But He Stopped Pt 2

Exit Light

"Where have you been?" Gemma snapped, emerging from the shadows by the Goodneighbor gates. "Vic has been on a rampage in there-"

I froze, looking at her, "Are you okay?" I put my arms around her, ignoring the way her body tensed, "Did he hurt you?" I pulled back, taking her in.

Her red hair looked fuller, her skin kind of glowed. She even seemed to be putting on weight finally. I caught her gaze tentatively. She didn't even register the bruises on my face.

She snorted, yanking out of my grasp. "Of course he didn't hurt me. I gave him what he wanted."

My eyes narrowed. I saw her body shudder in response.

"I love it when you look at me like that." She grabbed my sleeve, "C'mon, let's go-"

"No!" I pulled away from her. "My... My Dad just died!"

She looked at me, her mind working. "Good." She responded finally, "He was a piece of shit anyway."

"He was my Dad." My voice was a whisper. My heart sunk. "Do you even know what today is?"

She was silent, looking at me. Trying to read me. "Is it your birthday? Did I forget your birthday? You know how airheaded I can be-"

"No." I cut her off, my breath visible in the frosty air. I shoved my hands in my jacket pockets. I got colder so much quicker now that I was on chems regularly. Maybe Dad had a point.

I shook my head, "We've been together one year today." My voice was quiet.

"Oh." Was all she said as she swayed back and forth, her eyes shifted around. "Look, I'd love to talk more Johnny, but I gotta get some Jet. Everything is moving too fast. I can't process all this."

I sighed heavily, deeply. She was addicted. I knew she was. To everything. She couldn't even process the world at a normal speed anymore. I let her grab my hand and lead me through the alleyways. We had to duck and hide from Vic's lackeys every now and again. Gemma would use the opportunity to press her lips to me but I felt nothing, I was numb to it.

"I had to move places." She explained when we passed her normal warehouse.

"Again?" I craned to look at the door.

"Yeah, but It's cool. There's this guy from out West. He's in a gang." I bristled at her tone. "His name is Tony. He keeps the new place safe."

"He keeps it safe?"

"Yeah, for a little payment he keeps Vic's guys from doing what they always do." I stepped through the doorway with her, suspicion shadowing me.

I tried to shake it off. I'm just being jealous.

The warehouse seemed abandoned as she led me to the back. I smiled tentatively as she closed the door, shoving me on the bed hard enough for me to bang my back off the wall. I grimaced as pain shot through the already bruised area. She laughed, tripping towards me.

"Chem me." She whispered, moving to straddle me, her lips against my skin as she took off her shirt.

I pulled out a Jet inhaler, she snatched it from my hands before I could even offer it. I watched as she inhaled, the steam rolling out her partially open mouth. I remembered a time when nothing would have been more arousing to me, the image of her getting high would have set me on fire for her. Not today, not now. Her eyes opened again, her lids drooped, her voice sounded off, too fast.

"Good, good." She wriggled out of her underwear, leaving her skirt and shoes on. "No fuck me hard Johnny."

That's was all it took to get me ready, physically. Emotionally I wasn't feeling it.