Fragments

6.8

6.8

My confidence is a front that I do my best to keep up. Inside the door, Smokey pushes past me and leads me down the hallway and a set of concrete stairs. The air is full of fumes, visibly dancing through the small, musty space. As I follow my new friend, I do my best not to cough. For fear that if I do, my fake confidence will come untangling at the seams.

The end of the hallway opens into a series of rooms with lounging, dazed people. Unlike reputable clubs, the entirety of the space is disgusting a best. Once white, the walls now are yellowing and cracked with the occasional holes. Couch's, chairs and tables sit haphazardly around the room, more insides then fabric.

"So you're Reesa's friend, huh."

I have to look away from the cigarette burns to realize Smokey is talking to me. He stops against a door frame and puts his joint out under his shoe.

"Something like that," I mutter in response. My arms fold themselves across my chest as I feel more eyes find me. Just like that, Smokey has put me on the spot. A guy who was making out with his maybe, maybe not girlfriend, laughs and looks me over.

"I didn't think Reesa was capable of friendship."

Smokey laughed and started walking again, with me trailing slowly behind him. Gears were moving inside my head, putting more pieces together to get the bigger picture. Then it hit me – these people knew Reesa, and well. This wasn't just a silly mishap.

"Oh," I cursed. "Oh shit."

He opens the door at the end of another hallway and there's Reesa. She's laughing, sitting on the lap of the drug dealer like he's her throne. One of his hands rests on her bare thigh, the other smoking a cigarette as he smiles at Reesa.

My eyes glance quickly over the other few people in the room, still unaware of Smokey and I's entrance. Reesa's king is talking but I'm not listening to what he's saying. I'm staring at the tattoos on his knuckles, the drugs on the table, the gun resting on the arm of the chair. Thump. I draw the attention of the king as my hand covers my chest, feeling the rapid beating of my heart.

Memories flash behind my eyes and suddenly I'm choking on them, letting them try to suck me back in.

"You." The king nods towards me, his eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't be in here."

Reesa's eyes flick towards me for the first time. She grins, sitting up straighter and pointing at me. "That's my girl. Piper, what's up?"

Her pupils are huge and have trouble focusing on me.

"Go back where you came from, Piper."

I ignore her friend and speak directly to Reesa. "We have to go. Grab your things."

She clasps her purse on the table beside her and frowns. "Aw, Pipes, I don't want to go just yet. I'm having fun hanging out with Nik."

Even though she moves to get up, Nik keeps his hand on her, holding her back. I feel the hair on my arms raise and sweat tickle the back of my neck. I'm doing everything I can to keep from running, from them, from here, from my mind, but I'm starting to lose.

"We need to go. I really want to go home." I sound childish, like a kid who can't fit in with the conversation of adults, however I'm past caring. I just want to get out of here as quickly and effortlessly as I can.

"Didn't you hear her, Piper?" The way he says my name makes me tense. "She doesn't want to go."

My eyes meet his and I quickly look away to Reesa. "Please," I plead. I feel my throat thicken with the threat of tears. I don't want to cry. Not here, not now. "I really need to go home, Reesa."

She starts pouting, sticking her bottom lip out as far as it will go. Finally she starts to stand and opens her mouth to speak, but Nik cuts her off.

"Stay a little longer, sweetheart." He gets up and walks past Reesa, over to makeshift bar on the far wall. After grabbing a glass he turns, holding it up to me. "What do you drink, Piper? Vodka, Gin?"

"Nothing."

He frowns and pours a drink anyway, completely ignoring my answer like I choose to ignore him. Ice clinks in the glass as he turns around and walks over to me, holding it out at arm's length as if he knows I won't come any closer.

"We'll leave soon, okay, Pipes?" Reesa takes the drink from Nik and hands it to me herself. "Just relax for a bit and then we'll head home."

My hand is wet against the glass when I take it from her. Around the room, the few people watch me, waiting. I don't want to be here. I want to run back to Adam but I feel trapped in this room. And then it's confirmed: as Nik sits back in his leather chair, he begins twirling the gun around his hand, smiling at me as he does so.

I'm not going anywhere.

The drink is bitter and strong. I take a sip that I struggle to swallow before finally Nik looks away from me, satisfied.

Reesa leans against me, smiling before she starts looking around. "Hey, where's your friend?"

"He's back in the club, waiting for us."

Her lips curl down. She glances towards Nik to make sure he's not paying attention before she pulls me over to a side and lowers her voice.

"You really shouldn't be here. You need to find Adam and go."

I practically spit out my drink. "All my stuff is at your apartment. Where am I supposed to go?"

"Look, I can't leave, at least not for a while, okay? Nik, or whatever he calls himself, he's not exactly stable. I just came in for a favor and he's keen on keeping me here. You see that gun, Piper?" She pauses so we both can look at it, resting in Nik's hand as if it's no more than a mug. He's smiling as he talks to another guy, but his grip is so tight on the gun that his hand trembles. "It's loaded."

"Why are you here, Reesa?"

She lowers her eyes. "I think you already know half the reason, so I'll spare you that. But he's very angry with a friend and I'm trying to defuse it."

I grab her wrist and give it a squeeze. "That isn't your problem."

"It is." She pulls her arm from my grasp. "Come to the apartment tomorrow afternoon, I'll be there, okay? I'm so sorry, Pipes, but I have to do this."

And then she's gone, back on Nik's lap, sitting pretty like she's the queen.