Summer was coming to an end and my father still would look at me the same. I could tell by his quick side glances and lingering stares that he thought I was the one who killed JD. Though the dealers death wasn't big on the news my father didn't like to think of his daughter as a killer. I just stayed quiet and tried to shrug off his looks, but they bothered me more than I let on. I didn't let him know about Thomas and I.
After Thomas was taken away he spent a few years in prison until the real killer was caught in another murder. Then, he was released and somehow found his way here. He didn't have a lot of money and most people wouldn't offer a job to a convict. Actually, there just weren't many high paying jobs for a convict so, he ended up in a bad part of town. Thomas told me that at the time he needed some extra money so he started hustling with JD for awhile but as soon as he had enough money he stopped. At first I was angry that he could ever sell death to some one.
" No one under eighteen and to the same person only twice a week. No one ever died from what I sold." I wanted to think of him as that same cute boy from across the street who stumbled over his words because his Southern accent was thicker than a tube of molasses. I wanted to believe that he was still a good person............so I did. I told myself he hadn't changed but I knew he had. His friends,the way he talked.......he had changed. My Dad hated his friends and so he hated Thomas and that's why I chose not to tell him about us. I was hoping to keep it that way until Thomas ( the idiot) had to come knocking on my door.
"What the hell you doing at my door? I don't like you boys around here. Go on! Go back to that nasty little ghetto, " my Dad's words drifted up to my room. I tossed the covers off and ran downstairs to the door where I saw my Father towering over Thomas who was trying to portray the manners of a respectful Southern boy, but I could tell by his eyes he was getting annoyed. My Father still didn't know that I was behind him. I felt like I was in the middle of a battle field. My Father and Thomas were going to battle and I was the neutral party trying to stop the fight. Part of me wanted to run before either one of them saw me so that I wouldn't have to deal with it. I stepped one foot back and floor board creaked. They looked at me. I froze.
"Ginger! I need your help." Thomas lunged forward, but my Dad blocked his path. At the sound of his voice my body became active.
" What is it? Did something happen? Are you alright?"
He nodded, " I'm fine but this...just come." I immediately grabbed my coat and headed for the door. " "Ginger, you know this little thug." My Father's words were like ice picks. " I do not want my daughter hanging around with the neighborhood bad boy. I've seen what happens. You gonna end up pregnant and dumb and..." My heart dropped. He was the only parent I had, I would never want to disappoint him, but Thomas.......he needed me, badly. I could hear the strain and urgency in his voice. I looked at my Dad and then, at Thomas. My palms started to sweat and I bit my bottom lip.
" Ginger, " Thomas' voice was soft and smooth, " its life and death."
I turned to my Dad, " I'm sorry Daddy. " I grabbed my coat and went with Thomas but the whole time we were walking I could feel this load of disappointment on my shoulders. We walked a few blocks into the ghetto. Usually there were certain parts Thomas would never let me follow him into but today where we went......it was dead. Vacant buildings,stray animals, people sleeping on the street and this constant fogs of despair that made me want to puke. Finally, Thomas led me into one of the vacant buildings. I looked at him confused but he averted my eyes. He grabbed my hand and gave it a light squeeze. We walked for a few more minutes until he led me into a room. There were three other guys there . They were standing in a semicircle in the corner. Each of their eyes looked me up from head to toe. My heart skipped a beat and my pulse rushed. Every voice in my head was screaming , "Danger!" I stepped back but Thomas held my hand tight. I tugged again but he wouldn't let me go. Suddenly, he pulled me in front of him so I was facing the three men. I felt like some sort of sacrifice. I looked back at him.
"Can she help us? " One of the boys asked. Thomas nodded. They followed suit and parted away to reveal the corner of the room. And in that corner was a dead body.
After Thomas was taken away he spent a few years in prison until the real killer was caught in another murder. Then, he was released and somehow found his way here. He didn't have a lot of money and most people wouldn't offer a job to a convict. Actually, there just weren't many high paying jobs for a convict so, he ended up in a bad part of town. Thomas told me that at the time he needed some extra money so he started hustling with JD for awhile but as soon as he had enough money he stopped. At first I was angry that he could ever sell death to some one.
" No one under eighteen and to the same person only twice a week. No one ever died from what I sold." I wanted to think of him as that same cute boy from across the street who stumbled over his words because his Southern accent was thicker than a tube of molasses. I wanted to believe that he was still a good person............so I did. I told myself he hadn't changed but I knew he had. His friends,the way he talked.......he had changed. My Dad hated his friends and so he hated Thomas and that's why I chose not to tell him about us. I was hoping to keep it that way until Thomas ( the idiot) had to come knocking on my door.
"What the hell you doing at my door? I don't like you boys around here. Go on! Go back to that nasty little ghetto, " my Dad's words drifted up to my room. I tossed the covers off and ran downstairs to the door where I saw my Father towering over Thomas who was trying to portray the manners of a respectful Southern boy, but I could tell by his eyes he was getting annoyed. My Father still didn't know that I was behind him. I felt like I was in the middle of a battle field. My Father and Thomas were going to battle and I was the neutral party trying to stop the fight. Part of me wanted to run before either one of them saw me so that I wouldn't have to deal with it. I stepped one foot back and floor board creaked. They looked at me. I froze.
"Ginger! I need your help." Thomas lunged forward, but my Dad blocked his path. At the sound of his voice my body became active.
" What is it? Did something happen? Are you alright?"
He nodded, " I'm fine but this...just come." I immediately grabbed my coat and headed for the door. " "Ginger, you know this little thug." My Father's words were like ice picks. " I do not want my daughter hanging around with the neighborhood bad boy. I've seen what happens. You gonna end up pregnant and dumb and..." My heart dropped. He was the only parent I had, I would never want to disappoint him, but Thomas.......he needed me, badly. I could hear the strain and urgency in his voice. I looked at my Dad and then, at Thomas. My palms started to sweat and I bit my bottom lip.
" Ginger, " Thomas' voice was soft and smooth, " its life and death."
I turned to my Dad, " I'm sorry Daddy. " I grabbed my coat and went with Thomas but the whole time we were walking I could feel this load of disappointment on my shoulders. We walked a few blocks into the ghetto. Usually there were certain parts Thomas would never let me follow him into but today where we went......it was dead. Vacant buildings,stray animals, people sleeping on the street and this constant fogs of despair that made me want to puke. Finally, Thomas led me into one of the vacant buildings. I looked at him confused but he averted my eyes. He grabbed my hand and gave it a light squeeze. We walked for a few more minutes until he led me into a room. There were three other guys there . They were standing in a semicircle in the corner. Each of their eyes looked me up from head to toe. My heart skipped a beat and my pulse rushed. Every voice in my head was screaming , "Danger!" I stepped back but Thomas held my hand tight. I tugged again but he wouldn't let me go. Suddenly, he pulled me in front of him so I was facing the three men. I felt like some sort of sacrifice. I looked back at him.
"Can she help us? " One of the boys asked. Thomas nodded. They followed suit and parted away to reveal the corner of the room. And in that corner was a dead body.
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