Peach Cocaine

Oliver let out a flood of air from his nose as he wiped his hair and face off with an already damp towel. His plan had been a success thus far, now he just needed to wait for the final results. He had never considered killing a human being before, and is it really even regarded that if it is indirect? Oliver supposed it was, but he didn’t give it a second thought once he made his way over to Matt and Jona, both of them enjoying a cold Heineken.

Jona offered one to Oliver, but he dismissed it with a wave and smile.

“How are things with you and the miss?” Matt asked.

Earlier, before they all had to get on stage, Matt had been drowning him in questions about Casey. Oliver would get one word out and Matt was already pouncing on the next one, it frustrated him so much he barged out on stage before any of the other members were ready.

The crowd went wild at the sight of him as he bounced around on the platform. It definitely relieved his anger, especially when he spotted Joey in the sea of people.

“We’re brilliant,” Oliver’s lips pursed momentarily until his mouth formed into a toothy smile. He leaned back on a chair, letting out another heavy sigh. Oliver missed her dearly. Even if they couldn’t see each other for only a day or two, it felt like months, years even. He tilted his head back, staring at the world upside down.

Upside down.

How his world had been before Casey.

“Oli! Oi, Oli fuckin’ Sykes!”

He snapped his head up, “Eh?”

“Yeh ready to head home?” Matt asked, standing up and nodding toward the exit. Oliver clambered to his feet and followed suit.



“Hey, Marissa, have you seen Joey around at all today?” Casey asked.

As much as she disliked him she was still concerned about her fellow employees and their whereabouts when they are not at work and they are supposed to be. Joey hasn’t missed a single day of work since his grandmother passed away a year and a half ago. One of the few, very few, things Casey has respect for him on is his steady working. And it had been two days since his last appearance.

“Nope,” Marissa shrugged, skirting around a cart, “Maybe he’s sick?”

Casey frowned. She didn’t believe that. Joey used to constantly brag about how he is never sick to her all the time.

“Well…” Marissa suggested quietly, “He could have a major hangover? I mean, he went to some concert a few nights ago…”

“Really?” The same small frown tugged at Casey’s lips, but she didn’t think hangovers, no matter how bad, could last that long, “Hm, okay.”

A half hour later Mr. Morrison burst in, panic surfacing on his face like wild ocean waves, “You two, we need to talk. Now.” Marissa and Casey glanced at each other briefly, fear evident on her small features, as they briskly made their way to his office.

Neither one of them said a word as they sat before Morrison’s desk. He, on the other hand, muttered to himself while waving his hands around in small gestures. A thin line of sweat had built itself on his tan forehead. Mr. Morrison whirled around and pressed both his palms flat on the desk, “My daughter… Samantha, she-… she found Joey-” He broke off and wiped his brow with a kerchief, “Joey is dead.”

Marissa’s eyes grew huge like two saucers, and her thin arms hugged around herself as she hunched back in the seat as if it would protect her. Casey saw her chin quiver before the girl hid her face behind thick brown hair.

“What happened?” Casey managed out, her tongue numb in her mouth.

“Apparently, from what I was told,” Marrison began, “He choked on his own vomit and he also had a head wound to boot. Joey had been at a concert Friday night so they figured it was probably from being punched or kicked.”

“So how long has he been…”

“Since it’s Wednesday… Joey has been… gone for four days now.”



Oliver wrapped his arms slowly around Casey’s waist, nuzzling his face into her neck. Stomach twisting in knots, he kissed her tenderly on the cheek and she gave him a crooked smile. Something was the matter, but she wouldn’t say what.

She rotated herself so they were facing each and Oliver’s arms could still stay where they are at. Casey rested her brow on his chest and closed her eyes.

“‘Ey…. ‘ey… why are you crying…?”

All he received was a wild shaking of her head.

“Casey, tell me!”

After a small pause, Casey staring up at him with tear-stained eyes and biting her bottom lip, she blurts out:

“Joey! He’s dead, Oliver… dead.”

“Oh…” It was all he could respond with. His plan had actually worked.

“Joe’s funeral is this coming Saturday,” Casey said, quietly, her fingers playing with the hem of his shirt, “I’m going to it, if you want to go you can too… but no pressure, since you didn’t really know him anyway.”

Oliver nodded, “Of course I’ll go.”

A wisp of a smirk caught her mouth, “Thanks.” She crept up on her toes and kissed him on the lips lingeringly, and abruptly pulled back, “I need to get some sleep… I’m really tired.”

Casey gave him a delayed stare, as if trying to calculate something in her mind. Something that seemed off. Instead of saying anything, there was another curve of the lips, greeting Oliver’s eyes with a smile as she gradually led him to the front door.

“Good ni-”

Oliver grabbed her face with subdued hands so she was forced to look up at him and kissed her on the mouth passionately. After it was done he stared into her soft blue eyes, his own so intensely brown compared to hers.

“G’night, my love,” He murmered while opening the door, and giving her hand one last squeeze, disappearing behind it with a quiet click.