Undefined Life of Mine

“Please keep your ears open and eyes alert. We don’t need to die here.” I tell my guards before walking into a building which reeked of alcohol and bud. Whiskey burned my nose and made me want to throw up.
Steven walked with me with a case in his hand and a gun at his side.
“Nervous?” Steven whispers.
“Almost always,” I breathe out and kept my hands fisted in my pockets of my coat.
The walls in the hall were badly painted and some of the paint was chipping off. The rug was a filthy brown and had random stains. Each door we passed was gray and had a room number with a letter. We needed to get to 5D, which was at the top floor.
We walked upstairs and when we got to floor C, I saw a little girl lying on the ground, hugging a teddy bear. Her hair was greasy and her face and clothes were dirty. I wanted to see if she was alright but Steven kept pushing me forward, telling me that we don’t have enough time.
Once we reached 5D, we both heard yelling and violent movement on the other side of the door. I stared at Steven, whose hand slowly sets itself over the gun. I knock on the door and suddenly, it swings open. Standing at the door was a tanned skin muscular man. Tattoos almost all over him, brown eyes stared at me then at Steven.
“Hurry up and get in here. Boss is a little edgy.” There was blood in the corner of his mouth and a red mark on his face.
We move in to find the place nearly torn apart. Furniture was thrown around and was upside down. Food was on the floor and bottles of alcohol laid around.
“Who’s here?!” I nearly jump as one of my father’s buyer’s walk in; dressed in filthy clothes. His crazy eyes stare at me and then he smiles? He smiles big.
“Melony! You have the stuff!” He then rushes over to the couch, flipping it back over again, sitting and assuring me to sit next to him. I do, but not close.
“Of course I have the stuff.” I chuckle and steadied my business voice. I put on a mask for a show and destroyed any sign of weakness. I crossed my legs and sat back.
“What happened to your beautiful face…” he reached out, and then brought his hand back, repeating this action, not even close to touching me.
“Nothing,” I answer him, feeling annoyed with this meth head. “Now, let’s get to business.” I force my smile and glance at Steven, who’s really tense.
“Yes, lets,” He then snaps his fingers frantically, calling someone to come in. The man from earlier walked in with a dark man who kept his eyes on my body. I ignored him, though I knew his thoughts were quite disgusting.
“Now, I’ve spoken with Joseph,” I say and stretch out my hand for Steven to hand over the case of meth that could get you in jail for almost a decade. “He said this will be three gran.” I hold it tightly.
“Three?!” He’s angry now and nothing is more dangerous than a meth head on a rampage. “He said two!” I narrowed my eyes at him and felt my jaw tense.
“He told me three.” My words were cold, nerve racking. I can’t believe what kind of person my father has turned me into.
“Really because he told me two, it’s been the same damn price for a year now, Melony!”
His hands were fisted and before I knew it, a gun is being pointed at me. My insides turn but I stare at it soullessly. Memories of last night flood my head but I push it all away. This is me, Melony, the strong one, the one who isn’t afraid of this bullshit.
“I think it’s two.” He says, eyes scan over my body. “Now, I will pay three if you and I were alone for a while.” He winks.
“Oh Bert,” I shake my head, before standing up. “There’s one thing you should never do and that’s pulling a gun out on me.” I then gave the case back to Steven who was still close to pulling out his own gun. “And every time a gun is pulled out on me, the price rises up one.” I then smile and cock my head to the side. “You were right about the price being two but since you pulled out a gun, well, now it’s three.”
All eyes were on me and the gun was shaking in his hand now. I stared at his cold eyes; they were soulless, completely soulless. He was lost, just by staring at his eyes, I know he’s been lost for years.
“You tricked me.” He murmurs and attempts to swing the gun at my face but Steven’s hand wrapped around his wrist, shoving him back and pulling out his own gun. He points it at Bert and stares.
“Attempting to hit raises it up one, too. Now you owe four.” Steven hisses and pulls back the safety on the weapon. Bert’s eyes were staring in fear now and I couldn’t help but smile.
Stop this, get the money and leave, a little voice in the back of my head said but I ignore.
“Now pay us before I have my men shoot this place down.”
“You wouldn’t!” he cries out.
“I would.” I sneer and Steven glances at me. Bert snaps his fingers and some girl with matted hair runs in with a bag. She hands it to me, avoiding eye contact.
“Now you and I both know that this is only two, so you’ll be getting half the offer.” I smile; he glares.
“How am I—“
“You can pay back the additional two in a week.” I then gestured for Steven to hand over two bags of meth. He does so, quickly, placing them on the coffee table. Steven then keeps the rest of the drugs to his side, putting his gun away.
“And if I don’t?” Bert growls, grabbing one of the bags and began to open it.
“Then you’ll be visited by Joseph and you’ll find out what happens when you fuck with his money.” I snap. Steven then pushes me towards the door.
Once we got outside, the mask came off and I felt anxiety stab me in the chest. We then rushed out the small building and I began to shake. Once the door closed, I leaned against the wall with my face in my hands.
“When did I become so cold?” I ask Steven who was standing in front of me. The stuff was in his hands and he looked uneasy too.
“You didn’t become cold; you just need to be cruel to achieve these things.” He spoke. I let out a shaky sigh.
“I’m going to kill that bitch!” We both hear from the inside and began to rush away. Great, a death threat, just what I needed.

Once we got the money back home, my dad was in the kitchen in a middle of a bargain. I couldn’t quite see with whom but the voice sounded familiar…
I jogged to the basement and was met with pain and nausea. Whether it was from the smell and the memories, this place was going to break me down and kill me.
I dropped the bag of cash and drugs and started to write a note explaining why drugs were left over. I then grabbed the next address from the shoe box and ran outside ready to go. Once I got into the car I handed over the address to Steven. His eyes stayed on me though, his eyebrows furrowed.
“I actually thought I was going to use the gun.” He whispered. “I thought I was going to kill someone.” Two men then sat in the backseat.
“Me too, but maybe this time you won’t have to pull out the gun.”

The drive didn’t take long but the dealing did. Apparently the buyer was running late, which annoyed me.
I kept tapping my foot, moving a lot, I was starting to look like a damn addict. Steven had the case of weed kept safe, while our men stood outside.
“He will see you now,” we hear from another door. The woman was dressed fancy and looked clean. We stood up and walked toward her. When we entered the room, it smelled of cinnamon and cigars. It was basically a study and just like us, he had two men standing at the door. Steven and I took our seats in leather black chairs staring at one of my father’s new buyers.
He was different than most, older than most. Slightly fat, short, like an Italian mafia leader.
He was drinking from a glass and there was a gold ring on his pinkie. He wore expensive clothes, which made me feel cheap in my black jeans and black tank top with a coat and cloves. His name was Marlin, Marlin Russo.
“Why is a child here?” I thought Joseph’s dealers were here?!” He yells out.
“We are the dealers, sir.” Steven says and glances at me.
“And Joseph has me in shock,” Marlin’s eyes go to me. “How old are you, my child?” I stare at him; no one really cared for my age. It was get the drugs and leave.
“I don’t think that’s important.” I answer, then cross my legs and lean back.
“Oh,” he laughs, taking a drink from his glass. “My dear, everything I ask is important. Now, answer the question.”
In the corner of my eye, I saw Steven shift uncomfortably in his seat. I then let out a deep sigh and tried not to sound weak.
“I’m seventeen.” I answer and started to notice my fingers were trembling.
“So young!” He’s really surprised, it’s kind of amusing. “Now tell me, why are you doing this?” he asks and my mind goes blank. Why am I doing this? Well, it’s either this or die. Get punished for not getting dad’s precious money.
“Being forced, Mr. Russo.” I answer and feel that hot feeling of thrashing out, breaking loose of someone’s grasp.
“Please call me Marlin.” His greenish gray orbs sparkle a little. “Now you remind me of someone, but I can’t put my finger on it.” He presses his index finger on his lips, then runs his hand through his dark brown gray hair.
“Can we just do the deal so we,” I gesture to Steven, “can leave?”
“No, not yet. Don’t be rude,” his eyes darkened a little. “It’s always good to make friends with your dealers.”
“Not to me or Joseph.” I say bluntly.
“Don’t be smart with me, dear.” He glares. “Now would you want something to dear, drink?” He asks nicely suddenly. “Would you like some cappuccino? My daughter used to love cappuccino…of course till she disappeared.”
“I would like some.” I stare.
“Me too,” Answers Steven. Marlin smiles, then presses a button. The woman from earlier entered.
“Yes, sir?” she spoke.
“Please bring us two cups of cappuccino and another cup of wine for me, please.”
“As you wish,” she says and turns away.
“Oh, and Karen?” she looks back. “When will my wife be getting here?” he asks with worry.
“She called, sir, saying she’ll be home in an hour. Mrs. Russo says she bought your birthday present.” She smiled, her teeth perfect. I glanced at Steven, who kept checking his watch.
“Splendid, thank you.” He waved her off and suddenly his eyes are on me.
“Is today your birthday?” I ask.
“No, it’s in a couple of days,” he answers with a nod.
“Oh, you could of gotten a good deal; course you could of lied.” I shrugged.
“Lying isn’t exactly my forte, dear. I’ve been lied to all my life; I will not be like them.” He says sternly and I let the words settle in…
Reminds me of mom…
“Lying isn’t exactly my forte.”
Now I’m shaking and my nerves are rattling. I miss mom. I need her. She could have got me out of here.
“Nice form of words.” I whispered as soon as Karen came in with a tray holding three cups. She handed me a warm glass cup that had whip and cinnamon on top. There was a red straw sticking out and it smelled delicious.
“Why thank you.” Marlin smiles at me, receiving his glass of wine. Once Karen gave Steven his cup, she left. I took a sip of my drink and it bathed my tongue with sweet heaven. The taste made me smile and the way the warm liquid went down my throat made me feel all warm and safe.
I look up to see Marlin’s mouth slightly parted. I feel embarrassed; slightly because I was distracted by something so nice.
“Funny, my daughter used to make the same face whenever she had a cappuccino.” He sits back and takes a sip of his wine, propping his feet on his desk. Steven glanced at me but I ignored his gaze and placed my cup between my legs.
“Can we get back to the deal, sir?” I coughed. I have school tomorrow.
“Ah, yes, of course.” He smiles brightly.