The next time I woke I was in my bed, my curtains drawn and no trace of the night before on my skin. I wondered if I had dreamed the entire thing, but all that disappeared when my mother came bursting in with blatant denial and disgust on her face.
"I do not even know how to handle this situation."
I grunted and sat up, regretting the decision immediately as my head splintered.
"Uugh. Do we have to do this now? I feel like death."
"Not only did you go out, promising to be back by two, and instead having to be picked up by Jack this morning, you also had sex with a complete stranger and didn't call us to tell us you would be late back."
"I haven't been in this damn town twenty-four hours and you're already mad at me for something. I'm not a kid anymore. Fuck, I've been living in a different country for six months, I can look after myself."
"I know you're an adult now, but it's our house, so you can live by our rules, lady. I'll let it slide this once, but next time, if you're not back by two, at least let us know where you are, honey."
"Okay, mom. Can I go back to sleep now?"
"Nuh-uh. I've got you a job at the centre. Today's your first day. He's waiting for you outside."
She threw a black and green uniform at me and stalked out of the room.
I took a wary step out of bed and staggered, clutching onto the headboard for safety. My head felt like it was imploding periodically every five seconds. I got dressed into the long black pencil skirt and lime green T-Shirt before pulling on a denim jacket and black boots and heading out, Jack waiting in his elegant silver Porsche, cigarette in hand.
"I told you today would not be fun, kid. I made you some more of my Anti-Alcohol concoction." He said, handing me a bottle of green.
I took a swig, and got in the car. He passed me two aspirin and I took them gratefully.
"What happened to the blood?" I asked him, wondering what was in this green liquid I was drinking.
"I assumed you wouldn't want your parents to know you were into the rough stuff, so before I dropped you back home I got you into my place and cleaned you up."
"Uh, thanks. I guess."
"Don't get all coy with me, kid, we both know I've seen it all before." He said, winking, before I slapped him on the chest, smirking. "What happened with you and him anyway?" he asked.
"I can barely remember what his name is, sorry."
"Roman Godfrey. It would be advisable for you to remember his name, and make it your business to avoid him at all costs, kid."
"Yes, Uncle Jack." I agreed, winking at him.
The car journey went fast, Mozart blasting from the stereo, a concerto in some depressing key or another.
"Right. All you have to do is water the plants and take the dead ones off the shelves. It shouldn't be too difficult. I've pulled a lot of strings to get you this shitty little job, don't screw it up, kid."
"Jeesh, I won't. Promise." I said as I stalked off to check in with the manager.
She was a small woman, small eyes and a jaw too wide to be human. But nice, she shook my hand and showed me how to spray water on leaves so they didn't look dead. She gave me a badge, my name spelt wrong as usual, before showing me to my work space.
The sun beat down through the greenhouse glass, and sweat beaded on my forehead. Forty-five degrees, sweltering.
The day dragged on and one of the cashier girls, Tara, left early, family emergency. Liar. I was moved to till number 4 and told to smile; don't give discounts; we pool tips; show cleavage.
I could sense him before I could see him, eyes boring into my skull like a drill. He came over with a pot plant in his hands and looked down at my name badge.
"Savannah. Like the plains." He said, eyes flitting to my neck, fingers brushing hair away, smiling. Noticing the two puncture wounds that lay there, he set the plant on the counter. Chrysanthemum.
"Ten dollars." I said curtly, removing his hand from my neck.
"When did you start working here?" he asked, handing me ten dollars. His fingers brushed mine, our eyes locked, my body warmed.
"Today."
"When do you finish?"
"Now." I said, cashing in the ten dollar note and giving him the receipt.
I retrieved my denim jacket from the cashier chair and stood. He picked up his plant and held it to his side, the other hand leading me through the automatic doors on the small of my back. I could feel his skin so close to mine, my head pulsed with dizziness. He looked over to me and smiled, a shining white pill between his teeth.
I should not be doing this. What had Jack said? I couldn't remember, my mind was mist.
He leaned down and passed the pill to me on his tongue. I swallowed.
"What are you?" I asked him, and in reply, he smiled, eyes shining with undiluted euphoria.