Detroit. •b.t.• (Completed)

6

Sage

"Here" I placed the stacks of 100 dollar bills into her hand.

She got a bag I didn't even know she was carrying and pulled out a plastic bag, dumping the money into it.

"Don't your Aunt and Uncle care about where you are?"

"If they cared, then my sister would be at home"

"Why isn't your sister home?"

"Because she's young and stupid"

"How old is she?"

"Almost 15"

My eyes widened in shock, but I chose not to say anything.

"Where are we going?"

"A crack house"

"Uh"

"Go home then"

"Why are you being so rude?"

"It's a habit. You want to experience something? Go with me. If you don't, then go home"

"I'll go"

"Good. Watch your back"

-

I waited across the street for Laura like she instructed me to do.

It's been 40 minutes

"Laura, where are you?" I mumbled, looking at the house that she went into.

The door opened, and I let out a sigh of relief.

I was getting tired.

2 people were jogging straight towards me, but before I could escape, they were already there.

"What you doing out here by yourself?" One of them looked down at me, and I could feel myself shaking under his stare.

"My f-friend. She told me to wait for her"

"Your friend told you to wait out on the street at almost 2am and you just went with it? Are you stupid or are you stupid?"

I chose to keep quiet.

"Laura left 35 minutes ago and you're here for no reason"

"She's a bad person to be around. Only cares about herself."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Ace and this is Covonte . Don't you go to DC high? New girl, right?"

"Yes" I nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Sage"

"That's cute"

"Thank you"

"You want a ride or something"

I was definitely not getting into a car with two strangers off the street.

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. I'll call someone"

"Okay, but like I said, Laura is bad peeps"

-

I sat quietly, sketching in my sketch book.

It was going to be a girl in a worn out jacket with her knees on the floor and her hair matted together. She was holding a knife in one hand and a wad of cash in the other.

There was a tap my shoulder and I looked up to see Covonte, Ace, and a girl in my gym class.

"Hi"

"You draw real nice" The girl complimented.

"Thank you"

The three of them took a seat at the almost empty table.

Bryson was the only other person, but he was all the way at the other end.

"I'm Keisha"

"I'm Sage"

"I'm Nadia" Another girl sat down beside Keisha.

They were twins.

"Them rats are our cousins, but we all live together"

"Nigga, a rat? Hardly. I'm cute"

"The word is conceited, Keish. You're saying it wrong"

"Nadia, shut up. It's called confidence. It's good to have confidence, isn't that right, Sage?"

I nodded. "Definitely"

"But not in copious amounts"

"What can I say? I'm proud of who I am"

"A dirty skank that-"

Keisha punched Covonte in the arm and he stood up, shaking his arm out.

"I ain't no skank"

"Could've fooled me" Covonte mumbled and sat down.

"Well you're a dumbass. Everybody fools you"

"I don't like what you're insinuating"

"Wow! A big word. Say another"

I laughed at her insult and the lunch bell rang, sending me back to history class

-

"Why are you so quiet today, Sage? You good?"

I nodded my head and continued to draw in my book.

Being around Laura definitely put me in a bad mood.

"Oh, she's just upset with me, but she can get over it"

"Are you being serious right now?" I asked, looking at her.

"Did I sound like I was joking?"

"You left me at a drug house on the other side of town and just expect me to be okay with it?"

"You're blowing the situation out of proportion, Sage. Calm down"

"Anything could have happed to me"

"But did anything happen?"

"I had to call a family friend to come pick me up. I didn't even know where I was for crying out loud"

"It isn't my fault that you're so sheltered and don't know the place you live in"

"You didn't even thank me for giving you the money. When are you paying me back?"

"Paying you back?" She laughed. "Fifteen thousand dollars is chump change to you. I'm not paying you back"

-