Street Wise

Chapter 6: The Grocery Store

  I paced back and forth in my living room. It was going on nine o'clock, Courtney hadn't sent me a single text, and the phrase "no news is good news" never applied to her. After the pressure became unbearable, I tapped my phone and dialed Flo's number. She answered breathlessly on the first ring.

 "Are you with Courtney?" Flo asked hurriedly. I found comfort in the fact that I wasn't the only one freaking out.

 "No, and I don't think she's planning on filling me in," I replied with a disappointed sigh, slipping out of my jeans and wiggling into sweatpants.

  "You should have just stayed with her after school."

 "You try explaining to your mom who just worked the whole night shift why you worried her half to death when you didn't come home after school. Excuse me if I ask for a little honesty in my relationships, Flo,'' I quickly countered.

    "I know, I know. Sorry. Just please go get her."

  I tugged on my left combat boot with my right hand and pressed the phone into my face with my left hand, stumbling as I balanced on one foot. "Of course I'm going to get her. I called to ask if you're going with me."

  There was silence on the other end. "I don't know, Am. My parents are here..."

I rolled my eyes. "Gosh, way to play the two-parent card. There's no excuse you can use? Not even once?"

    "Courtney's friends don't exactly live in the safest house in the city. And you know what? I'm sorry not everyone can pull excuses out of their butts, alright? Don't guilt trip me into this."

  "I don't have time for petty bickering, Flo. I'll be in front of your building in ten minutes. If you find something to tell them, meet me outside. I'll wait five minutes and then I'm gone. And before you nag me for being the worst friend in the world, just know that if it were you I would be there in a heartbeat." I hung up, pulled on a heavy New York sweatshirt, grabbed a wad of cash from the drawer, and took off, slamming the door behind me.

  The world blurred as I ran through the hallways. I nearly slammed into elderly Mrs. Rodriguez when she tried to waddle out of the elevator. I muttered quick, insincere apologies and punched the number one for the ground floor.

   I pushed through the icy doors and the cold wind assaulted me, sending chills through me and blowing my hair wildly. My nose upturned at the poignant smoke of cheap cigarettes wafting from a group of men farther up the street. Despite the cold, my insides were buzzing with the same anticipation I always had before a fight, and I broke into a light jog to help ease the nerves. By the time I reached 10th Street, I was in a full sprint.

     I stopped in front of Flo's house and breathed slowly. Other than the weather and the mess Courtney surely put herself in, it would have been a lovely city night; a great night for a jog.

   I plopped on the stairs in front of Flo's building and counted the streetlights. I leaned back and breathed in, and the cold air dried my mouth and cleared my head. I wiped my nose on the back of my sleeve and sniffed.

  Flo's building was one of the nicer ones. Her part of the sidewalk was kept clean and nicely swept, and every resident cleaned his or her own windowsills. I knew firsthand after many nights spent that the Harris household is composed of two stern but loving parents, Flo, an older sister who was away at college, and no troubles other than the usual. I often envied her simple life. Most of the answers, no matter how hidden, were usually right in front of her. She never realized how much of a luxury that was.

   After I counted seventeen streetlights for what seemed like the billionth time, I knew Flo was a no-show. I pushed myself up from the ground and bounced on my toes to get a little warmth back and set off on another light jog, increasing the speed so I could focus on the pain in my legs rather than in my heart.