The Green (8 page)

It was a quick ride from Lavender Grove back
through Cambridge to Slate Park. I sat quietly as the streets
flashed by. I tried to organize my thoughts. Lavender Grove was
awfully close to Cambridge. We passed by Cambridge High, shining
brightly in the night.

“Javi, can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure, what?” he asked.

“Can I request not to be sent to Cambridge
for deliveries? I’m worried I would run into someone from
school.”

“Yeah, that’s fine for now. I don’t have any
business there yet. But we’ll see. It may happen sometime. But I’ll
try. Or I’ll do the delivery myself. I don’t want to mess up this
operation. If you get caught or seen by people you know, that would
be a big problem for both of us.”

We pulled into the parking lot at the
apartment building.

“Junior, go get my car while I walk Ariceli
to the door,” Javier said. He put the car in park and opened the
door.

Junior, who had been silent the entire time,
exited the car and lumbered across the parking lot. Javier locked
the Cadillac and handed me the keys.

When we reached the door he grabbed the
envelope and flipped through the bills before handing it to me.

“Take a hundred out of there and give me the
rest.”

“A hundred is more than my twenty five
percent,” I protested.

“Look at the bills, there’s no way to make
change.”

“Good point,” I said as I opened the door. He
followed me into the living room. “But I would guess most dealers
aren’t telling their employees to ‘keep the change,’ am I
right?”

He sat down on the couch and grabbed his
backpack.

“I like you, Ariceli. You’re smart. Remember,
don’t fuck this up.” He got up and moved toward me suddenly,
invading my personal space. My brain wanted me to step back, but I
didn’t want to make any sudden moves. “Keep Nando’s phone with
you.”

“Uh, okay. Thanks Javi.”

“Looks like your bruises are healing up,
huh?” He brushed my face with his hand and I pulled back. “I’ll be
in touch.”

“Bye,” I managed to squeak and tried to
suppress a cringe. As good looking as Javier was, I didn’t want him
to confuse this arrangement for anything other than it was.
Business.

The ticking of the wall clock seemed to echo
through the apartment after he pulled the door closed behind him. I
put the TV on and moved my ‘business’ materials into my room,
stuffing everything but the brick of pot under the bed. I put that
in a giant zip-loc bag and buried it in a box of old junk in the
back of my closet.

I fingered the padlock before going out to
the kitchen to scrounge for dinner. Mom wouldn’t be home until
after I went to sleep, but I guess I’d have to start using it
again. Just in case. What if Nando decided to come back for some
reason? I couldn’t risk him taking my money.

Sunday flew by in a haze of English and
applications. I managed to finish my English paper in one day and
got the applications all done, except for the essays. I promised
myself I would get them done by the end of the week so I could get
everything in the mail before December 1st. Nando’s phone sat
silent on my bookcase.

Monday morning I grabbed the keys to my new
ride and headed out to the parking lot. Luckily Mom was still
asleep, so I didn’t have to answer any questions. It was definitely
way nicer than taking the bus. I even got to sleep in a little
later. It felt so good pulling down the streets of Cambridge in
something other than the big nasty yellow school bus or my mom’s
crappy old Hyundai. I had my favorite sunglasses on and was jamming
to my favorite radio station. I wanted everyone to look at me. Hot
chick in a hot car. But no one noticed.

I couldn’t park in the Cambridge High parking
lot because I didn’t have a parking tag, but I pulled down the
neighboring street where we were allowed to park for free in a
church parking lot. I threw Nando’s phone into the glove box. I
didn’t feel like dealing with it at school. If we were seen using
our phones, they would be taken away. And it would cause me huge
mega ginormous problems if that phone ended up in the principal’s
office. It was definitely safer here.

I got out and locked the car, which made a
little beeping noise. I tucked the keys in my purse and turned
around.

“Wow, nice car Ari. Did you just get it?”

I turned around to see Gina Heskin, one of
the other students in the Academy, stroll up.

“Yeah. It’s not mine though. A family friend
is letting me borrow it for a while. But it’s awesome!” I knew I
was probably getting a little too excited about a car, when for
everyone at Cambridge it was a normal accessory.

“Yeah, that’s nice,” she said and walked off
across the lot to the front of the school in a rush to tell
everyone about it, no doubt. I should’ve just said it was mine. I
could’ve said that my parents bought it for me as a present. But I
didn’t want to lie, well not entirely. I wonder what she would’ve
said if told her that it was provided by my drug-dealing boss who
wanted me to use it to deliver the finest pot to the finest
neighborhoods the suburbs had to offer.

I ran into Naomi on the way to class.

“You got a car! Why didn’t you call me?” She
squealed.

“Well, it’s really not that exciting. It’s
not even mine. I’m just using it for awhile,” I said.

“I know, I heard all about it from Gina
Heskin,” she added.

“Dude, I seriously talked to her five minutes
ago. She doesn’t waste any time, does she?” I shook my head in
disbelief.

“That’s why I love her. She’s good for
gossip, baby!” She stared at me.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” I
asked.

“You never asked me how Claire’s party was on
Friday! Duh! Aren’t you dying to know what happened?” she asked.
“What’s wrong with you today?”

Oh my god, it was always about her.

“Nothing. Sorry, I was so wrapped up in
homework all weekend I totally forgot about it.” The truth was
Friday, the game, and my night at Village Pizza with James seemed
like a million miles away right now. Oh yeah, James. Good god, how
was I ever going to make this work out?

“So tell me all about it. What happened? Did
Dean put the moves on you?”

I threw my arms around her and rubbed her
back awkwardly. “Hey baby!”

“Eww, you are so gross. And for your
information, Dean is totally a gentleman. We only made out a little
bit. AND he asked me out next Saturday!” She shook me and jumped up
and down.

“That’s awesome!” And I truly meant it.
Awesome for both of us. She got to move on and I got to move in on
her former man. Hopefully.

“So where’s he taking you?” I asked, eager to
figure out how smitten this dude was. Yeah, I’m sure a date with
Dean the Gentleman would end in the backseat of his car somewhere.
But whatever. Not my problem.

“I know we’re going to the movies to see the
new Johnny Depp movie, but other than that I don’t know. Look, I
gotta run or I’ll be late for class. Have fun in the dork vault.”
She gave me a quick hug before I entered the Academy wing. We
really had our own wing—we were that special. The other kids called
it the dork vault, among other things because it was situated
behind giant metal doors.

Stepping into class I took a deep breath
because my dream man was waiting for me. His face lit up as I got
to my desk.

“English paper?” James asked, tilting his
head.

“Done!” I pulled it out of my folder in all
its typed glory and proudly plopped it on the desk.

“Apps?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Almost done. Essays this week. I promise!” I
hid behind my hands.

“All right then. Remember what I said, let me
know if you need anyone to read them.” He opened a folder and
pulled out his paper, setting it on top of his desk.

“Yeah, thanks for that. So what’s up? How was
your weekend?” I asked casually.

“Fine I suppose. Got a lotta work done,” he
said, nodding towards the paper.

“Yeah, me too. You didn’t go see that horror
flick?” I sat down and got my things organized.

“Nah, I didn’t have anyone to go with.” He
pouted and crossed his arms.

“Aw, I’m sorry. I told you I would text you
if I got done. I was working all evening. I’m really sorry!” I
grabbed his arm.

“Sorry enough to make it up to me this
Saturday?” He grinned, showing off his perfectly straight
teeth.

“What, Village Pizza?” I laughed.

“Nope. Horror flick. Unless you’re a scaredy
cat?” He fake-punched my arm, his touch sending electricity through
my body.

“Well, I am pretty scared of horror movies.
But that’s fine. I owe you for driving me around last weekend.”
Shit, didn’t Naomi say they were going to the movies on Saturday?
I’d have to make sure we went to a different theater. But there was
still time to get the info out of her. If anything, I would have
him come to Slate Park because I knew Naomi wouldn’t be caught dead
at the movie theater there.

The rest of the day trickled past me, but I
didn’t notice much. I had a date for Saturday night. Too bad I
couldn’t tell anyone about it because I didn’t want Naomi to find
out. Besides, I could still be wrong about all this. It could just
be a friend thing. Time would tell.

$$$

“Naomi,” I whined as the clock ticked by so
painfully slow at practice. Thanks to French Club, I missed my
lunch hour earlier. “I’m starving! Can we please cut practice short
so we can go eat? Wanna go to Taco Bell or what?”

“Hmm, Taco Bell sounds really good right
about now. And I know my parents aren’t going to be home tonight.
Aw, what the hell,” she said, clapping her hands together. “All
right girls, bring it in. As a special treat, I’m going to end
practice a half an hour early tonight. Don’t get used to it!” She
shouted to them as they all ran for the exit.

“Okay, let’s go. You drive. I wanna see this
new car.” We strolled out of the gym.

“No problem.” Taco Bell was just down the
street.

We walked over to the church parking lot and
I hit the button on the remote. The lights flashed on and off.

“Oh Ari! It’s so cute!” She opened the door.
“Ooo, leather too. Somebody was nice to you!”

I got into the driver’s seat and grabbed the
glove box door. My heart dropped. The phone’s light blinked,
indicating I’d missed a call. I pressed a button. Two missed calls
and had two messages. Not wanting Naomi to hear them, I waited
until I started the car and turned on the radio before I checked
the messages.

Some guy named Steve and some chick named
Lori. Both with orders that I needed to fill tonight. Shit. It was
already five-thirty and I still had homework to do and two
drop-offs in Lavender Grove. That alone would take at least an hour
and I still had to drive twenty minutes home and put the packages
together. If I was lucky and left now I could be home again by
eight or so.

“What phone is that?” Naomi asked, trying to
grab it. “I’ve never seen it before.”

I dodged her reach. “It’s my work phone.”

“What do you mean work phone? You don’t
work!” She laughed.

“I, uh, had to get a part time job. That’s
why I got the car. The family friend that I’m working for wanted me
to have the car and the phone so I can do my job.” I shoved Nando’s
phone into the pocket on the driver’s door.

“Ew. You have to work? Why? Is it because
you’re poor or whatever? I mean, I get that, but still, ew.” She
looked at her manicure for a minute.

“Thanks, Naomi, I knew you’d understand,” I
said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Look, I just found out I
have work to do tonight, in addition to a pile of homework and
finishing my college apps. So I can’t go to Taco Bell anymore. I’ll
drop you off at your car.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be pissy. You can come
for a quick taco. How do they know you’re not still at practice.”
She had a point. I was starving. But I’d had about enough of her
for one day. It would be better to just go and get started on what
I had to do tonight. Besides, I wasn’t willing to piss Javier off
by blowing off appointments.

“Sorry Naomi. I’m gonna go.” I pulled up in
front of her Mercedes SUV in the school lot. “See you.”

“Whatever.” She jumped out of the car without
looking back. Whatever was right, I didn’t have time to deal with
her attitude tonight. She reminded me of a crabby toddler when she
didn’t get her way. I had work to do.

I drove back to the apartment where I was
happy to find Mom was still off at work. I unlocked the padlock and
plopped onto the floor to fix up the packages, making sure to shut
the door behind me in case anyone felt like making a surprise
appearance. I even closed the blinds. I mean, I was on the basement
level after all, I didn’t want any of the nosy neighbors seeing
what I was doing.

I grabbed the brick out of its hiding spot in
the closet and pulled the scale out from under the bed, along with
a bag I’d stuffed the other supplies into. Slowly, I measured out
an ounce of pot, put it into the baggie and repeated the process. I
stuffed the baggies into the video cassette boxes and wrapped them
up, just like Christmas presents.

Without the bows and fancy paper, of
course.

This paper was nothing more than empty
grocery bags. At least Javier was eco-friendly in his pot business.
After safely stowing all the supplies away, I called the numbers
back to get the addresses. I shoved the boxes into my hot pink
backpack, between my math book and my daily planner. Yeah, I was
gangsta all right. Lame.

I flung open the fridge and grabbed a Pepsi
and figured I would take a sandwich for the road. I used the last
of the jelly and had to make up for it in peanut butter. Now that I
had a little cash, I would go to the grocery store tomorrow after
practice to pick up some real food. Mom usually sent me to the
Convenient Mart, but all they had was crap, chips and pop and
stuff. I wanted some real food.