An hour down the road, huddled against the side of a building, two young people sit, one holding an almost empty cup of fifty cent coffee.
"You're cold," Edward mutters, pulling his girl against his side. She's so thin that he can feel her ribs.
Bella looks up at him through bleary, bloodshot eyes. "I'm okay. Just…" A shudder rocks through her body. "Yeah, I'm cold. Do we have any more money?"
Fishing deep inside his pockets, Edward finds an almost empty wallet. Inside, there are a handful of small bills and a card that he refuses to look at. "A little. But… I don't know if we have… enough… if we pay James, too."
They're both at the bottom of the ride and they're both shaking from the drop. James is the one with the ticket back to the top. He has just what they need and he's never failed them.
It's hard though, because Edward can hear both of their stomachs rumbling. It's going to get cold tonight, too, and that ramshackle tenement where they stay hasn't seen heat in over a year. But still, he wants. He needs. He thinks he'll die if he doesn't get something in his veins.
He's forgotten what it was like before, or even who tried what first. A party habit – a fast way to relax and forget the pressure of that first semester – that somehow turned into this. At least they have each other.
"Edward…" Bella's voice is low and pained, and he knows what she's going to say. "I need it. We'll be fine once James gets here."