Exposure

Chapter 12

The hot breeze flows through the trees. I can feel my makeup smudging, because I'm sweating so much. Even with the wind it feels like it's eighty degrees out. Or maybe it's just because I'm standing in front of the most messed up guy in town.

"I gave you what you wanted at the festival. Did you fucking use it already?" Adrien asks. I wipe the sweat off my face. I can't help but notice the girl next to Adrien. Her dark blue eyes pierce my face, and I feel like bolting...or crying.

"No," I say quietly. "I want more...for tonight. I'm going to a party and I want it to be amazing. I just want to forget about everything."

"You're going to Chase's party?" the girl asks me.

"I guess. I was invited. Who's Chase?" She steps forward and puts out her right hand.

"Chase is my older brother. My name is Eve." I don't know why she scared me. She seems surprisingly nice. Maybe I was scared because she's bigger than I am. About a good foot taller, and a little bigger around the chest and thighs. Her hair color is an attractive dark red.

"Ivy," I say to her. I turn back to Adrien who is rubbing the back of his neck impatiently.

"I'll give you more, but not for free this time."

"That's okay. I brought money." I hurriedly pull out the two twenties from the pocket on the top of my dress. I show him the money, but the look on his face makes me bring my hand back.

"Forty dollars? That's adorable, and exactly what I would expect from you. This isn't going to get you shit."

"This is all I have. Please Adrien, I need this," I plead. Eve grabs the money out of hand, and then pulls out money from her pocket.

"No sweat. I know how you feel," she says. She shoves all the money at him. "Give the girl some slack. Remember when I bought from you the first time?"

"Yeah," Adrien scoffs. "You could have done my laundry instead of giving me that fucking rip off."

"A rip off was screwing your brother. Good thing he's not here, right?" Adrien suddenly goes quiet. The emotion erases from his face as he hands me the pills.

"Get out of here," he says flatly. I turn around, appalled at what Eve said. She pretty much just asked to be killed, and I'm not gonna stick around to see what Adrien will do next.

As I'm about to pull into our driveway, I see Danny standing on the porch, motioning me to keep going. She must know that I'm looking for Peter. At least she's home, and safe. I owe Peter big time.

Both Peter's screen door, and house door are closed. I knock on it twice, but after a few moments, nobody answers. I suddenly feel someone behind me, and when I turn around, Peter is walking up his driveway with long strides. I'm still sweating from the heat, so I wipe my face again. I notice Peter's face is red and he's breathing heavily. His car is parked on the opposite side of the road.

"Where did you go?" he asks me in a harsh voice.

"I-I went to get soda for the party." I can't help but stutter. I can't lie, but I have too. I clench my hands together, but Peter tears them apart, clenching onto my wrist. He pulls me onto his porch and opens the doors into his house. I wince as his grip tightens. "What's wrong with you?" I ask.

"Ivy stop. I know what you did." I can feel my face heat up. How does he know where I went? Was he stalking me?

"I can explain everything," I lie. My mind rambles with excuses for what I'm going to say. His eyes pause on me, daggering into my skin. Accusing me.

"You have an explanation for buying drugs?"

"I mean it's not what you think. Please let go of me." He lets go and I take a seat on his couch.