Chapter Four

After I had finished my horrible, cold shower in the morning, I decided to take a look at my surroundings. Mom's room was down the hall as well as the bathroom and kitchen. Kitchen… my stomach growled.

"Have you eaten yet, dear?" asked my mother when I went in the kitchen.

"No," I sighed.

"Good…"she said and went quiet.

I walked over to the window and looked out.

"Well… um, I was thinking that maybe we could go get some brunch if you want," she continued full of awkwardness. "How does that sound? I'm taking the afternoon off."

"No."

"You're sure?" she asked smiling.

"Yes I'm sure. I don't go out to brunch with strangers. I'm goin' back to bed." I ignored the look of pure rejection on my mothers face, besides it gave me a sick sense of sweet revenge.

I got out my walkman and blasted my music into my ears. I was sure to go deaf by the age of twenty. Suddenly I had had enough, and I was strangely curious about where I was. Maybe I could find a person who would give me a cheap ride back to Canada.

"I changed my mind." You should have seen the look on her face. She really was happy to eat with me…. Naw. I would not let her fool me. It was all just some big front she was putting up. We took the 'Bus' for about a million hours and we finally got there. Mom brought me to this cute little diner and we had brunch, except it was more like lunch by the time we got our food.

"Do you mind if I go and visit some people while we're in town? You don't need to come if you don't want to," my mom said.

"Fine," I muttered. I should have known she wasn't going to really take the afternoon off to be with me. I dug my hands into my pockets and to my delight discovered that I had a little cash on me. So, I left her and went walking around until a found a little bar. There we go. I hadn't had a good beer for a while. When I went in, it was just like at home; a few pool tables, a dance floor, and some good music playing. I stepped up to the bar and ordered a few beers. I now remembered why I didn't drink alone. I was on my sixth when a guy came up to me.

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking this early in the morning?" He asked. Gosh, he looked hott with his gorgeous black hair falling lightly around his face and his washboard abs exposed from his button up shirt. He couldn't have been much older than me.

"Aren't you?" I said back.

"Nope."

"- and your only eighteen," I said taking a guess at his age, hoping I wasn't wrong.

"You're right!" he smiled. "I'm Craig."

"Jade," I replied giving him my mysterious smile and taking another swig from my drink. "Where you from?"

"I'm from California. It's in the U.S."

"Ya I know- I'm from Miami," I lied. "I thought you looked like a surfer dude."

"Wow, Miami. So, how long are you here for?" he asked.

"A few days. You?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Really?" I asked. "Well, I'm available if you're ready for a good time."

"How much?"

"Two hundred and you pay me now."

"It's fate. It just so happens I have a few extra hundred bucks on me with an empty apartment down the street," he said leaning in to me. "Coming?"

"Sure," I said. "But, only after my beer." I giggled stupidly. By now, I was totally drunk. I drank fast. I guess I wouldn't have been so stupid if I wasn't piss drunk, then again maybe I would have.

"You pay me now." I said again. Craig took a roll of fifty dollar bills from his pocket and started to hand them to me until my mom entered the bar.

"She won't need that," she said. "You're coming with me, Kelsey, now!"

"I'm not coming with you… I'm going to Craig's apartment and…" I babbled incomprehensibly.

She grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the bar, laying down some money to the waiter. She walked up to a pay phone and I think she called Biko. Muttered something about how she missed the last bus and wouldn't be able to come home until late if he didn't come. She then dragged me onto a park bench and waited. In a few hours Biko came. By then I was sleeping. She put me into the back seat of his truck and hopped in the front with Biko.