Never Going Back Again

"Bitches?" That was the first thing Valencia ever heard Billy Darley say to her. It was also the first of the many insults he would ever throw at her. "I don't usually sell to bitches. Not any that look like you," he said.

"You're still not selling to bitches," Valencia frowned.

"Tell me," Billy said. "What am I selling to?" Valencia hated him. It hasn’t even been five minutes, and she already knew she hated him.

"Billy, cut it out," Valencia's friend Adalae said. "Here's the money give me my shit." She handed him a few bills. Billy looked at Adalae for a moment before putting the money in his pocket.

"You're the only bitch I let talk to me like that," he said. "But you're starting to take advantage of it." Adalae rolled her eyes. Billy reached into his bag and pulled out the goods. "That's more than enough for the both of ya," Billy said looking over at Valencia.

"Nah," Adalae said. "This is all for me and my Tommy. Val doesn't do this shit."

"What?" Billy asked looking at her. "You too good for it?"

"Yea," Valencia said nodding. "I am." Billy almost smiled, but he didn't.

"I doubt that," he said. "That all you want Adalae?" He asked. "I've gotta get back to work."

"That's it," Adalae said. "Thanks Billy."

"Yea, whatever."


Valencia hoped that she would never have to see Billy again. She hoped that she would never have to come with Adalae to score drugs again. This wasn't her scene. She was better than this whole damn city. After her parents split up when she was seventeen, Valencia, her mother, and her younger brother moved to this God forsaken city. She never did well in school until they moved. She made sure that she kept her grades up so she could make something of herself and get out of this place. Now she's in college, in the same shitty city, but she's not letting anything hold her back. She refuses to touch anything Adalae gives her. She might have a drink or two over the weekend, but that's about it. Adalae would usually laugh at her and call her a pansy when they go out. Adalae is Valencia's best and only friend. She was the first person to ever talk to Valencia when she moved, and the only person to listen to her. That's why Valencia puts up with her bad habits.

"How do you know him?" Valencia asked her friend. She watched as Adalae rolled up a twenty dollar bill and lean down, putting the bill to her nose and the powdery substance on the table. She sniffed hard.

"Who Billy?" She asked as she lifted her head and wiped her nose.

"Yea," Valencia nodded. Adalae closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair.

"He was a friend of my brother Davey," she said. "They used to hang out a lot back when they were in high school. I heard he was with Davey the night he died."

"He hasn't told you?"

"No," Adalae said as she shook her head. "He doesn't like to talk about it." She sniffed. She laid back on the love seat she and Valencia were sharing and took a deep breath. "We kind of dated for a while."

"You dated him?" Valencia asked shocked.

"Yup,” Adalae nodded with a smug smile. "First boyfriend."

"Hmmm," Valencia looked down at the table. She wondered what it was like to be Adalae. She wondered what it would be like to not have a care in the world. To only have to worry about yourself and no one else. She wondered what it was like to just let go, even if it was just for a moment. "Is that why you told him you had a boyfriend?"

"I didn't tell him I had a boyfriend Val." She smiled.

"You made it seem like you did." Valencia sat up and began twirling her hair with her finger. "This is for me and my Tommy." Valencia mimicked.

"Okay so, maybe I wanted him to think I had a boyfriend," Adalae shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"Whatever. I'm gonna get going," Valencia said as she stood up. "I've got to go see my mom."

"All right, Val. Call me."

"I will," She said as she made her way towards the door. She turned around and looked at the table once more. "Hold off on that shit, all right?"

"I ain't making no promises."


Valencia tried to visit her mom everyday. Her mother meant the world to her. She was the sweetest woman in the world. She still treated Valencia like her little baby. Her mother was born in Mexico City. She came to the states when she was fourteen, but she still doesn't quite know the language. That's why Valencia visits her everyday.

"Oh Valencia!" Her mother would say every time she would come and visit her. "Hija, come in. Siéntese, siéntese! Please tell me about your day." Valencia would give her mother a kiss on the cheek and sit down like she was told.

"I hung out with Adalae today, Ma."

"Oh, and how is she?"

"She's good Ma," Valencia said. "She says hi." Valencia watched as her mother tossed a few tortilla shells onto a large pan. "Ma, I'm not hungry."

"Ah, silencio hija," she said.

"I gain five pounds every time I come over here."

"No, hija, you're perfect," she said.

"Valencia!" Her brother Armondo said as he ran into her arms. He had just turned five. When their parents split up he wasn't even two months old. Now, at five, he was already the man of the house.

"Hey hermanito." Valencia said as she hugged him. "How ya been?"

"Good." He smiled.

"Ah ah," their mother said.

"Bueno," he sighed. Valencia laughed.

"You takin' care of the house?"

"Mmhmm," he nodded.

"Good," Valencia said. "How is school?”

"It's stupid," he whispered to her. Valencia laughed and nodded.

"I know." She smiled. "Muy estupido," she whispered. Armondo giggled. She looked over at her mom as she sat down a plate of food in front of her. "Ma, I can't eat all this," she said. "I should get going too. I've got classes tomorrow."

"Comer," she said. "Eat."

"Just a little," Valencia said. "I can't stay for too much longer."

Valencia stayed and ate everything on her plate. She and her mother knew that there was no way she could turn down anything her mother sat down in front of her. She ate it all and took an extra plate of food her mother gave her. "Thanks Ma," she said kissing her on her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Val," her brother whispered to her as he hugged her. Valencia gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Love you."

"Love you too," she said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. Promise."

As Valencia was making her way to her car, her phone began to ring. She reached into her pocket and answered it quickly. "Yea?"

"Let's hang out before you go back to school." It was Adalae. Valencia could tell she was already high.

"Adalae, we already hung out."

"I know," she said. "But, there's this party..." Valencia should've hung up after that, but she didn't. If she would've known how fucked her life would be after tonight, she would've said no.