On The Edge Of Falling

Smoking Hot

            This is it? That's all I continued to think, as we drove through Vegas. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was a cool city, but it didn't beat my home in St. Louis. Chelsie's apartment complex was even less appealing. I could tell we were in a neighborhood that was on the wrong side of the tracks. I believe I witnessed numerous drug deals, as we made our way to her place. I tried to keep my head down as much as possible, to prevent any disruptions I may have caused to their sales.
             As she walked right in, I was concerned about the fact that she didn't even unlock the door. We walked into see a few strange men, chilling on the couch. The aroma that filled the air was familiar. The smell of a grape blunt wrapped tight around some potent skunk weed was a smell I was close with in my party years. The men continued to puff puff pass, as Chelsie sat with them and took a hit herself. I stood awkwardly in the filthy kitchen, complete with overflowing trash, and bongs lined on the counter. "Um, Chelsie..?" I said quietly.
             "Hey, come on over! Don't you want a hit?" Chelsie asked, as the thick cloud poured out of her mouth.
             "No, actually, I don't do that anymore."
             "Oh, well, just let me finish and we can go do something else." She passed the blunt to the next man, who looked much older than anyone of the rest of us. The two men next to him were young, and would be attractive if it wasn't for the dirt caked under their finger nails and the grease in their slicked back hair. Oh, and how can I forget their ensemble. Wife beaters and dirty ripped jeans. Any woman's dream, right? One of them turned to me and grinned with his stained teeth.
           "Hey, girl, come sit by me."
           "No, thanks. I'm fine here."
           "You are smoking hot."
           "And you're gross."
           "Come on, don't be shy."
           "I'm not shy, I just don't want to sit next to a strange man I don't know." The harshness of my tone, caused him to scowl at me. Chelsie could feel the tension, even through her clouded senses. She stood, as she inhaled one last toke.
            "Okay, lets just go to my room." Chelsie said, as she took my hand and led me into her bedroom. Surprisingly, her room was neat and tidy, besides the few articles of clothing that lay out on the bed. "I'm sorry, about those guys, they can get creepy I know." I felt completely aggravated how Chelsie could just laugh off the uncomfortable moment I just experienced.
            "Who are they?"
            "Oh, they're my roommates."
            "Roommates? You didn't think to mention that when we planned this trip?" Chelsie dodged my question and reached for the pack of Marlboro Reds in her purse. As she put the tip to the flame of her lighter, she held out the pack, offering me one. As much as I wanted to reach out and take one, I had quit over a year ago and wasn't about to pick up that dirty habit again. "No, thanks. I quit."
            "Man, you don't get baked anymore, you don't smoke. You really have changed haven't you? It's like you're not even the same person." Chelsie laughed, before she took another satisfying drag.
            "Yeah, I have changed, but it seems like you haven't changed at all." I said, as I looked at the pyramid of empty beer cans on her dresser. "You're still the same party girl you were in high school."
             "Is that a problem?"
             "No, I mean, to each their own. It's your life. I can't tell you how I think you should be living it." I shrugged off the conversation and tried to relax as much as I could. That was until, a loud crash came from inside the living room. My body jolted back into the dresser and as Chelsie's eyes widened, seeing something I couldn't, she jumped off her bed and leaped towards her window. The next thing I knew, numerous police officers rushed into the bedroom, one putting a gun to my head. The other, lunging at Chelsie, grabbing around her waist and throwing her to the bed. "What the hell is going....."
             "Shut your fucking mouth!" The officer yelled at me, as another turned me around, his strong hands wrapping around my wrists, tightening the handcuffs. "You are under arrest."
            "Under what charges?"
            "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you. Do you understand these rights?" He finished, as the other officer took my license out of my wallet.
            "No! Why am I being arrested?" The cops continued to ignore me, as I cried in complete panic. Chelsie and I were being dragged out, following the three disgusting roommates. We were placed on the curb, as all the fellow residents came out of their apartments to watch the live action. I looked to Chelsie, who had her head facing down towards the pavement. "What the fuck is going on?"
            "I'm so sorry, I'll get you out of this, I promise." She cried.
            "What the hell did you do?"
            A police officer returned and listed off the pounds of illegal drugs that were inside the home, and the many crimes that they were all wanted for. Dealing, buying, prostitution, robbery, one right after the other. I knew Chelsie was always a rebel, but I never knew it had gotten this bad. How could she possibly let her life go like this?
            My head shook repeatedly, as the officer explained the charges. Chelsie became frantic and nearly got shot when she stood quickly to face the officer. "Please, let Addy go! She just got here on vacation! She's out of state and she had nothing to do with any of this!"
            The officer that had retrieved my license, returned and lifted me off the curb. "This ones free to go. Her story checks out. She's clean, never even had a speeding ticket." I felt the pressure in my wrists diminish, as he unlocked the cuffs. I rubbed the pained skin under my hands and looked to Chelsie.
            "I'm so sorry, Addy!" She cried, as they loaded them into the back of the squad cars.
            "Where the hell am I supposed to go?" I yelled out, as they sped away. I was left in the middle of the parking lot, while the residents returned to their cozy couches. I was stranded in a city that I had never been before.
            Walking down to the sidewalk, with my suitcase, and purse strapped around my shoulder, I couldn't remain calm. I gasped and cried, as cars sped by me. I stopped at an intersection and reached into my purse for my cell phone. I felt a stinging pain in my finger tip  and quickly removed my hand to find a deep paper cut. Curious of what I possibly cut my finger on, I reached back into my purse and found the business card with the mysterious mans phone number written on the back.
             I was a firm believer in fate and everything happening for a reason. Another force told me to keep this card. I could've easily googled a number for a taxi, but I still would have no place to go. I retrieved my phone and began to dial his number with my trembling fingers. It rang, and rang until... "Hello?"
            "Uh hi, is this....um..." I suddenly realized that I had never gotten a name. I was calling this man for help and I didn't even know who he was. For all I knew, he could be a psycho serial killer.
            "My names not 'UM'. Who is this?"
            "My name is Addilyn, we met on the plane." He didn't respond. "I was the loud snoring girl." I said, as I rolled my eyes.
            "Oh, right. So, you wised up and decided to call me, huh? You ready for that date?"
            "How can you ask me out when you don't even know who I am?"
            "Your name is Addilyn and you're hot. What more do I need to know?"
            "I don't know your name."
            "Zak."
            "Well, Zak, my cousin was arrested and now I'm stranded outside of her apartment complex and I have absolutely no idea what to do or where to go."
            "So, you need my help?"
            "Yes."
            "But you don't know me."
            "Your name is Zak and you're hot. What more do I need to know?" I joked, and heard his laughter through the phone.
            "Okay, so tell me one thing, why should I help you?"
            "Because I'm a good person and I can tell that you are too." Zak remained silent, and let out a slight sigh. Unsure if he wanted to drop everything to come save a stranger. "Please..."