When she followed Liam outside, the sun hit her swollen eyes so hard that it was impossible to keep them open.
When her eyes finally adjusted to the light she looked around to see grey blocks of half-built and probably abandoned houses. The black gaps in the places where windows should be made the surroundings look even more lonely and haunted.
The place she was kept in turned out to be a big garage and an almost faded sign under its roof said it was something like a car service.
She was expecting a black fold or whatever they show in movies so that she couldn't see where she was. But nothing of the kind was put on her and Liam, hands in his pockets, was heading towards a black car, parked at the road.
It came to her that she needed to see its plates, just in case, but the car was parked in parallel to the road and so she would have to go round which would definitely cause suspicions.
Liam nodded at Elisa to get in.
He started the car but for some reason frowned listening. To Elisa nothing seemed wrong but to him it apparently did.
'Where'd they got this piece of shit,' he mumbled to himself in a slight irritation while trying to find a leveler to open the hood.
Elisa tried to sit still, not attracting much attention. She didn't even realize she wasn't breathing until Liam got out of the car and lifted the lid of the hood. He looked inside and frowned in frustration. The pale morning light lined up dark circles under his eyes. He suddenly looked tired and years older. He lit a cigarette and went to the car and, turning the key in the ignition, went back to the open hood.
Elisa felt the heat and coldness shooting all over her. What if the car broke down and they wouldn't be able to leave this place. It seemed like lasting forever but, in truth, it didn't take him too long, whatever he was doing there.
'Well, 's go?' he turned to her, giving her an enthusiastic smile, but irritation still marked his voice.
When they got on the highway all Elisa could see was an endless road, trees lined up at both sides and some lonely road signs. They were out of town for sure but nothing seemed familiar and she couldn't even tell which way the town was. And her brain, still in a state of haziness from the sleepless night and drugs, or whatever they'd given her, refused to work completely. She somehow chose to rely on Liam; moreover, the daylight was pretty reassuring.
Before, she used to think Nick was a careless driver but the way Liam was driving reduced all her chances to return home alive. The car was unstably swerving and wiggling from side to side at the high speed, and Elisa had to hold at the door tight not to bang her head, even the seatbelt didn't help much. However, judging by his face expression, he seemed pretty confident about his driving skills.
'Beep in your ass, motherfucker,' Liam spat out when he maneuvered and roughly cut off another car. The driver pushed the honk angrily and actually Elisa thought he was right, because it was not the first car to become a victim of Liam's hooning.
She could finally relax her body when they got to the traffic light where all the cars were literally packed tightly and Liam had to slow down.
Elisa took a look in the side mirror. After a harsh night the girl definitely didn't look her best. Dried grey stains of mascara circled her eyes and, tangled in tight messy knots, her long strands of hair needed a brush badly.
His wild driving was not the only thing that kept her mind occupied. It was that he never asked her where she lived but when she finally found herself among the familiar places of the town she felt more confident.
'Do you know where I...' she tried.
'Where you live? Y-ep' he answered, eyes at the road.
'How do you know?'
He smirked to himself, lowering his head.
'You got no idea how much I know about you,' his dark smile gave her shivers.
She swallowed the tight knob in her throat. She's never felt so unprotected and unsafe, if she'll ever be able to.
'So you just… took me home?' she asked when Liam turned round the corner and they were driving along the neighboring street. She raised her head at him and immediately regretted the hope he might see in her eyes.
'Feel like an Uber driver sometimes. So, I'll hit you up at around…' he took out her phone to check the time,'...nine'.
'Could I have my phone back?'
'Check the messages, by the way. Your bff's going off. Your mommy too.' He smirked handing her the phone.
Shit, poor mom. She must be worried sick. Moreover, Elisa had absolutely no clue if Nick made it home and what mom knows or doesn't. Because they would definitely make news arriving home early in the morning, in the state they were in. Her brother, all black and blue, and she with eyes, red and swollen from crying. Her heart ached at the memory of Nick being beaten up, with all the blood on his face. And she didn't even know where she was. Sadly, she wanted to believe that they really let him go because he owned them money because she knew that in most cases people just got killed.
Suddenly the car pulled over at the side of the road. She pulled the door handle, ready to get out, but heard the locks clicking. She looked around. Morning streets were empty. Not even a soul she could cry for help to. Even so close to her home she felt so afraid.
Her heart raced like mad and thought it would probably stop when Liam cut off the silence between them.
'So,' he turned his body towards her. 'Just lemme remind you somethin'. He moved closer and put his arm on the head of the seat.
'I expect no stupidity from you.'
Having him so close to her was horrifyingly intimidating.
'If you say or do anything stupid - I hope you understand what I'm talking about,' he made a pause as if giving her time to process everything. 'Believe me, you wouldn't like the consequences. Nor your brother. You got me?' He waited till she nodded meekly.
'Good' he slapped the back of the seat and she shrugged, slouching in the seat.
He nodded satisfied and backed away.
'Liam?'
'Huh?'
'Do you know where Nick is?' words were a torture to articulate.
'How do I know? He's you brother, not mine.' Elisa was expecting at least a couple more words from him, but, apparently, he wasn't going to say anything else.
She sighed and this stupid thing came to her that she'd rather have Kevin for her savior. At least he felt easier and a bit more comfortable to talk to.
She was walking fast, almost running to her house. It was nearly eight and her mom is definitely awake. She didn't know how to explain everything, why she came alone when Nick was supposed to take her home hours ago.
She has to call him. He'd get himself a death sentence if he'd arrive home without her. Or maybe they still keep him. But she has to try.
Nick picked up the phone too fast and Elisa couldn't find words at first.
'Nick? Hello?'
'Elisa, where are you? You're okay?'
'I'm going home right now, almost there...where are you? Are you home?' she was crying now, her voice was trembling just like her whole body was.
'Shit, Elie, thank god, wait for me, I'll be there in a couple of minutes. I'm at Elijah's. Don't go, okay?'
'Yeah...okay' she stopped and let herself breathe.
Nick and Elijah used to go to school together and they still kept in touch, mostly when Nick needed to stay overnight. It's not that many people who graduated from their school made it to the top, but after the university Elijah started working for some small private IT company and was actually trying to do something with his life. Unlike Nick who dropped out during his second year and was constantly searching and changing jobs.
Elisa liked Elijah, she used to be in love with him a couple of years ago. She felt attracted to him in a certain way even now, but not with that teenage affection anymore. A nerdy but pretty handsome blond guy with sparkling brown eyes. And smart too. She knew Nick was really looking up to him, and so both her mom and she hoped he will choose a normal life.
She scrolled through all the missed calls and messages from her mom and Kelly, both asking where she was. At least Kelly was home and safe. They probably put something into her drink, too, because before she used to be pretty resistant to alcohol. But they also were gentlemen enough to really send her home. Elisa still couldn't believe what her brother got all them into. Somewhere in the middle there were a couple of calls from Nick too, but probably he knew it might be useless.
When his car pulled over and Elisa got in, she nearly gasped at the sight of him.
His face was all covered in dried blood even though he probably tried to wash it off. His left eye was swollen and he couldn't open it. His jacket was torn at some places and he winced every time he moved his right hand.
'Elie, are you alright?' he touched her by the forearm but she threw herself to him, pressing against his chest.
'Nick I... I was so scared, I thought they'd kill you,' she was sobbing hysterically, breathing in his smell, so familiar, so comforting.
'Shit, I'm so so sorry I pulled you into this.' he pressed her tightly to him, stroking her trembling shoulders.
'We have to call the police, we have to do something...' she looked at him with her wet eyes, smearing the tears and the rest of mascara all over her cheeks with one hand.
'No, wait, Ellie. Please, no police.'
She tore herself from him in frustration.
'What? But they… they kidnapped me, and kept me there and... and they beat you… just look at yourself, what they did to you!'
'Elie, They… didn't… do anything to you?' He gently put his hand on her shoulder and lowered his face to meet hers.
She gasped as the memories rushed onto her with the wave of spasm in her throat.
'N-no,' she shook her head weakly. 'One of them tried... but he couldn't...' she wasn't going to say it, but his unwillingness to do something made her want him to feel even guiltier.
'Let's wait. I know I screwed up but… let's not rush it. I'm in a fucking trouble. You know, Elie, they're dangerous. Police might make it worse for all of us.'
'Sorry.' he added after a short pause.
She stared at him horrified and gasping from desperation. That's all he had to say? Sorry? After all she's been through. After she was drugged and nearly raped and now some drug dealing guy is blackmailing her about keeping her mouth shut. Just sorry?
'How much do you own them?'
'A lot,' he shook his head.
'But how much?'
He didn't say anything for a moment.
'Fifteen thousand'
'Fuck.' Elisa closed her eyes, refusing to believe what she just heard. 'The hell you've done to owe so much?'
Their family would never find such a sum in years... and they only got two days.
'Some fuckers framed me and got away. Shit.' he hit the steering-wheel with his hand.
'How are we going to find so much?'
'Not we. Me. I'll work something out I promise. Don't get yourself involved in this. Okay? I'll find the money. Listen, we made a deal. If I bring them the money in parts, they can give me more days. They won't touch you anymore, I won't allow it.'
Elisa nodded. She stared in front of her terrified and astonished at how fucked up everything was.
'Mom called. I had to tell her you were with me... well, gonna get some really hard scolding right now.' He tried to smile but neither of them would even think of laughing.
'Just tell her I got in a fight and...'
'Well, that's obvious...' Elisa smiled unhappily.
'Don't tell her anything, please, deal?' he looked guilty like a small helpless boy.
'Of course I won't. You think I'm stupid? She'd have a heart attack if I do. She didn't even know I was at that club. She thought I was at Kelly's house.'
'She has her number?'
'No… no, I don't think so.'
'Good. Fuck.' he sighed and messed his hair nervously.
They discussed a couple of things more to tell mom and Elisa was going through it over and over in her head so that it would sound plausible.
For the sake of her mom she won't say a word. She just couldn't bear to see her hurting. But what scared Elisa the most was that they could get to her, too. And she didn't know what to do. But she couldn't rely on Nick anymore. She promised herself to try to but after today she just couldn't.
'I heard something that they let you out... but how?' he asked when they were coming to the porch.
'Yeah, this guy... he said his name was Liam. He took me here but said I'd have to do something for him.'
'Shit, Liam, of course. Did he say what you'll have to do?'
'No, he said he'd call. You know him?'
'I do. Fucking fox. Don't pick up the phone. I think I know what he wants.'
'What?'
'Just don't answer, okay?'
'Oh, god! Where have you been?' the disturbed face of her mom nearly got Elisa to rush in and spit everything out. She could nearly pull herself together not to start crying again.
'Did you know how worried I was?'
'Mom, I'm sorry, it's just Nick's got in a fight and ...' her voice shook. All the plan they agreed to crumbled into pieces. She couldn't bear her mom shouting at her, not now. She wanted to tell her what happened. How terrified she was. How much she wanted her mom to hug her.
"Is it that hard just to call? You think I haven't had enough of everything before? Not seen enough?'
'My phone died...' Elisa tried weakly. Before walking in she turned off her phone just in case she'd have to show it but her mom wasn't listening.
'You think you're old enough to hang around somewhere at night? That was your last time you walked out this house ever again except school! And give me your Kelly's number this now. Do you think I haven't had enough problems with the police? Huh? Or you want to end up like your brother?' she immediately regretted the last phrase when Nick walked in. He definitely heard it. But he was not in the position to deny that his life was shitty. And probably he wouldn't even argue.
'Goodness,' their mom pressed her hand to her chest, not able to say or do anything when she saw him. 'Who did that to you?'
Elisa walked into the bathromm and closed the door behind her. Her mom was shouting something at her brother but she couldn't hear and didn't want to.
She stepped under the shower. The water was so hot it was burning her skin but Elisa couldn't get warm. She was shaking and her teeth were clenching. She rubbed her skin so hard trying to get rid of the reminders of the night. She couldn't bare the sight of her naked body. What could have happened if Liam never walked in. Her face twitched and tears rushed out of her eyes mingling with water streams. She sat in the bathtub and hugged her knees. The scratches hurt and the hot water made the crust burst and a few drops of blood mixed with water flowed down her leg. She struggled not to sob too loud so that no one could accidentally hear. She wanted to tell mom, she wanted to tell her how bad she's feeling but didn't dare. It was all her fault. She shouldn't have gone to that club in the first place. She muffled her cries biting her lips, her sobbing grew almost hysterical.
When she left the bathroom, she heard Nick and mom's hushed voices. She walked quietly to the kitchen and looked inside, trying to stay unseen. They were sitting at the table, there was the first-aid box in front of them and crumpled napkins, red from his blood, laying around. He was pressing an ice pack to his eye and wincing from mom's touch while whe was applying something on his scratches.
'We should call the police, or go to the hospital at least, what if you need stitches. She gently took him by the chin and critically looked at his face.
'Mom, I say, it's okay.' they spoke quietly. They were not screaming anymore. It was that calmness Elisa hated the most. She always wanted to fill it with something. At least with the words all of them really wanted to say to each other.
'Nick, when will you stop, baby? I'm so tired. It hurts me to watch what you're doing with your life.' her mom coverd her face with the towel to hide her tears.
He lowered his head and slightly touched her shoulder.
'Mom, come on...'
She waved him off with the towel, stood up and came up to the cooker, turning away from him. Elisa saw here wiping the tears which didn't just flow, but fell from her eyes.
Elisa now could really understand those people who went to sleep just right after something really terrifying happened to them. She used to read such news in surprise. Like, how is it possible? Go to police, go to your parents, friends. Tell the world. But they just came home and going to sleep was all they did.
And now she just wanted to hide herself and her thoughts from the world because the real state of things was just too hard to take and just for a second she wished she didn't have to face it.
She fell into a ruthless sleep. Even there she was in that dark place. And when she was driving home with Liam it turned out to be Nick and it seemed everything was over. And it felt so real she couldn't separate it from reality and when she woke up for a couple of seconds she was happy and relieved until the realization came and the world rushed on her with all its cruelty.
It was 7.45 pm and her stomach clenched at how close the day was coming to nine. To when Liam has to call.
She realized that the last time she actually had something to eat was at the same time yesterday. She felt hungry but it was that hollow hunger. When you feel like starving but unable to force anything down your throat.
The light was off all over the house, only the TV in the living room flicked silently in the darkness. She went into the kitchen to pick something up but then changed her mind. Only one thought of food made her stomach turn. She looked into the living room. Her mother was half lying on the couch, with an open book in front of her, but looking at the screen.
She looked around when she heard Elisa's steps.
'Slept well?' She moved aside to let her daughter sit down.
'Yeah… how's nick?'
Her mother shrugged her shoulders.
'He left.'
'What? Where?' Elisa felt panick rising in her chest.
'Does he ever say?' Her mother was now desperately calm.
'Baby, who was it? Do you know who did this to him?'
'No…' Elisa shook her head, despising herself for what was about to pour out of her mouth. 'He was like that when he came to pick me. We then helped him to clean up a bit and went to Elijah. And then my phone died and… sorry. I just… just didn't want to scare you calling at night. And Nick told me not to…'
The lie went out easily like air from a balloon. And she felt this shameful satisfaction that her mom bought it. Or maybe she just cared little for her explanations when her mind was occupied with other things.
Her mother sighed exhaustedly.
'I don't know what to do, Elie… I don't know.'
Elisa returned into her room with suffocating knob stuck in her throat. This was not what she wanted her mom to hear but she wouldn't even know where to start. Everything that happened was like sticky dirt, too disgusting to step into again. No police, that's what Nick and Liam told her. She reached for her phone to call Nick.
She knew from the beginning it was a waste of time but she didn't know what to do. She was even afraid to take a breath without thinking that it might be cut off with Liam's call.
She tried like dozen times but Nick never picked up the phone. He was ignoring her messages as well.
'Fuck, fuck, fuck!' She hissed, throwing the phone on her bed. She sat down and started crying helplessly. What if Liam calls, what can she say? Fuck Nick! Just in the morning he swore he'd help her and think of something… and fuck! He left them again. He left her on her own to deal with the shit he pulled her into.
She just wanted to pass out and pretend everything was just a nightmare. Never has she been as responsible for her life as she was now. She didn't believe Nick really did something. She was sure he got high again, just like he always did when facing trouble.
She was shivering from each sound her phone made. Kelly was banging on about how her head ached and that she didn't remember how she got home and blah blah blah the whole evening. And was mostly interested in Liam and Kevin. They were actually the last people on earth Elisa would want to talk about. She said she left the club soon right after her. Which was actually true, but not in the way Kelly might even imagine.
Liam still hasn't called and it was nearly eleven. Elisa was praying to all gods he wouldn't and by some miracle would decide to leave her alone.
She forced a bite of an apple down her throat when the phone rang. She was looking at the unknown number overwhelmed with terror. Her phone was sparkling and crawling from vibration.
'Hello?'
'Yo. How's it going.' She heard a familiar voice. She wished she wouldn't recognize it but she did.
She wanted to say something witty like 'it was better before you called' but truly it was not. It was even worse. Because waiting for unknown was far worse than hearing his voice over the phone.
'What do you want me to do?'
"Cutting to the chase, aren't ya? I like the attitude.' He sneered. "Come outside, I'm over the corner".
Her mom was asleep, still in the living room with the TV on. Elisa sneaked off the house quietly, taking her flats in her hand, not even putting them on.
She walked out into complete darkness. The light that was supposed to be fixed weeks ago was still out and it seemed like their street was long forgotten. She used the flashlight on her phone to light the way.
'Hey' Elisa heard when she turned over the corner.
She gave out a sharp shriek but then heard laughter.
'Shit! You scared the hell out of me!'
'How'd you even walk here? It's dark as fuck.'
'I don't usually walk here at night'
'Right, you're usually at some night club at this time, how could I forget?'
'Where are we going?'
'To the car.'
Goosebumps crept down her spine. Getting into someone's car at night looked like not the best idea. Especially Liam's.
'Why?'
'As I said…we need to 's not for the ears.'
'But there's nobody…' Elisa tried to protest.
'Get in the car.' He cut off impatiently.
He was talking about some help in the morning. Apart from all the dirty jokes they made, he actually never tried to do anything to her, even rescued her from that man. And he got her out of that place. But all those things were not helping the feeling to get away from this guy as fast as possible. In her head she was going through all the possible things he might want her to do and couldn't think of any decent one.
It was the same car as he drove her home in in the morning, the dashboard was glowing colorfully in the dark.
He got into the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition.
He looked refreshed now. Not as sleepy and tired as in the morning. And he smelt of aftershave and some perfume, similar to the one her brother wears.
'Where are we going?' She nervously looked out of the window, but there was only darkness.
He smirked.
'Taking you on a date?'
'What?' she turned to him but he was looking at the road.
'Don't you think you're asking too many questions?'
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. In the glowing of the headlight she could distinguish the trees and Elisa felt a bit of sweat above her eyebrows when the car started shaking because they left the asphalt road and turned into the woods.
He stopped the car and pressed the button to turn the dim light above them.
'So…' he lit a cigarette and took a long drag, breathing the smoke into the open window. 'Take off your clothes.'
'Huh?' she moved her back to the door creating a pathetically small distance between them.
'What? You were thinking I was taking you to a theme park?'
'You were talking about some help' Elisa felt her mouth going dry.
He shrugged his shoulders.
'Yeah, you know, there's not much time for recreational activities, so a little help might do.' He licked his lips lingering his tongue at the corner of his mouth.
She was just staring at him, unable to move or say anything. She was not believing it was actually happening to her. All her body felt paralyzed and all her muscles ached from tension as if thousands of little needles went through them. She's learnt the hard way already that crying didn't work for him. And even if she wanted, she seemed to have cried out her maximum today and her eyes were dry and tingling painfully.
He raised his eyebrows with I'm-waiting look.
She wasn't sure she could fight him off and she didn't know where to run, if, of course, she could. But mentally she was getting ready. She discreetly wrapped her fingers around the keys she kept in her pocket.
But then all of a sudden he started laughing.
'You shoulda seen yourself,' gasping with laughter, he turned to her and she couldn't resist but hitting his forearm with all her might which, to her disappointment, was hardly painful but probably made it even more funny for him.
'Shit, I'm gonna kill you, I swear!' she sat back into the seat, trying to calm down.
'Wow, now you're making threats in the middle of the woods. I should be frightened.'
He opened the door and threw the cigarette outside, pressing it with his foot. Usually she was a rather calm person but he was literally pissing her off.
'Well, getting to business.'
He quickly moved towards her making her flinch back but he was only reaching for the glove box. He took out a huge transparent package full of small bundles, pressed tightly against each other.
'I need to sell that,' he threw it on her laps.
She stared at the package, trying to process things. He wants her to deal drugs. Fuck. The things she hated and was so afraid of because they brought the disaster to her family. But she honestly this idea came to her mind, too. She just couldn't believe what she'll have to do to save her brother's ungrateful ass. Or wait? He said nothing about her brother so far. Then now it was all about her...
'But how? She raised her pleading eyes at Liam. 'I can't hand'em off just like that! Like at school? People know me here. I can't!'
'You won't have to hand them off. Look, there's a different amount in each box. This one,' he took a smaller bundle. 'is 1 gram. The biggest is 10'
'There's like an eternity in prison in here. I can't keep it at home.' Elisa was in a state of complete shock.
He whistled, chuckling.
'Whoa, slow down, drug queen, I'm not gonna give it all to you. Your family's on a slightly bad record about that. Hope you don't mind us hanging out a couple of times more?' He looked sarcastically at her.
'Like it would change anything if I did.' she mumbled to herself.
'Nope, it wouldn't.' he agreed.
He asked her to open her purse and poured a third of the package inside.
'I'll tell you which is needed and all you have to do is to go outside and put it somewhere. Away from the living area's more preferable. I'll do all the rest. And I need pictures.'
'What pictures?' she frowned thinking.
'Your nudes,' he half-turned to her and pouted his lips. He snored and tapped his finger on her leg. 'Jesus, take it easy already, Ellie-jelly.
'Look, I need a picture of where you put the stash, the place itself.' He went to the gallery on his phone and showed her a couple of pictures. There were just pictures of a tree or some bush, nothing extraordinary. 'And the coordinates.'
'Coordinates?' she was about to ask what for but then realized how smart it was. 'Like… to mark the place? Can I use Google maps for that?'
'Hm, you're quick on the uptake. Exactly what you have to use.' He smiled nodding.
'Actually, it's the first time I hear about that. I though they just hand it off to people...'
'Consider that a new technology.'
'How's anyone going to find anything like that?' She twisted the small bundle in her fingers.
'That's definitely their problem, not yours.' Liam shrugged his shoulders.
'I'm not sure… How can I do that? Just... leave it somewhere or what?'
'Well, use your imagination. Like put it under the tree, in the grass...Come on, it's easier than you think.'
'Why don't you do it yourself then?'
'I'm too pretty for that,' he inhaled the smoke into the window and smiled at her. 'Besides, why do it myself, if I have you? You kinda owe me, yeah?'
'Yeah.' She nodded weakly. 'Thanks.'
'Can't put it in the bank… but that'll do.'
She was wondering if there's some jerk gene comes together with a boy's good looks. Under different circumstances, Elisa would be definitely fascinated by him. A handsome guy who keeps it cool – a dream of half of the girls from their school, at least, for all she knew, and sometimes not only of the girls.
But she also knew and now saw for herself the world of drug dealers. How dangerous they could be and how they can get away with their crimes and what they do to people, what they did to her brother.
She used to be too naive to believe in the power of the police, in the power of the government feeding them lies that the borderline with Mexico is safe and everything about drugs is kept under control. She truly didn't feel the danger even after multiple news of newly emerged drug businesses or new synthetic drugs spreading among teenagers.
On the news everything always had a happy ending - criminals caught and shut in prison, drugs confiscated. And Elisa'd never given it a single though until this disaster came to their house. When her brother started behaving strangely, when mom noticed it together with money that kept disappearing from her purse on oddly regular basis, especially when their family barely made both ends meet. And her endless worries, their constant fights.
And that moment which forever sealed into Elisa's mind when she was holding his heavy head and shoulders to prevent him from chocking with his own puke and blood, while their mom was on the phone, hysterically trying to explain what had happened to an emergency operator.
He's never overdosed again, nor quitted either. Although he tried to pretend he did but, once you know it, you can never mistake when someone's under influence. It was painful to see mom at those moments and even much more when he finally got sober and tearfully swearing he'd stop. And then they all cried in the kitchen.
It was the blessed month of remission when things were too good to believe they'd stay this way forever. Elisa knew too well you can never fully go off guard when there's an addict in your family. And it showed itself at its worst.
She felt uneasy around Liam. But uneasy was probably a wrong word. She was scared. She knew nothing about him and now was sitting in his car in the middle of the forest with her bag full of drugs.
He drove her to the same place as where they left from.
Elisa looked into the darkness and didn't really feel much enthusiastic about going out there alone.
He turned off the car and took off the seat belt.
'Come on,' he got out of the car.
'Huh?' she was slightly confused.
'Let's walk you home. You know what, good girls shouldn't walk alone at night. Could be dangerous.'
'Is it a good idea to let a drug dealer walk you home?' she asked when they were walking past dark houses.
'Hold on. Who's the drug dealer? I work for the car service.'
'Yeah, of course you do.'
'Says you, with the bag full of stuff.'
'Somebody's got more in his car.'
He sneered.
'Listen, about my brother…'
'Yeah?'
'What if he doesn't find the money… it's just a lot'
'Yeah,' he nodded 'Kinda.'
'So what if…?'
'You know what people say 'the less you know, the better you sleep', right?' he winked at her cocking his head.
'Fuck, Liam! But that's my brother!' she broke out.
He shrugged his shoulders.
'You want me to pity you or what?'
She wanted to hit him again. But, right. What was Nick to him? Just another junkie. Nothing more.
'Remeber, Elie-jelly,' he moved closer and she felt his hand on the back of her neck, his warm fingers slipped under her hoodie. 'It all's between you and me, got it?'
'I got it!' she shifted her shoulders to get rid of his hand and stepped aside.
'So, how's your friend, by the way? Kelly, right? She got home safe? I was worried.' Elisa heard the sarcastic notes in his voice.
'Uh-huh, the hell you were,' she mumbled to herself.
'Say 'hi' from me.' he threw the half smoked cigarette on the ground. 'See ya.' he turned away and headed to his car.
Elisa watched the small burning dot flickered weakly in the darkness.
