The Beginning of the End, Part 34

I suddenly felt better than I had in a while. I let the drug take me where I wanted to be – away from the fear and the pain and the anger. I took hit after hit and laughed with Melanie and relaxed for the first time in a long time. Bobby concentrated on cooking up rocks and keeping us happy, and watched us through the smoke of his own hits.

“You know what?” I asked lazily, feeling the need to express my newfound feelings. “You guys are the best. I mean it!” I insisted, as Bobby started to laugh.

“Only because we got the rocks,” he said with a grin.

“Not true,” I responded. “ I haven’t made many friends since I’ve been here. Only Marc. And no girlfriends at all.”

Melanie giggled. “I’m your girlfriend,” she said earnestly, giving me a hug.

Bobby shook his head at the two of us and rolled his eyes. Melanie’s hug felt good, and I almost didn’t want to let go. Human contact that wasn’t dirty, or violent, or evil… Just a good friend being there for you. I really needed that.

“You know, I feel almost like we’re sisters,” Melanie told me a minute later. “I always wanted a sister.”

“Me, too,” I agreed.

“You don’t have a sister either?” she asked with eyes wide.

“Nope,” I replied, exhaling from yet another hit. “Only a younger brother.”

“I have an older brother! Wow, see, we’re so much alike!” Melanie looked almost ready to start clapping her hands and cheering – almost. I had to laugh, she was so young, and so naïve… I wanted to tell her the last thing she should want was to be like me.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. I felt my heart leap and my eyes widen as Bobby got up to see who it was.

The door opened and Kevin and Marc walked in, with Kevin looking a bit panicked.

“Jesus, Dasi!” he said when he saw me. “You had me worried! Thank God you’re here!”

“Wow, is it that late already?” I commented.

“Yeah, it is,” Kevin said pointedly. “Here Marc and I come home to find the place empty, and I had no idea…”

I went up to Kevin and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for your concern, but I’m fine,” I assured him. “Bobby and Melanie have been taking good care of me.”

“Until now,” Bobby chimed in. “My guy is dry. You got cash and a connect, bro?”

“Some,” Kevin said. “And yeah, Arturo or Polon should be doing business. I’ll need to make a call.” He turned to Marc. “You got cash too, right?”

Marc nodded. “Not a lot, but enough for a couple.”

Melanie suddenly sat up from the bed she had been laying on. “Hey!” she exclaimed. “I can get money!”

Bobby looked at her from under his ever present baseball cap. “You told me you had nothing,” he accused.

“Well, I don’t,” she admitted, “but I can get some. What time is it?”

I looked at the red glowing numbers on the digital clock. “Twelve thirty-eight.”

“And what day is it?”

Marc rolled his eyes. “Are you serious?”

“Friday,” I supplied.

“Perfect!” she said, jumping off the bed and rummaging through her purse.

“What are you doing?” I asked her.

Melanie smiled triumphantly as she held up her prize: a very unassuming key.

“This is the key to my house. My parents thought I left it when I ran away, but I actually had a copy made. Billy is away at college, and usually on weekends my parents go to Tahoe. Sooooo,” she explained.

Bobby smiled. “I like the way you think,” he said, grabbing her and kissing her hard.

I wasn’t so sure. Was she talking about robbing her own house? What if her parents weren’t in Tahoe? What if she had nosy neighbors? My high was suddenly disappearing rapidly.

“So, what are you saying?” Kevin asked, reading my thoughts. “That we go and rob your own parents?”

“No, silly!” Melanie scoffed. “Not rob, borrow. Besides, technically they owe me for the college money they won’t have to spend. Daddy has a safe that he keeps cash in for emergencies. I think this is an emergency, don’t you?”

They guys were already nodding in agreement, but I still felt uneasy.

“He thinks I don’t know the combination, but I do. Always have. I used to take money from it sometimes, just little bits, and he never knew.” She turned to Bobby with excitement. “We can get enough to buy a ton of shit and then sell a bunch to make more money and get that apartment we want! And still probably be able to party ourselves! It can work, I know it can!”

Bobby chewed his lip. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea.” He turned to Kevin. “Can your guy get quantity?”

“I don’t know,” Kevin replied honestly. “It’s not like I ever had any reason to ask.”

“How much cash does your dad keep there?” Bobby asked Melanie.

“Usually a few grand,” she said, eyes lit up. “You know, a lot of money!”

Bobby turned to Kevin. “Call your guy and see how much he can get tonight. Tell him you got a big deal.”

“I can do that,” Kevin said.

“Then we drive out to Melanie’s,” Bobby continued. “In and out, just in case.”

Melanie shrugged. “We don’t have to be in and out,” she said. “I mean, think about it, a safe place to party for a while…”

Marc finally chimed in. “But what if they come home?”

“They won’t,” Melanie said confidently. “If they’re not there now, they won’t be home at least until tomorrow afternoon. Margaritas with the Tahoe neighbors keeps them busy on their Friday nights.”

“Melanie, are you sure about this?” I asked nervously.

“If she says she’s sure, she’s sure, babe,” Kevin crooned, putting his arm around me.

“I’m sure,” Melanie insisted. "Besides, it's not illegal to go into your own house with a key, is it?"

Kevin pulled his arm away. “I’ve got a phone call to make,” he said, heading for the door. “Back in a flash.”

“And then it’s time to roll,” Bobby said as Kevin left.

Melanie, Bobby and Marc smiled and laughed as they talked about the big score, but I sat on the bed with the familiar knot forming in my stomach. This just didn’t feel right. But I knew that regardless of my feelings, it was going to happen. And that I would be a part of it.