Drugs Of NYC

Chapter 24 - Territories

I felt a gentle nudge, awakening me from a certain type of dream, that I hadn't had in a long time. That involved a person that I fell asleep on.

"The plane's landed." I looked down to see him neatly tucking my iPod and headphones back in my bag. An unusually nice gesture. I furrowed my eyebrows and unwillingly latched onto his arm as he got up and led us off the plane.

And through the airport, where it was tremendously crowded. Lots of parents on their phones with their unruly children running around like crazy animals. I longed to tell them to shut up because they were worsening the migraine I had from sleeping.

I had to sleep in a bed and quickly. I knew Ken said go check in a hotel and relax. He set up reservations somewhere. Not exactly sure where. I never asked. Now here I was in the heart of Chicago, no sense of direction. Only a psycho who knew every crack and run down place in and out of the city. If I had to rely on him, I'd rather get eaten by wolves.

Steven hiked his bookbag on one shoulder and looked at me pretty amused as my eyes wandered the crowd.

"Do you have any arrangements?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Um yeah...Limo should be here pretty soon..."

"Good, cause my rental is here." He patted my back. "Catch you later, dear." He mocked Kens accent.

"Go to hell."

He disappeared into the large crowd with the same cocky smirk as always.

Fuck. There goes my only ride or way around this forsaken city. I sighed and whipped my duffel bag on my shoulder. I've got to 'woman' up and wander until I find a suitable hotel. Or the first one I come up on. I'm pretty desperate with only 600 dollars in my pocket. That's not a lot to get a hotel for the night and food really. So Ive got to make every dollar stretch.

I went out the airport. Taking in a big huff and the Chicago wind. Which packed a much bigger blast than New York. Not even my pea coat could with stand it. I nearly cringed because I definitely wasn't used to this. My migraine definitely increased ten fold. I just kept reminding myself that the faster I moved, the faster I could get to the comfort of a nice warm bed.

I could hear cars honking like crazy once I began walking. Some people cursing at each other, others flipping people off. This city was pretty ideal. I never had to walk somewhere a day in my life, and I was kind of enjoying it. One of the honks was so loud I had to see where it was coming from. I saw a black BMW and tinted windows. I wasn't dressed really provocatively? Was I? The pea coat at least touched my knees. I tried to look forward but when the windows rolled down, I saw it was Steven. Awesome. A gloater.

"Where's your limo, Tessa?" He teased with a smirk. I think he knew I didn't have one to begin with.

"Running late."

"You're really going to try and tell me this bullshit?" I looked over and noticed that he was driving slowly beside me. Keeping up with my pace of walking. "If you don't have a ri..."

"I'm perfectly capable of walking."

"I'm sure you are, but in Chicago baby? You won't make it."

"How do you know?"

"I took classes with Shakespeare. What the fuck do you think? I was raised here. I know this place inside out."

I stopped walking and his car made a noise as it stopped too.

"So you're saying?"

"Get in the car."

I looked around for any cabs or buses.