PURE HEROIN

XX.

2O | Pure Heroin

As Exodus watched the dancers on stage, she found herself often zoning out. Physically, she was there in the theatre where Juels's recital was being held but mentally, she was a million ions away.

She wondered where the time had disappeared to. Somehow it had found a way to slip right out of her hands, leaving her between a rock and a hard place. Everything had just moved forward so quickly that it was already her last night in Chicago and she still had not told Fredo she was leaving.

She did try though, she really did. But every time Exodus would open her mouth she could never form the words on her lips. She hadn't estimated that saying 'I'm leaving' would be this difficult.

Leaving.

Exodus had to leave. A part of her didn't want to but dancing was her in her blood. Being back in the theatre, seeing the stage, remembering the rush she got on the hundreds she'd had the privilege to dance on. She realized now that as much as she would miss them, it would kill her to stay. This was her second chance and it was almost cruel fate that it had come at this particular time.

Life was tricky like that, giving impossible ultimatums and expecting you to choose.

The sound of the audience clapping had made her mind once again present. Juels and the rest of the dancers were taking their final bow and walking off the stage. Exodus couldn't believe that she had missed practically the entire show. It had been at least two hours and she had focused on maybe the first fifteen minutes of it.

"How was I?" Juels asked Exodus when she had finally caught up with them. "I felt like I stumbled into that adagé and don't even get me started at the grand allegro close to the end."

Exodus smiled, "You looked great out there, I couldn't even tell."

"What I wanna' know is why they aint have no refreshments at this shit. I aint pay fifty dollas' to see some lil girls spin roun' in circles. Where the fuck the meatballs at? Where them lil shit on the stick at?" Gunplay said his head appearing over Juels's shoulder.

"Brian you do this EVERY year. There isn't any. You're coming to see us dance not eat." Juels rolled her eyes.

"Yall have us sitting down there for hours watching yall looking like some damn octopus havin' a seizure and have the nerve to say 'no food included', the fuck? Don't invite me to these shit no more." He grumbled as they were walking to where they parked.

"If you hungry just let Exodus make you something." Rello laughed as Lolita swatted his arm.

"Yall don't be rude!"

"The last time Exodus made somethin' It was salty as hell and I had diarrhea fo' three days. I aint giving her ass another chance to kill me."

Everyone laughed and Exodus flushed embarrassed, playfully shoved him with the hand she wasn't holding onto Fredo with.

-

Fredo sat on the bed flicking through channels while Exodus was in the kitchen. He hoped she wasn't trying to make nothing for real because he really didn't feel like having a stomach ache tonight. Even though she was probably the worst cook ever they still attempted to eat it whatever it was. Mostly because Exodus had a talent for guilt tricking them.

He heard Exodus's phone go off and he glanced at it vibrating on the night stand before looking back at the television. He tried to ignore it but this person was persistent to reach her. Snatching the phone off the stand he saw the name 'Jen' across the screen before he answered the call.

"Speak."

Jen he presumed, hesitated the sound of his voice that was unfamiliar to her. Unsurely she replied, "Is Exodus there?"