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Beta'd by HollettLA.

Higher

Chapter Thirty-Two: Red

BPOV

November 22nd 1994

On October 29th, the New York State Lotto jackpot was over sixty million dollars. It was the biggest it's ever been, and that sent everyone to their local convenience stores for lottery tickets.

I was eager, too.

While I have no idea how it works—picking numbers and all that—I chose what's called a quick pick? Anyway, I bought over twenty bucks worth of tickets, and none of my numbers came out.

They weren't even close.

There were no winners that week either, which just increased the amount of loot up for grabs.

I bought more lotto tickets the next week, and then the next…

That was when I decided to hit Fifth Avenue after school. Every day for two weeks, I'd walk along and fill out applications in Bay Ridge. So far, no one has called, and it turns out I'm not qualified to do much of anything just yet. Most places I'd gone to weren't even hiring anyway; I just hoped I'd get lucky.

It's damn near winter now, and there aren't many ice cream places around.

Retail seemed like my best bet; however, I was nervous about being a salesperson. I was wishing for some boring, cash register-type position.

Edward provides for me well, too well, but I felt as though I wasn't pulling my weight. He's still hustling and doing what he thinks he needs to. That knapsack of his has made quite a few more trips. In fact, it seems as though it's always with him these days.

I hope he's still just fucking with Ecstasy, but I can't be sure.

Edward's been affiliating with more people from our neighborhood, and I feared the worst—that he was digging deeper and deeper into the drug trade.

I live with him, but if Edward doesn't want me to know something . . . he hides it, doesn't tell me shit either way.

It grates on my nerves, yet I never say a word.

I'm scared.

Every day, I'm scared of something happening, but I'm not 100% positive of what he's doing.

He still works for Carlisle. He still deals with his uncle…and my boyfriend has more cash than he knows what to do with.

As an HVAC technician…I knew all that money wasn't coming from broken heaters.

Otherwise, our relationship is the same as it's always been. We're happy. We have passionate sex—we make love every single night—and we've grown closer.

I just don't know where his money comes from.

That's why I'd hoped to win the lottery.

Between school, traveling to and from campus, studying, and homework, I figured I could get a part-time gig, which will help out. I know it'll only be chump change in comparison, but I felt helpless.

I knew I had to confront Edward, but I needed a job first.

There was no way I could bitch or moan or even question how he makes a living when I'm not making anything.

That's the way I saw it.

A local clothing shop—V.I.M.—was hiring, and I had an hour until Edward would be home. He hates when I walk around our neighborhood. I know why. I agree with him, but when I saw the Help Wanted sign while I was on the bus…I quickly dinged the bell to let me get off.

Edward takes me to campus every morning I have classes. And I've been taking buses from school because trains are nowhere near Kingborough. It's a hike and a half to the subway, but it only takes one transfer on the bus.

When I entered the store, I peered around for a manager, anyone who looked as though they worked here. But I couldn't tell who was who. No one was wearing a uniform.

The urban clothing boutique had people in street clothes littered here and there.

I walked to the cash register. "Excuse me?"

The blonde chick, who chewed like a sow gave me some shifty look. "Can I help you?" She appraised me and popped her gum.

I couldn't help but grin since this moment felt so awkward—for no reason whatsoever.

Bitches and their attitudes astound me. "Are you guys hiring?"

She rolled her eyes, although I didn't know what the problem was once again. "Terry!" She hollered. "Yo, Terry!"

Following her line of sight, I saw a young black guy wearing a do-rag walking over. "What'chu want?" he asked her.

She tilted her head my way. "Shorty wants to talk to you."

Terry smiled at me, straightening up, and he looked more professional without the swag. "How can I help you?"

"I saw the sign…" I pointed to the window. "I'd like an application, please."

"All right." He nodded. "It's not much…just two or three days a week, afternoons. The position hardly qualifies as part-time. I've had some trouble filling it since most seek more hours. I'm just being straight with you." He rushed that last part out.

My eyes widened because that sounded perfect. "Okay. What position is it?"

He gazed around the store. "Helping customers, making sales…you know." He shrugged. "Do you have any sales experience?"

I was caught off guard, but I tried to remember what I'd written down on previous job applications. "I have a year of customer service experience. I've handled money—worked a cash register. Um…" Internally, I winced since I'd stammered. "I'm in school three days a week, but I'm free afternoons."

"Okay…" He grinned down to me. "Can you stop by tomorrow afternoon? We'll talk more then?"

I furrowed my brow, hoping he wasn't trying to blow me off. "Sure…I can take the application with me and come back—"

"You seem like a nice girl." He cut me off. "But you come by tomorrow with your social security card, working papers, and a picture ID." He counted off his fingers. "We'll get'chu started."

I smiled. "You're giving me the job?" Ecstatic, I inhaled a deep breath. "Really? Just like that?" I snapped my fingers, shocked.

He chuckled. "Yeah…it's been a nightmare finding someone. We'll see how it goes, a trial run."

"Thank you."

He extended his hand. "I'm Terry...the manager."

"Bella." I quickly shook his hand. "Bella Swan."

He nodded, smiling as he looked around. "Okay, Bella Swan. I'll see you tomorrow—around four?"

"I'll be here," I said.

Terry tapped his knuckle to my chin. "All employees have to wear our gear. Tomorrow, we'll also pick some outfits out for you."

"Oh…" I wondered if I'd have to pay for them. The clothes in this store were expensive.

"We'll talk more tomorrow. I actually have to take off. But you have a good night."

"You, too! Thanks again." I turned and adjusted my bookbag as I left the store.

Excited, I skipped along the avenue, and I couldn't believe how easy that was. I mean, I'd been actively searching for a while now.

And I couldn't wait to tell Edward.

The trek to 59th Street only took me a few minutes, and then I turned the corner to walk down to Fourth Avenue. Since the days are shorter—due to winter rapidly approaching—it was already getting dark, and the air was chillier.

I should have worn my heavy coat today, but my red windbreaker matched my red jeans.

Trying to be fashionable is dumb if you're freezing your ass off.

What's the point of trying to color coordinate if your lips are blue?

In two days, it'll be Thanksgiving. I have no idea what we plan to do, but I was looking forward to having the long weekend off from school. I have a five-thousand word essay due for English on December 1st, so I hope to bang that out.

About to cross the street, I heard a loud whistle that I ignored.

Around here, whistling and catcalling should always be ignored.

"Yo!" some dude shouted.

I had no idea if he was talking to me, but I picked up my pace a bit as I made it to the other side of the avenue.

"Yo…Shorty." Someone tugged on my sleeve, and I hopped back. "Easy, baby." I had no idea who this guy was, but he was wearing a red shirt, and my eyes landed on the ink he had on his neck. It was red-rimmed, which meant the tat was new. And I knew he was a Blood—a gang member—by the symbol represented on his skin.

Once again, I turned toward our apartment, and I could see our stoop from the corner. "Goodnight." I walked even faster.

"Wait up…" He ran to me. "Lemme holla at'chu for a minute."

My heart rate spiked as I shook my head no.

"No?" he asked, humor present in his tone. "What set you from?"

I didn't say anything and kept it moving.

"Yo, Nes!" Another dude hollered. "Don't waste ya' time. That's Ed's girl. Come on!"

Relieved, I actually had a smile on.

"Oh, you Ed's girl?" He nudged my arm. "That supposed to mean somethin'? I dunno no Ed . . . You ain't—" he hopped in front of me to do a sign with his hands, curling his fingers "—a CK Mami?" He meant a Crip-Killer Chick, a lady Blood or whatever. Between listening to Irina and Edward trying to teach me the lay of the land, I've learned a whole new language. "You down or what?"

I'd stopped, looking to his left and his right, trying to see how I could get around him. "I'm not. Just—" I started and shut up, holding onto the straps of my knapsack.

He eyed me from head to toe, and as I got a better look at him, too—he didn't look any older than sixteen. "You're lookin' fly in that color, mama." He hummed. "I'm Nes, but you can call me Nessie. You?"

"Um…I have to go home." I tried to slide by him, but he caught my arm. All of which made me try to push past him.

"Easy," he laughed, letting me go just as fast. "What's your name? I just wanna know you."

"I gotta man," I whispered.

He threw his head back to laugh some more. "What your man gotta do with me?"

"Nes! What'chu doin'?"

Nes rolled his eyes. "They always tryin'a fuck up my game." He jerked a thumb and stared behind me. "Why youse hatin'?" He widened his arms.

When I turned, I saw he had a few friends on the corner, waiting for him or warning him.

"So…" He touched my arm again. "I'm new to the 'hood. Knaw'mean? Maybe you could show me around?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so—"

"Nes!" His friend screamed for him.

He put up a hand to stop them and then his eyes found me again.

"Look…I have a boyfriend. Okay? I'm not interested. I'm sorry." With my heart in my throat, I took another step forward.

"Oh…you live down here?" Casually, he started to walk with me. "This is a rough 'hood for someone that looks as sweet as you. You shouldn't be walking alone."

I cringed, not saying a word.

"I'm sayin', though…If you rolled with me, you'd never walk alone…I'm mean, I'm just an associate now." He sidestepped closer, but his words—him being an associate, and Edward having told me what that meant—it meant he wasn't exactly a member of the gang just yet. It's a process or something.

"Why you so quiet for?" he asked.

I had no reply except... "I have a boyfriend. He usually walks me."

"I don't see him anywhere." His head whipped to and fro. "You really gonna dis me, baby?" he asked.

"NES!" His friend was even louder than before.

Afraid, I stayed silent, as we passed by a stoop that had a few guys sitting there. Since no one was near our place—not Emmett or Jasper or anyone I knew, and Edward's van wasn't in the driveway either—I lingered by my neighbor's building; meanwhile, I don't know those guys either.

Nes looked behind me to them before meeting my gaze once more. "It's like that?" he asked me. "You rock my colors but chill wit' the boys in blue?" He wasn't talking about police officers.

"Everything okay?" a man asked me, his eyes settling on Nes. "Yo, homie…You don't belong on this block."

"Nes! What the fuck, man!?" His friend shouted from the corner.

"I'm just walking my girl home," Nes told the man next to me.

Curious, I peeked over my shoulder to see five men dressed in blue.

They were Crips, and Bloods are coined Crip-Killas, and Crips like to smear blood...from what I've heard.

"This is my boy Ed's girl…and you don't belong on this block." The gate to the residence opened.

It made Nes back up a few steps, showing them his palms, but then he held his waist. "You don't want none of this."

My heart was pounding away in my ears, and while my brain told me to run, I was stuck. I didn't know what to do, about to piss my fucking pants.

Crip guy chuckled and pulled out a very large gun. His forearm was as high as my head, aiming for Nes, and all I could focus on was the shiny metallic barrel. "I don't…?" He made a show of loading his heat. "Break yourself before I break you. You feel me?"

"Bella!" Irina shrieked as she ran toward me, and I'd never been so happy to see her. "Yo…put the gats away. What the fuck?" She waved her arms and faced Nes. "Nestor, you live here five fuckin' minutes and you startin' trouble already? Get the fuck outta here!" She pushed him toward the street, and like magic…Nes cackled, running away to join his friends.

Irina faced the dudes behind me. "Los, put that shit away, man. Nes is just a kid—a dumb kid, but he ain't even worth the bullet."

"Ri-Ri, I always been cool wit'chu, but you need to tell yo' cousin to step off." Los told Irina as he put his gun back in his waist. "This is a blue block. You know this."

Irina blew out a breath. "He knows better, all right?" She faced me. "You okay, B?"

"Oh…baby girl, you okay? He didn't do nothin', right?" Los placed his hand on my shoulder, and I almost jumped out of my skin. "Ed's my man. I got ya' back. No worries." He showed me his empty hands. "That cat do somethin'?"

"I…no, he didn't," I whispered. "He just…I dunno. He didn't do anything wrong." My sneakers were interesting, and I was a second away from crying. "I have to go…Thank you," I told Los. "Um…"

"Tell Ed I said wassup." He winked.

"Okay. Thanks." I gulped, backing away from them. "Bye." I turned and then I ran. It was just a short sprint to our stoop, but when I heard rapid footsteps following, my legs carried me even faster.

"Bella, it's just me!"

Hearing Irina's voice, I paused on the steps, my chest heaving.

Irina laughed when she reached me. "You're all right, okay? Nes is just some dumb kid—moved here from East New York, my li'l cousin. He thinks he's down. I dunno why my aunt thought he'd be better off in this shit hole," she sighed, looking up the street. "All he's doin' now is rollin' with a different crew."

I nodded, still trying to catch my breath. Nes talking to me and following me made me leery. Los pulling out his gun, scared the fuck out of me, even if he was trying to protect me.

"He probably just wanted your number—thought you were cute."

"Okay," I said.

"Can you do me a favor?" she asked.

"What?" I almost choked on my words.

"Don't say shit to your man?" She grabbed my hand. "Please. Ed'll fuckin' . . . You know how he get."

"I won't," I whispered.

She stared at my clothes. "I know red's your favorite color, but you should start wearin' purple or some shit." Irina, who's cool with everyone around here, colorblind like Edward, turned for the sidewalk again. "I'll holler at'chu later."

"Bye…" I waved at her retreating form.

At the same time, I saw Edward's van driving down the block. I'd never been happier to see him, while a large part of me wished he'd arrived five minutes earlier.

No, I don't.

Edward would get too upset and then do something stupid—possibly get in trouble.

When he pulled into the driveway, my heart rate started slowing down but was still speeding away. I was relieved but still nervous and startled. After Edward shut off the radio and killed the engine, I noticed Los and his boys make their way over.

"No…" I whined to myself and sank back into the door.

"Yo, Ed!" Los widened his arms, giving Edward a one-armed hug. "The X-Man!" Los was very enthusiastic to see him, friendly.

Then they started whispering, and I wished I could see Edward's face so I'd know what was going on.

I knew the moment they'd told him, as his shoulders stiffened.

"Ride wit' me…point 'em out," Edward laughed that sinister little chuckle of his.

"I got'chu." Los ran to the passenger side along with two of his friends who entered the back.

"Edward!" I shouted.

He pointed to me. "Get in the house!"

I shook my head. "Edward, please—" I started down the steps. "I'm fine and nothing happened!"

"Get in the fuckin' house!" He snapped. "Now!" Edward made to get into the van again.

Knowing he'd take time out of his mission to physically force me inside, I stopped where I was and the floodgates opened.

Tears streamed down my cheeks while Edward tore out of the driveway again—Los and his boys riding with him.

Thanks for reading.

HAVE FAITH IN ME. The next few chaps are angsty ones. Again, the story will be wrapped at 40 chaps.

Please leave me your thoughts.