Lost Cause (Tyler Carter)

Chapter 23

I layed next to Rachel in her bed. It was coming up on eleven and I didn't tell her I was going to leave, so I have to sneak out.

My phone vibrated and I opened the message from Josh.

I'm here

I snapped my fingers to see if Rachel was asleep and when I was sure she was, I slowly got out of the bed and put shoes on. I was wearing running shorts, so I just left them on and put a hoodie on.

I discretely made my way out of the house and Josh was standing outside, holding a baseball bat.

"Where's your car?" I asked.

"We're walking." He said.

"Why?"

"Just don't worry about it." He said. "Come on."

We walked down the dimly lit streets.

"So, you're staying with Rachel, huh?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. Mom and dad are staying together and so I'm just staying away." I explained.

"You actually thought they would get divorced?" He asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I was hoping." I said. "I hate him."

"Mom is weak. She isn't strong enough to leave Kyle and that's that." He said. "If they ever get divorced, he'll be the one who leaves."

"I just don't get it." I said.

"There's nothing to get, Tyler. He's a piece of shit and you should have known that a long time ago."

"I know." I said.

I followed Josh into an apartment complex that smelled like piss and shit.

"This fool owes me a lot of money, Tyler." He said. "Keep, your eyes open and if you see anything, let me know."

We got onto the third floor and he banged on the door of room 213 with his fist.

When the door cracked open, he barged in. I followed him into the room and he tackled the man inside to the ground. A gun fell out of the band of the guy's jeans and it didn't appear that Josh noticed.

"Where's my money?" Josh yelled.

"It's in the sofa." The man said.

Josh got up and yanked the cushions off the sofa, throwing them to the floor.

While his back was turned, the guy reached for the gun that lied on the floor.

I stepped on his arm and grabbed the gun. I pointed it at him to keep him still.

Josh turned around and took the gun out of my hand and stuck it in the waistband of his jeans. "Looking for something?" He said. "I don't think so."

He slammed his bat into the wall, leaving a huge hole and kicked over the coffee table. "Clean that shit up!"

He grabbed the hood of my jacket and pulled me out of the room. "Let's go."

I followed him out of the apartment complex and back down the streets.

"So, how much did he owe you?" I asked.

"Five hundred." He said.

I nodded. "And attacking the guy was the proper way to get five hundred dollars?"

"Look, it doesn't work the way your head thinks it does. People don't give you you're shit back within a certain amount of time, you take it seriously. You don't dick around with shit like this." He explained. "I had to do what I had to do and I expect you to do the same."

"You know, you're one to talk because you haven't paid up either and that's why I'm in this, now. Because you don't know how to take responsibility." I snapped.

"It's different with suppliers than it is with dealers. Dealers have to get their money upfront. Suppliers give you time because they have to. You don't worry about Curtis. He won't do shit."

"Yeah, except break into your house and force you to sell drugs to make up for your older brother being the selfish piece of shit that he is." I bluntly said.

"You know what, fuck you, man. I don't need you." He said.

"Yeah, that explains why you almost got shot while your back was turned." I said. "If I wouldn't have been there, you would be dead, right now."

"Whatever." He said. "You're on your own."

He turned and started walking across the street.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm going a different way." He said.

"Fine." I said.

He disappeared into the dark streets and I walked alone to Rachel's house.

Once I reached Rachel's street, I saw Curtis' car sitting in the road in front of her house. My stomach dropped and I took off in a dead sprint towards the house.

When I reached the house, Curtis and Parker were just sitting in the car.

The windows were rolled down and Curtis yelled my first name.

"Derek!"

I approached the passenger side window.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

"You're new to this whole thing. Just wanted to warn you that you get three weeks to pay the wholesale." He said. "After your first supply, if you can't pay straight up, you have two weeks."

"I already know that." I said.

"Just making sure." He said. "And Tyler,"

"What?"

He held up a gun. "You probably shouldn't send yourself to see guys like me without one of these."

He handed Parker the gun and Parker held it out towards me.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Take the damn gun, kid." Parker said. "Better safe than sorry."

I took the gun and shivered at the thought of getting caught with it in Rachel's house.

"Be careful with that." Curtis said before speeding away.

I put the gun in the waistband of my shorts and covered it with my shirt. If I get caught with it, it's game over for me.