[Completed✔] Born and raised in Tulsa, Jade Phelan reminisces her youth with a group of dealers who attempt to make a better life for themselves and the yearning she felt for one of them.
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June 7th, 1989. 4:12 P.M.
Owning a car brought a lot more freedom, I didn't realise I was missing out on until I got one.
Dallas showed me how to do a car deal. I had to learn how to act, as I couldn't bring suspicion over people coming in and out of the car. That would raise more alarm bells than one.
After school, I sold the last dime bag of the week. I was happy about it because that meant I didn't have to lug anything around and worry about it. I counted the cash for the week, and realised one note had some sort of sticky residue on it. It smelt weird, and grossed me out.
I left the car and wandered into the building to the closest girls bathroom. As I opened the swinging door, I heard someone sobbing. It was only when it slams that they stopped, fearing someone had heard them. I shook it off, it wasn't any of my business.
I turned the tap on and washed my hands. I kept hearing sniffling, and checked under the stalls. I see a pair of familiar shoes. My nosy nature gets the best of me, and I pretended to leave by shutting the door. The bathroom stall slowly cracked open, and Evie flooded out.
She glares in the mirror, and applies lipstick to her teary face. She sees me in the corner of her eye, and is shocked by my presence. Her face turns sour, "Oh, piss off you dumb..." she couldn't even finish her thought, she was so upset. Evie wipes her eyes, "Why don't you go back..." she tried again but failed.
"Don't cry." I pleaded, trying to comfort her, but she made it hard. I started to remember all the times she was terrible towards me.
"Just leave me the hell alone!" she shouted, throwing her lipstick across the floor at me. I picked it up and placed it on the ridge of the sink as a sign of peace.
"I just don't get it. What does Lynn have that I don't!?" she wept, "I mean she's about to get married, and is having a baby, and I'm stuck here... All alone, with a boy who won't commit. I'm such a failure!"
"Don't think like that." I consoled her.
"She has everything I want!" Evie cried.
I suddenly knew how she felt. I wanted what Lynn had as well. "At least you're on your way to finishing high school. She dropped out at like 14." I told her. I could see she was really listening to what I was saying. It was making an impact on her.
"You've got so much to live for. I mean you're both so young. You don't need to be married this young, and with someone like Dallas. Trust me."
I listened to myself speak, and things were becoming so clear to me. She glances at me with wet eyes, "Really?" she blubbered.
"Steve will come around. He's not ready for marriage. He wants to make money and a life first, so if you do get married and have kids, then they'll have a much better life than the one we're living. You'll both leave this town and go on to do great things. Just give it time."
Evie cracked a smile. It felt good to make her happier, the truth was she wasn't a failure. For once I realised maybe she's a lot nicer when the others weren't around... and maybe I was as well...
