Ceasefire {girlxgirl}

Sept

Molly hesitated for a moment before her jaw set and she sat gingerly on the edge of the other chair across from Mr Ross, setting her books down on his desk. I could tell from the way she clasped her hands in her lap that she was nervous, but intent on proving – whether to me or Mr Ross – that she wasn't the uptight prude we knew her to be.

                'Magical,' I commented, highly amused, before gesturing to Mr Ross to produce the baggie I'd returned yesterday.

                'Who's paying me for this?' he demanded, still eyeing Molly warily. We all knew it was dangerous for her to be there, and that the only reason she'd stayed was that I'd basically dared her, but he wasn't about to call me out on it right in front of her.

                'I will,' she volunteered brazenly, tossing her head so her hair fell away from her face, her expression determined. 'It sounds like Ivy's tab might force her to bankruptcy soon anyway.'

                'This is so awesome,' I commented, thoroughly entertained. 'You heard the woman – make with the drugs.'

                Shaking his head like he wanted to refuse, Mr Ross nonetheless reached under his desk where he has a secret drawer and produced the baggie. 'Fifteen euro,' he told her, and I felt my face fall in protest.

                'Hey!'

                He glanced at me, shrugging one shoulder. 'Half price for first-time customers,' he reminded me, and I scowled.

                'What about the family and friends discount?'

                'Ivy, if I made you pay me everything you owe me right now, do you even know how much that would be?'

                I muttered incoherently.

                'A lot. If I wasn't giving you special consideration, you'd have found a severed animal head in your bed months ago.'

                'That's disgusting,' Molly commented mildly, handing over the money. I was impressed; I'd always figured if she ever found herself in a social situation with Mr Ross she pander and simper and basically misplace half of her IQ.

                'Welcome to the seedy underbelly of the Allexton crime sect,' he countered, producing some skins and starting to roll a spliff. Deftly, Molly dipped her fingers into the bag and started to work on her own; I gaped at her, impressed.

                'What?' she asked defensively, when she caught me. 'I watch TV.'

                Soon the small office was filling with the sickly smell of weed smoke and Mr Ross opened a window to clear the air. We relaxed back into our seats and let the calming sensations wash over us until, inevitably, someone got the giggles.

                Unsurprisingly given the combination of weed and caffeine, it was me.

                'What's that video,' I demanded of Mr Ross, 'that we watched before, with the cat?' He gazed at me perplexedly. 'You know, where he does that thing, the funny... No?'

                He frowned in concentration for a moment while Molly inhaled deeply on her spliff, then snapped his fingers. 'On YouTube.'

                'Exactly!' I agreed enthusiastically.

                He pulled his laptop towards him and opened it, turning it on and waiting for it to boot up. 'Ah, shit,' he muttered, tapping a few keys and then sighing in annoyance.