Street Wise

Chapter 7: Week of Misery

               We walked in silence back to Flo's building. I stormed ahead angrily, refusing to look back at either of them.

   "You can stay over, Courtney. I'm sure there's no end to what lies I can concoct tonight," Flo mumbled miserably. Courtney nodded gratefully and looked at her pointedly. Flo took the hint and murmured goodnight in my direction before going inside.

   It was so cold that I could see my breath as I exhaled calmly. I stayed unmoving and quiet, looking at the brick behind her head so I wouldn't look into her eyes.

  "Am, say something."

   I turned towards her for the first time since we left the house. She cringed, and I could tell that my heated gaze pierced her like knives through the chilled air and thick tension between us.

  "Honestly, Courtney, I'm too tired for your crap," I snapped. I nearly flinched at the venom in my own voice, but I was too unbelievably angry to care.

   "I just want you to understand―"

 "No, Court. You need to understand this: What you're doing to me, to Flo, to yourself, it's just not fair. What did I tell you just this morning? 'Court, he's a jerk. Just leave him and his brain-dead minions alone before you get hurt.' And what do you do? You get in a catfight over him while his brats start laughing at you. What don't you understand, dammit?! You're nothing to him. He used you, is using you, has been using you! From day damn one! Why do you even bother with him?!"

    "Trust me, Am, you don't get it―"

  "And I hope I never do. 'Cause maybe then when I get bored I won't march straight into a room full of drug dealers and make a damn fool out of myself!"

   I shut my eyes tightly. Oh, no, that did not just come out of my mouth.

   Court reeled. "Wait, wait, wait...what the hell do you mean drug dealers?!" 

   "I saw them selling on a...street corner once," I lied ruggedly. 

  Her face flushed with anger. Her heeled boots clicked on the concrete as she stalked towards me dangerously. She came so close that I could smell the shampoo in her hair and see the slight tremble in her full, bright pink upper lip.

  "When were you planning on telling me?" She started lowly. Her voice shook with rage. She wasn't yelling, which was worse than if she were screaming in my face. "In fact, I think a better question is why didn't you tell me?"

  "You would have tried to talk him out of it. I didn't want you to get even deeper into his business than you had to."

"His business? Am, he was my boyfriend. You don't get to decide what I should or shouldn't know about him, and I definitely wouldn't expect one of my closest friends to keep a secret like this from me! I trust you with everything, Amiel."

  "Oh, you do? Like you trusted me with his address? Like you trusted me to be in there with you? Huh?!" 

   I watched her face shrivel with uncontrollable rage and guilt, but I wasn't finished yet. In my anger I was looking for the final blow, the knockout punch, the heart-wrenching, gut-twisting comment that I knew would break her. 

  "If your mom were here, what would she say?"

   Sorrow and horror rippled across her perfect features. 

   "At least she didn't choose to leave me like your deadbeat clown of a father," she hissed, spit whizzing ungracefully past her quivering lips as she got the last word.