A look inside the soul

Chapter 3

"You sure we can't get there now?"

"Yes." I insist. "He specifically said, no advance, no delay."

"So we just wait? Like that with our bags?"

"Yes."

"I feel observed."

"Kinda normal, it's not like we weren't illegally transferring more than a thousand dollars in bags. Even though it's quite well hidden."

I check my phone, it is 11.59pm. "Let's go,"

We walk the four meters separating us from the tobacco and enter. The artificial lights are blinding me.

We wait.

Is he even going to come? What about the seller? The seller may be like him.

I clear my throat, but it is way less noisy than I thought it would be.

The seller appears from a room behind the counter.

"Hi," He greets with a smile.

"Hi," my voice sounds strangled.

"Reds?"

"What?"

"You're the woman taking the reds?" He shows the cigarettes behind him on the shelf with his hand.

"Yes?"

"Follow me."

Lina and I give each other a glance, and step behind the counter to follow him.

Am I going to literally collapse on the floor?

My body is fully tensed, I didn't even know I could feel so stressed.

Or is it adrenaline? I don't fucking know.

We exit the tobacco's main room and end up in another one, the one he came from, with a few tables around, stuff spread everywhere.

It's a fucking mess in here.

I keep that thought to myself and my eyes rest on the guy who threatened me in the apartment. Also another man, way younger, probably our age. Buzzcut, black oversized sweater, black oversized jeans.

At least he knows how to dress.

"Right on time," The older exclaims.

I should keep this quick. So I grab Lina's bag and make my way to the table he's standing behind, separating us. I start unpacking the bundles and throwing them on the table.

"Fast and efficient, God," He exhales as if it was a joke. "Smart woman I like that. It's been a long fucking time since I've had someone like that."

I keep my face cold, and tone calm. "One thousand one hundred and fifty dollars. Not a cent more, or less."

I've never been called a woman since now. It was always 'girl'. Since I'm only eighteen.

A few motorcycle revs are heard, coming from the street. The older gives an amused glance to the younger. Something's happening outside, obviously. Yet I know too little to figure out what.

"How'd you manage to get it?"

"Why would you want to know? You have it. Can we leave now?" I wish I could leave without having to care. But he probably has a gun. Surely.

Telling him I got it straight out of my bank account could make him think I'm rich. He could try to take more. We did fifty fifty with Lina.

"It's dirty?"

"No." I keep eye contact. "Can we leave? We have some sleep to get."

He gently puts his arm on the table, taking a bundle to smell the bills.