leave." Des said out loud and quietly to herself, still trying to maintain control over her addiction. She quickly fixed and went over to the long mirror she had leaning up against the wall. Somehow her makeup was one of the things she managed to save and bring with her. Makeup had always been a creative outlet for Des, and she was good at.
She enjoyed wetting the sponge, dipping it into foundation and painting her face with it. She loved how the blush and bronzer brought life back into her face. She loved how winged eyeliner lifted her face and eyes. She loved the completely different person she'd turn into every time she did her makeup. She took her long black hair out the towel and raked anti frizz serum through it with her fingers, scrunching the ends afterwards. She liked her hair to air dry.
Des liked black. She rarely wore any other color.
She picked out a pair of fishnets, a medium colored jean skirt, a black tank top, a dark green flannel and her Dr Martens boots.
She took a look at the finished look in the mirror, "It'll do." She whispered to herself, taking the straw and cellphone out of her boot one more time before she headed next door.
Ruby said there would be a couple friends there, Des wondered who else she was going to meet.
She walked with purpose as she strolled next door and landed her hand on Ruby and Scrim's front door.
Tap tap tap
Des stood anxiously on the other side of her neighbors door, she heard footsteps approaching.
"Lil D!" Ruby smiled, "cmon in girl!" Des politely smiled and stepped inside.
It was a very similar looking house to hers, only the layout was flipped opposite and they actually had furniture and decorations.
There were three people sitting on the couch in the living room: "Lil D this is Kacey, Annie and her boyfriend Adrian, everybody, this is our new neighbor Lil.."
Des interrupted him, "It's Des..or Destiny, nice to meet you all." Ruby laughed, "What's wrong shawty? You dont like my nickname for ya?" Des blushed but didn't say anything.
"Haha it's cool Des, come on into the kitchen, I'll introduce you to everybody in there." Ruby said as he placed his hand on the small of her back and led her out of the living room and into the kitchen.
The kitchen was bright and airy, compared to the covered window darkness of the rest of the house. The kitchen was filled with the smells of spicy food and the sound of clinking bottles and laughter. She noticed Scrim immediately, standing outside a group of men, snorting a blue out of a straw. He sniffed and caught eye of Des.
"Godamnnn shawty!" He grinned, " you clean up nice girl!" He took her hand and spun her around, looking at every inch of her.
Des was blushing so bad she thought she might pass out. What was wrong with her? She actually hated this guy, why was she blushing like an idiot?
"Des," Ruby said loudly, "this is max, Shaun, codey and Kevin."
The short guy named Kevin literally slid up next to her,  "Hey whatsup shawty? You alright? It's nice to meet you!" His energy was so high it almost gave her anxiety.
She smiled anyway, "Yea I'm good, it's nice to meet you too...all of ya." The men all nodded, looking Des over.
She felt like she was a goldfish in a fishbowl.
"Cmon shawty," Scrim said as he locked his arm in hers. " you can help me with the grill."
Des knew Scrim was just taking the opportunity to talk to her alone, but she was a bit curious, "yeah sure I'll help." She smiled.
Scrim handed her a couple empty plates then picked up a giant cutting board with an assortment of raw meats, "it's this way." He motioned as she followed him to the backyard.
"You can just set those down on the table over there." Scrim said pointing to the glass and metal picnic table sitting next to the back door.
"You like Cajun cookin'? Scrim asked as he slammed a rack of ribs down onto the grill.
"I've never really had it, but I do like spicy." Des answered. Her mouth was watering, she was so hungry; but honestly she just wanted to reach into her boot and sniff a blue.
Scrim is what we would call "An experienced addict". He was always aware of what was going on around him, even though it didn't seem like it. He could sniff out dope sick or aching for a fix a mile away.
"You can bust down shawty, after all, them pills in ya boot did ultimately come from me, shit, I'll bust down wit ya!"
Scrim smiled and reached into his pocket. He took out an enormous bag of blue M 30s.
Des's widening and her mouth started watering even more.
Fuck it.
She followed suit and reached into her boot, popping 2 pills into her straw.
Scrim laughed and also popped 2 into his straw.
They both stood chewing on their straws, Des awkwardly staring at her boots. Scrim reached his straw towards her, "cheers!" Des laughed and touched her straw to his.
Scrim sniffed and smiled, picking up his tongs to turn the ribs that were sizzling on the grill. "You pretty quiet huh?" He asked Des, looking at her through the sunglasses on his nose.
"Yea...sometimes, "Des responded, "new people aren't really my thing, just takes me a minute to warm up."
She was lying. She wasn't shy and she didn't dislike new people. But this very strange and fucked up situation she had managed to, once again, put herself in, was really fucking with her mentally.
"I don't believe you. " Scrim said, placing his sunglasses onto the top of his head. "I think there's a deeper meaning to your cold shoulder...especially towards me."
What the fuck? Was he really confronting her about her attitude towards him?
Des sniffed and swallowed her drain, courage rushing through her veins.
"I don't know man, why did you choose to sit beside me in silence on an hour and half bus ride in an empty ass bus?" Des asked him, she could feel her cheeks flushing as she spoke.
Scrim turned back to the barbecue and took the ribs off. "I had a feeling." He said, not looking at her, "gimme those empty plate shawty."
Des handed him the plates she had brought out.
"You had a feeling about what? That dosnt explain your creep behavior."
Scrim chuckled, "I know a gangster when I see one shawty. You can hide behind that fake personality you wearin, but just know, I'll be waiting to meet Destiny." Des was shocked, she couldn't speak, she just stared at him.
Scrim loaded all the cooked meats into the clean plates. "Cmon in inside, foods done. You look hungry."
"Do you have a bathroom?" Des asked.
"Yea, in through the kitchen 2nd door to the left in the hallway." He answered.
Des took off through the house and down the hallway and shut the bathroom door behind her.
Who the fuck did this guy think he was??? She was so angry. Why? Because he called her the fuck out.
"FUCK!!" Des raged inside her head. Despite the cellophane in her boot getting lower and lower, she reached for it once again.
Sniff sniff
She heard a tap on the door.
"Des, you alright?"
Kevin opened the door to see Des slumped on the toilet.
"Ahhh man, cmon shawty wake up!" 
Kevin grabbed a towel and wet it, putting it all over Des's face.
"I'm good dude." Des said, struggling to keep her eyes open.
Kevin shook his head, "yea you look like it. Cmon, I'll help you up, come eat, you'll feel better." He stood up and offered his hand, which she took.
Kevin helped Des stand and stood with her for a minute to make sure she could stay standing.
"No really, I'm good, thanks." She said softly and gratefully. "I'm coming, let's eat."