From The First Verse - M. Robinson Page 0,52
no matter what? I guess that just flew out their fuckin’ window.”
“They just want what’s best for you.”
“They have a shitty fuckin’ way of showin’ it.”
“Cash, you put them through hell, and you know it.”
“’Cuz they were always against everythin’ I wanted to do. It didn’t matter what it was, it was constant. If it didn’t fit into the perfect image of what they wanted for me, it wasn’t allowed. It wasn’t good enough. My old man is a detective. Do you have any idea how hard it was to be perfect for him? He lives by a wrong or right code, and if he thought it was wrong ... there was no gettin’ through to him.”
“You’re tellin’ me they haven’t tried to make amends? After all these years?”
“I wouldn’t know. I have no phone.”
I resisted the urge to tell her it wouldn’t matter. To hell with them. I’d prove my parents wrong the most.
“Oh my God.” Her hand flew to her forehead. “You always told me you didn’t have a cell phone ’cuz you hated the damn things. Not ’cuz you couldn’t afford one. How could I be so stupid?”
“It’s mostly ’cuz I hate the damn things.”
After all these years, I still couldn’t stand them. They were overrated, and I didn’t want anyone involved in my life. Where I was only a phone call away.
“And you have no social media.”
“Harley, social media is for people who want to show off their lives. Does it look like I have anythin’ to show?”
She was about to reply, except I rendered her speechless when I leaned forward and pulled a packet of cigarettes from my pocket.
“Whoa. When did you start smokin’?”
Looking around the room, I patted my jeans for my matches. I couldn’t afford a lighter. Fuck, I couldn’t afford cigarettes, but they were addicting as shit. Yanking them out, I lit up my cigarette. Sucking in a long, heavy drag, I blew the smoke out away from her. Knowing damn well how much she hated the cancer sticks. The disease ran in her family.
“Curbs my appetite,” I simply stated, almost causing her to burst into tears again.
“Oh my God, Cash. How did I not see this? How could I not hear it in your voice when we talked on the phone from the random numbers you’d call me from every Sunday? You’re like my brother, and I didn’t know this was the reality of your life right now. What. The. Fuck. This is not okay.”
She hurried over to me, carefully sitting on the coffee table in front of me. Not putting all her weight down on the flimsy wood.
“Listen.” She took the cigarette from my fingers and stubbed it out on the disgusting floor. “I get scholarship money from school every month I don’t need. My daddy takes care of everythin’ for me. You can have it. We can get you a decent apartment, groceries, get you back on your feet. I’ll help you, Cash.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, slightly smiling. “Still got a heart of gold I see, but I don’t need your money, darlin’.”
“I don’t give a shit about what you think you don’t need. Take a look around, Cash! I can’t keep lettin’ you live like this. This is probably why you never ask me to come visit.”
Tugging my long blond hair away from my face, I ignored her question and asked my own, “Why are you here?”
“I needed my best friend.” In true Harley form, she threw my own question back at me. “Why are you here? Why are you doin’ this to yourself? Is there somethin’ you aren’t tellin’ me? You better not be usin’ fuckin’ drugs, or I’ll drag your ass home right now!”
I busted out laughing. “Ohhh, Harley, I sure did miss you.”
She followed my lead, chugging her whole beer down while I went and got us something stronger. If my girl needed to forget, then I could do that for her.
“Oh man, are you tryin’ to get me drunk so you can tell me you’re addicted to drugs? Is that why your eyes look so red? Are you fucked up right now?”
I laughed again, big and throaty. Sitting my ass back down on the couch, I lifted the bottle up to my lips and guzzled down a long pull before handing it over to her.
“It ain’t funny. This is some serious shit.”
Harley was never the girl to back down from anything. She tried mimicking my drinking skills, instantly coughing up a lung.