Page 24Shooting up

Esmeralda took the time to look me over. She was still a little bit affected by the alcohol, but at least she didn't sway or blink too often. The mind behind her eyes though appeared to be thinking rather deeply. I hoped that the new clothes were the only things she found odd about me. But, I don't know something in her eyes told me her thoughts were a little cleverer than that.

Sometimes it's bad to be right.

"Amy, are you on drugs?"

I blinked in surprise. "Drugs? No! Why?"

"No, really, if you are it's totally cool. I know plenty of people who do the odd pill or stuff. It's really alright if you do anything."

Well, drinking blood, even though it couldn't be classified as an addiction as it was a necessity, was a little bit of a drug for me. Especially lately it seemed. But that wasn't what she was thinking and not what I wanted her to think.

"I don't do drugs."

Esmeralda looked at me again, thoughtful and calm. "A friend of mine was addicted to crack, she looked even paler I think. But I didn't say anything about it because your eyes were alright."

I blinked again, intensely aware of doing so. I could feel my eyelids moving over my eyes, closing, opening again. The light that was shut out and came back.

"What?"

Esmeralda sighed. "I guess I've had my share of addicts around me. I've only done some cannabis myself with friends, but as I don't smoke I never really picked up on it." She smiled a little. "I still drink too much now and then."

I giggled. "Yeah, I noticed that. And the red eyes are a symptom?"

She nodded. "Irritated eyes, often bloodshot. Pale skin and irritability. Don't worry though, you weren't grumpy at all."

I smiled. "But I don't do drugs. I don't even drink alcohol or coffee."

She looked surprised. "Aw, but you must have fun sometimes."

I grinned. "Oh, I do."

She laughed. "Oh, you naughty girl!"

Her intonation immediately made me understand how she meant it. Definitely not what I did. Though, maybe a little. I did seduce, flirt and sometimes kiss. But no further. Why? Well, I didn't really have any experience with it next to that night with Hitori and Khuna. Though her words had made me blush, that memory made me blush even more. Fortunately for me, Esmeralda (probably) thought it was all her.

"I'm just teasing. Don't worry about it."

I smiled back, my blush fading. "It's okay. I'm kind of used to it."

"So, eh... Normally runaways don't have enough money to buy the type of clothes you have. Those are new brand clothes, how did you get them? Stealing?"

I wanted to be open about this, also to see her reaction. "Indirectly maybe. The money wasn't mine precisely."

She didn't look at all affronted. I was intrigued. "Do tell?"

"Well, I kind of took it from a guy I met in a bar. He was mean to the waitress and me and this was partly how I made him pay." I giggled a little bit. "Literally."

"Should I watch my money when I hug you?"

It took a few moments before I realized what she meant. I wasn't sure if it was an accusation or a joke and, as such, I had no idea how to respond but the plain, slightly surprised way. "I'm not a pickpocket if that's what you meant..."

She asked the question that had been on my mind, kind of, the last few days. "Do you oppose it?"

I decided to come as clear as I could, both to her and myself. "To be honest, I don't know. I used to be fully against stealing, but I've felt the rush it brings as well. As long as someone doesn't physically or mentally suffer inappropriately of the theft, I don't think it's fully wrong."

She nodded slowly and then shook her head a little. "We need to repeat this discussion when my head is more clear, will you remind me?"

I smiled. "I will." And I knew I would. The way she asked questions was intriguing. I wanted to ask her about Seriph and the playground but she would remember and I had the feeling she didn't trust me fully yet. If she really did know anything about either of them, now was not the time to ask.

Curiosity killed the cat.

But I'm immortal.

Still, patience is, annoyingly so, a virtue.

Time to go to a completely different subject. "So, Esmeralda, how difficult and expensive would it be to find a private room where I would feel less of a bother?"

"You're staying in the city? Great!"

That wasn't exactly what I said, though I suppose it was implied. Clever girl sometimes. "I'm thinking about it. Well?"

"Oh, eh. I guess it's affordable. But you need a decent income if you want anything for you alone. But if you don't care about sharing rooms and such, it's very doable on a budget."

"I guess I'll have to find a way to make money first."

She grinned. "Earn money. Making money is usually a very dangerous idea."

I laughed. "Do you think Josh will mind if I stay a few more nights?"

"Hey, some people stay there for months at a time. If you've got some money left though, Josh wouldn't mind a contribution to the beer fund." She winked playfully. "No pressure though, you have plenty of time to find something first."

"Thanks." I smiled. "You're a real life-safer."

She grinned. "Well, it's the least I could do after you so valiantly saved me from the evil clutches of those perverts. I mean, I like sex just like the next girl, possibly more, but those guys would have been crap. Come on, let's head back."

"To the bar or the Cathedral?"

She looked at me slightly surprised, thought for a moment but took a simple decision. "Nah, more alcohol would really mess me up. Mind walking back to the Cathedral with me or did you leave a poor, heartbroken guy behind in the bar?"

I smiled, not giving in to her tease this time. "Let's go."

Oddly enough, Amy usually writes quite neatly (though I do fix the odd typo) with hardly any changes or noticable edits, but the two 'present tense' lines were written after what looked like the same sentences crossed through using past tense. It appears she did wite it like that on purpose.