In the Absence of Light

14

Isaacs POV

"Uhm... excuse me?" Ivy's voice is soft and sweet, barely loud enough for me to hear. I turn towards her, my eyebrows raised.

"Are you talking to me?" I ask.

"Yeah," she nods. "I just have a question."

"Then why are you talking like I'm your fifth-grade teacher? You know my name, don't you?" I tease.

"Uh, yeah, I do, but I–."

"Say it."

"What?" she scowls. "No, I–."

"Say it. Come on, you know what it is."

"But I– Why?"

"Because I want you to," I shrug. "Come on. Speak to me like we're buds."

"Buds?" she scoffs.

"Yeah, come on, it's easy. Say my name and I'll answer your questions."

"No, I–," she rolls her eyes in frustration. "Fine. You first."

"Me first?" I chuckle. "You want me to say your name?"

"Uhm-Hmm,"

"Alright, Ivory Ferrari. Done."

"It's Ivy," she corrects.

"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to," I shrug. "Now say it."

"Alright," she breathes. "Isaac West."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

She shakes her head at me, clearly annoyed. But I can't help it. I'm in a good mood, and she's so easy to tease. Besides, I'm dying to know what she wants from me.

"So..." I urge. "What do you need?"

"Oh, right, uhm...," she snaps out of whatever daze she was in. "Is, uh... is it true that you were arrested for dealing drugs?"

Well, that's blunt.

"That's not really any of your business, is it?"

"Oh, no, no, I know, I just– I'm trying to find something, and I guess I thought you might be able to help."

"Drugs?" I smile in amusement. "You're looking for drugs?"

"No, no, not drugs."

"Then what is it?"

"Well, I guess in a sense it is drugs, but it's not, like... drug drugs."

"Fuck. Who would've thought?" I lean against the wall, a taunting smirk pulling at my lips. "Sweet little Ivory, trying to buy drugs from an ex-con."

"They're not drugs! At least not bad ones. They're technically not illegal."

"Ah, you want prescription meds, huh?"

"I guess, yeah."

"What are you after?"

"I, uh..." she hesitates.

"Ritalin? Adderall? Vicodin? Demerol? It's not Oxy, is it? Because that shit is fucked."

"No! Oh my god. It's just sleeping pills."

"Do you want Ambien or are you more of a Xanax type of girl?"

"No, no, it's, uh– I usually take Valium."

"Valium?" I scowl. That's what middle-aged women want, not college students. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, why?"