White Crystals And Love Affairs

Chapter Six

Heather's POV

As soon as they walked in the doors I could tell the shopping trip didn't go as planned. I looked up from the paperwork I was filing for Leo and took the cigarette out from between my lips, watching as Leo walked upstairs without even saying hi. Lolita looked visibly stressed, her eyes were cast to the ground. I was about to stop her to ask a few questions but Joanne gave me a look.

So I let her walk upstairs. When she was out of earshot, I turned to Joanne, who was pulling something out of the fridge. “What happened?” I asked and took a drag of my cigarette.

“Leo happened. You know how she depends on him being constantly happy for her. Something's up with him. I don't know what.” She said and pulled the lid off the tub of yogurt. She grabbed a spoon and looked at the papers I was filling out. “Uhg. I don't know how you deal with that shit.” She said as she ate.

“It's good pay.” I said absently, still worried about Lolita. “Hey, I'm gonna go check on her. You mind finishing this for me? It's just how much ‘coffee’ people are planning on buying. Enter the numbers from their individual requests onto this big sheet with their names, okay?”

“Sure.” She sighed and took the pen from me, sliding the paperwork over to her.

Leo had more impact on us than he realized. Especially Lolita. Which made me hate him a little bit at times. Sure, I fucked him when he asked and pretended to be infatuated with him just to make him happy. But god. He was so careless when he was paranoid.

I found her in the main room on the second floor, which was really strange. She was sitting at the small bar Leo had installed. Very strange. And with a glass of wine in front of her too? Completely unnatural.

I walked over to her and sat on the stool next to her. She tilted her head back, trying to stop crying. “What's wrong with Leo?”

She never called him Leo.

I couldn't tell her what was really wrong. It would only make it so much worse for him. Learning he sells drugs and that he was worried about getting sent to prison? Knowing he had all these prostitutes was one thing. She used to be one. She seemed to be fine with it as long as she didn't have to communicate with them.

“I don't know. Don't worry about it. Why are you drinking, love?” I asked and beckoned the bartender over. It was just one of the girls, her name was something cheesy I didn't remember.  “Same thing she has.” She nodded and set a glass in front of me, filling it halfway with red wine. She smelt like some kind of expensive perfume, but she was wearing way too much of it.

“I just don't feel all that bright.” She said softly, twirling her glass in small circles. “He hardly paid attention to me today. He was snappy and cold. Joanne has noticed it too.”

I nodded and took a sip, turning to face her directly. I knew if she continued on like this it would be a spiraling slope. “What do you say we go to your room, eat some ice cream and watch a movie. Anything you want, yeah?” I ran my fingers lightly through the tips of her hair. She liked it when I played with her hair. “Do you want to watch Ferngully?”

She looked at me with a face that said ‘I know what you're doing’ and took another sip of wine. “I don't know, I kind of just want to go to bed.” She said and looked away.

I leaned forward, forcing her to look directly at me. “Come on.” I said in a tempting voice. “What about a bath, wanna take one? I had Joanne pick up some pink bath bombs today, they have gold glitter in the middle. What about that? I'll even wash your hair?” I said the last line in a sing song voice, causing her to smile a little bit.