Shootout

(17) Open Up To Me

Two days later

Today Tia taught me everything that I needed to know about the job, she helped me work the register and show me where everything in the shop is just Incase a customer asks for something.

Today was my first day on the job and I'm liking it so far. It's chill and all I really have to do is ring up customers and clean up the store once in a while. But majority of the time I'm usually just on my phone because working here is a chill environment. And Tia is hella cool.

"Ready to leave mama?" Bryson asked, walking in the door of the beauty supply store.

"Yup." I said, grabbing my purse and taking off my name tag. "See you tomorrow Tia." I said, reaching out to give her a hug.

"Bye girl." She hug me back. "And bye Bryson." She waved, and made her way to lock the register before turning the light off and leaving for the day.

The store closes at 7 and Bryson asked if he can pick me up so he can take me out today. Our life has been hectic lately, and he thought it would be a good idea to go out and get our mind off things.

"I needa talk to you about sum." Bryson said, opening the car door for me before he got in.

"What's sup."

He put the key into the car and pulled off then once we hit the highway he went into his glove compartment and pulled out a bottle of percosets, leaving my heart to drop.

"What the fuck is this shit?" He asked.

"Whatchu mean?" I asked lowly, already knowing.

"Bitch don't try to act stupid! What the fuck is this? I found this shit in yo bathroom!"

"So now you snoopin' through my shit?"

"Who gave you this shit Penelope?!" He spat, disregarding what I asked.

"None of your damn business." I rolled my eyes, snatching the bottle out of his hand.

He snatched the bottle back. "Ion want you poppin' no pills Penelope. The next thing you know, you'll probably be snorting cocain, poppin' addy's and xans and Stickin' heroin needle in yo arm."

"Boy bye." I rolled my eyes. "Now you doin' the most. I would never do any of that shit."

"Then why the fuck you poppin' percs?"

"I didn't even use them yet."

"Yet?" He mocked me. "You ain't never gon do this shit! Trust me Nelly this shit hella addictive. I done tried prolly every pill out there baby. I've been sober for about three months now, I really used to be addicted to poppin' pills baby. And ion want you makin' the same mistakes I made. I'm just lookin' our for you love." He said, changing his aggressive tone back down.

I looked over at him with my eyes a little watery. I never knew he had an addiction.

"Damn." I sighed. "I'm sorry... I didn't know."

"Please just stick to smokin' weed. Please don't do no hardcore shit."

"I won't. I promise."

The car was silent for a couple seconds.

"When did the addiction start?" I asked to break the silence, and I also was genuinely curious.

"When I was about seventeen." He said. "It got so bad that my grandma had to put me in rehab."

"Is it hard having your homeboys doing the same drugs? They must have some sort of influence towards you since you're around them a lot."