The Read And Weep Bundle: Anonymous, Perfectly Hopeless, Run (43 page)

And his name, Shifty, anyone with such a nickname earned it for probably a bad reason.

The night came alive once Shifty was there. Everyone gathered around Renee’s coffee table. All eyes glued to Shifty.

I watched him pull a bag from his shorts. He tossed it on the table. Renee squealed with delight clasping her hands together.

“Either of you ever do K?” Shifty asked, directing the question at Mason. Mason leaned forward dropping his elbows on the coffee table surveying the drugs.

“My cousin calls it Ket back in Jersey,” Mason said with a crooked grin.

He cut a fine line on the table with a credit card, shooting me a look as if I had something equally charming to add to the conversation. I pursed my lips.

“I’ve had my fair share of run ins,” Mason told him. He shrugged. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to fit in or brag. I also knew he didn’t lie all that often and I couldn’t see this being one of those times. I knew Mason was no angel.

Trent and Star waited patiently. I hadn’t pegged Star as a drug user, but maybe that was how she kept her calm demeanor all the time. Star gathered her hair in her hands and piled it on top of her head in a messy bun. She was ready, it was written all over her face.

“Well, since you’re the guest,” Shifty said, Renee handed over a rolled bill. Mason accepted it. Mason leaned forward. I closed my eyes at the sound of him inhaling the junk they were offering. It made me nervous.

I looked at Renee. She seemed happy that her new friend was willing to dabble in her recreational activities. Mason wiped at his nose and leaned back against the couch. Everyone looked at me now.

“Kendall, have you ever done K?” Shifty asked, searching my eyes for willingness. Mason grabbed my arm and nudged me forward. He wanted me to do it, they all did.

“No. I’ve never tried the stuff,” I said, my cheeks heated with stupid embarrassment. I should have been proud I never tried dangerous drugs before. But there I sat feeling like a moron.

I took a deep breath. What was the worst that could happen? My life was as bad as it could get.

Shifty drug a finger through the powder and offered it to Renee. She eagerly sucked and licked the powder from his finger. She smiled at me and offered me the same service—Shifty’s finger. I swallowed down the disgust, the thought of sucking on some strange guy’s finger was not my idea of a good time. But I forced my conscience off long enough to do the same thing Renee had done. I sat back, the bitter taste took over my senses. I felt more relaxed than ever before. Like I was sailing away from myself, I leaned back against the sofa accepting the tranquility in the moment while everyone around me seemed to be talking all at once.

Mason leaned against me, his body heavier
than before. He rested his head on my shoulder. I didn’t know what was real, if Renee’s laughter was getting louder or if it was in my head. Or why suddenly I was obsessed with the ceiling and every detail of it.

Shifty seemed to materialize in front of me. He smiled watching me like I was some science project. I didn’t have the strength to swat him away. And I didn’t know if he was as close as he seemed.

“What are you doing?” I asked him, I pursed my lips afraid I said it too loudly.

“I’m watching you. Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.

I nodded, loving the feel of my head as it moved up and down like a glorious structure. “What about you?” I asked, resting my head on the arm of the couch. Gravity was calling me. I swatted at the floor at what I thought were bugs—or lint.

I ran my hand across my forehead trying to shake the weird sensation out of my head. Why had I been stupid enough to do this?

“I’m more of a quick guy,” he grinned. “I like the fast shit. Meth is my best friend most days.”

I closed my eyes. And suddenly someone was pulling back into a sitting position. I opened my eyes looking for Mason. He was up and moving again. He looked at me with a disturbed expression. Everything was turning and spinning all around me and then darkness once again.

I could hear my heart beating like a tiny drummer in my chest. A crazed mad man just banging away.

“Kendall,” Mason said, shaking me back to reality. He slapped my face. I pushed him away from me and sat up. Shifty was sitting across from us, even he looked worried.

Renee crawled across Mason’s lap. I tried looking at her but my eyes weren’t cooperating with me. I watched her run her hands through Mason’s hair like he was some animal she was petting. And he wasn’t bothered by it. He was only focused on me and getting me to wake up and act right.

“Dude, here,” Trent said, it was like his voice fell from the heavens. He shoved a pipe in Mason’s face and Mason’s
dropped me back against the couch and took a hit of whatever he was offering.

“Kendall is pretty hot, dude.” Someone said. My heart sped up and I kept my eyes closed swirling through this messed up world, waiting for it all to end.

“She’s beautiful, but I must say I’ve always had a thing for red heads,” Someone else said. This ignited a round of laughter.

“Been there,” Someone else said.

Hours later maybe I woke up shaking uncontrollably. The room was dark. I had no clue how much time really had pasted, but it seemed like a lot. I finally felt like myself again for the most part. Now I was just groggy and sick.

I stood up on shaky legs and fell into the wall. I fumbled for something to hold onto as I made my way through Renee’s dark apartment. I grabbed the first doorknob hoping it was a bathroom. I knew I was going to be sick and I didn’t want to puke all over Renee’s nice things.

“Mason?” I called out. “Renee?”

Silence was the only thing answering me. I guess that was to be expected after a night like tonight I thought to myself.

I pushed opened the door.

“Oh, whoa!” Renee squealed in shock covering her chest with her hands. Mason was behind her in a rather intimate position. He kissed her shoulder and kept moving not a care in the world.

“Where is the restroom. I
think I am going to be sick.” I demanded. “Tell me now before I puke all over this place.” My stomach churned at the realization that Mason was having sex with Renee.

Shifty appeared in the hallway. Renee shot him an annoyed expression and he shut the door leaving Mason and Renee to finish what they started.

“Kendall are you ok?” Shifty asked. He tilted his head to the side. He barely could keep his eyes open he was so messed up. He walked me down the hall and opened a door to a bathroom. He flicked on the light and offered me entrance.

“Are you feeling sick?”

I nodded. I wondered how long it took him before he was a professional drug user. I wondered why everything I tried was such an epic fail.

“I suck at life,” I told him kneeling before the toilet. I looked at Shifty as he watched me from the doorway.

“Did you ever think life just sucks?” he asked.

I scrunched my nose. He was as loony as a cartoon.

“That makes no sense. Do you know what I have been through?” I asked.

Shifty studied me closely. “No I don’t. But you can tell me if you want, I’m a good listener.” He came into the bathroom. I waited for the puke, but nothing happened. It was an awful feeling. Drugs and I didn’t mix well I was learning.

“I come from a messed up family. You wouldn’t believe the things I have seen,” I said letting out a sigh.

“Like?” Shifty pressed taking a seat on the floor by the bathtub. He twisted a light through his fingers listening to me talk.

“Let’s just say a lot of bad things. Things I could go away for, for a very long time.” I slid my hand across the floor and met up with the cool floor, enjoying the coolness against my cheek.

“I’m only telling you this because you do drugs. Your life has to be pretty screwed up to right?” I asked, letting out a hiccup.

Shifty laughed at me.

“Let’s get some air. Sometimes coming down can make you feel crazy,” he said helping me back up. I threw my arm around his shoulder and let him carry me.

“Mason is in there with Renee. I almost thought I loved him.” I rested my head against Shifty’s chest as he carried me out to the balcony.

I gasped as the cool air hit my skin. It was chilly for July.

I let go of him as soon as my back hit the soft cushion of the lounge chair. I stared up at the black sky.

“Mason is not himself right now. Don’t hold it against him,” Shifty assured me, lighting up a cigarette.

I nodded, maybe he was right. Who was I to judge?

My insides felt like jello. I wanted to puke. My skin was itchy.

“You’re a pretty girl,” he said, watching me from the railing. He held the cigarette so perfectly in his hand. His lips blew out a huge cloud of smoke.

“Thanks,” I
said, accepting his compliment. He moved closer. My eyes were heavy and hardly able to focus anymore. The air was making me sleepy. Shifty crawled up the chair his body hovering over mine. I tried to keep my eyes open but it was so hard. I wondered what he could possibly want with me. I was half dead.

“It’s a nice night,” he said, pushing my hair away from my eyes. I turned away and rested my head in my palm.

“Kendall,” Shifty said softly, bringing me out of a sleep.

“What?” I grumbled. Shifty shook me awake, pulling my shirt up, he moved my arms and started dragging my pants down my body until they were resting beside me on the chair.

My mind was aware of what was happening. I knew it wasn’t right, but I physically couldn’t do anything about it. My body was too tired to fight against what was happening.

His lips were on my face, grazing my cheek, my neck, my lips. Every minute or so he was saying my name to gauge how conscious I was.

I pressed my knees together it was all I could do to keep him off of me. And I wasn’t angry or frightened. Stupid things happened to stupid people.

“Hey, Kendall,” Renee called from inside the house.

Shifty jumped and started to dress me. “Shh,” he said shushing me as he did his best to throw my shirt back over my head.

“Oh, hell no.” Renee exclaimed. “Shifty get away from her. What are you doing?”

“Is she out here passed out?” Mason laughed coming out of the apartment. I opened my eyes as soon as I heard Mason’s voice. His expression fell fast at what he saw. Rage filled his eyes, he jumped over the patio chairs, grabbing hold of Shifty’s t-shirt.

“I wasn’t doing anything,” Shifty stammered. Mason shoved Shifty toward the edge of the balcony. Renee screamed as Mason’s shoved Shifty over the balcony, both of them close to falling over.

I did my best to get to my feet trying to stop Mason from doing something he was going to regret when he was sober.

“I swear I didn’t do anything. I just took her clothes off,” Shifty said, his hand holding onto Mason’s for dear life. Mason wasn’t budging.

“You must not value your life to much, trying to take advantage of a girl like that,” he said.

“Mason stop right now.
You’re going to kill him. Put him down before your drop him off my balcony!” Renee screamed. She clutched her chest in a panic to end the standoff.

I pulled at my clothes pulling it together in a hurry to stop Mason myself. I knew I was the only one who could.

“Do you think I care, Renee?” Mason asked, he released one hand from Shifty’s shirt sending him farther over the railing. Shifty screamed and begged for his life. He curled his legs around the metal of the railing holding on for dear life.

“Kendall did he touch you?” Renee asked me.

Mason was ready to drop Shifty to his death. I could see it in his eyes.

“No. He didn’t do anything to me. Mason just set him back down. God Mason, were all messed up.” I pulled at my hair in frustration.

Renee and I waited. The thought of Shifty’s broken body at the bottom of Renee’s apartment scared me to death. It was the last thing we needed.

Mason grabbed a hold of Shifty’s shirt and pulled him to his feet and away from the railing.

“She just saved your ass,” Mason told him. Mason walked over to me, I slapped him in his head at how stupid he was.

“You had no right to do that. I can take care of myself,” I snapped.

Renee agreed with me and slapped Mason herself on the other side of his head. He was bewildered by our reactions. To him he was a hero.

“He was trying to have sex with you. And
you’re okay with that?” he asked me.

“This is not anyone’s fault. Just drop it,
you’re no better than Shifty, Mason. Don’t think I didn’t see you,” I said. Shifty hurried past us. I was sure he probably went to change his underwear after a scare like that.

“You two can sleep here for the night for obviouos reasons. But Mason, you’re a psycho,” she sid giving him one final look. It was obvious she was upset by Mason’s actions.

Mason shook his head and sighed. “I’m the psycho.” He scoffed.

I shrugged my shoulders. “That we are.”