Page 77 of Pawn

“Oh, well, this is awkward.” A voice snickers.

When I turn towards the door, Isaac’s staggering in, sunglasses on his face and it’s damn near midnight. He’s the last person I want to see right now.

“If it’s not Perez fucking with me, it’s you, Johnson,” I’m approaching him and he’s lucky we’re surrounded by cops. “Can’t stay away from her, can you?”

Isaac’s forehead wrinkles before he narrows his eyes.

“Don’t be mad that you can’t keep your girl in check,” he says with that slow slur that tells me he’s on a whole lot. “‘Cause if you could …” He smiles and I know him well enough to know his next words are about to pack a punch. “I wouldn’t have been her one phone call.”

“Fuck you, Johnson.” Pushing on his chest, it doesn’t take much for him to wobble to the floor.

“Hey!” The officer behind the desk calls. “Do we have a problem here, gentlemen?”

“Stay out of it, Damien,” Jo slurs, taking her plastic bag of belongings from the officer. My jaw clenches but with the officer eyeing me, I know better than to start a war in a precinct.

I need a fucking joint.

Marching outside, I’m pulling one from my pocket before I hear Jo’s voice behind me, her words still a slur. “So, how do I report a murder?”

My slippers freeze, so does every other muscle in my body.

She wouldn’t.

“Excuse me?” The officer asks.

“A murder,” she repeats like the officer’s hard of hearing. When I look over my shoulder she’s making a stabbing motion with her fist. Hand by her mouth she whispers, looking more and more trashed by the second, “That’s why I was in the school.”

“Are you admitting to breaking into the school?” The officer asks.

Jesus.

“There’s proof!” she yells.

Turning around, I march by Johnson, still too fucked up to peel his drunk ass off the floor. She wiggles when I pick her up from around her thighs, turning for the door.

“Have a good night, officers,” I say with my best smile even though it feels tight and forced.

“You have to believe me!” Jo calls as I push through the doors. When I stand her on her feet she stumbles, pushing against my chest. “I can walk! Why do you always act like I don’t have feet?”

I try to pull her away from the doors so she’s out of earshot of the cops, but she pulls back so fuck it. I’m sparking this joint right here. “What the fuck were you thinking?” I ask, joint bouncing against my lips before I take a long pull. “Were you really about to tell the cops about Marion? Because you fought with me?”

Her jaw works before she crosses her arms. “Of course you think it’s about you. News flash, Damien it’s not always about you.” She grabs the joint from my fingers, taking a long puff.

“Is that why you were in there yelling ‘murder’ for everyone to hear? Is that why you went to Johnson’s? So you could prove that everything’s not about me when you know that shit fucks me up? Pisses me off?”

“You know what makes me mad? I was too distracted by you and your bullshit to find the clue I’ve been looking for.”

“The fuck are you talking about, Rowland?” She sways, trying to keep an eye open. “How fucking drunk are you?” Is that my fault? Is she trying to drown her pain?

“My parents, you selfish fuck! The academy helped cover up my parents’ murder! If you weren’t so busy manipulating everyone around you, you’d know that.”

She chews on her lip, a blur in her eye, and fuck, I want to hold her, I want to tell her that we’ll figure this shit out and give that school what it deserves. Together. I need to reel her back in. I need her to know we’re nothing without each other.

“And you think the Eden police would be the ones to help out a drunk girl from The Grove?” Grazing the back of my fingers against her cheek I can feel the heat of her skin. When I brush a strand of hair out of her eye, she doesn’t stop me. “Face it. You need me, Rowland. Why do you think I’m here?”

“You guys are on a whole other level,” Johnson calls, and when I look over my shoulder, he’s walking towards a black car in front of mine on the side of the curb. “Catch y’all later, I need another fucking drink.”

Jo narrows her eyes, glancing over at Johnson. “That’s the funny thing, Damien. I don’t need anyone. Not even you.”

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