Chapter ten: Daisy Pusher

The next morning felt like a dream, not because Rowland could cypher whether it was good in particular or not, but because the high hadn't really gone away yet; he was a lucky one among few including his lady friend Charlotte; who slept beside him unnoticed, as Rowland woke up grinning like an idiot from ear to ear as he stretched, accidentally hitting Charlotte with an elbow to the back of her head.

She groaned an 'ow' in anger and stirred awake while Rowland cradled her head and kissed it while whispering apologies in between. Surprised in finding himself next to Charlotte waking up on the floor covered by a blanket dragged down from a bed he didn't recognise.

This made him a bit more alert in realising this, now looking around for some clue that he was somewhere he could recall. Which when searching for clues he dared to even so much as slightly part the kind curtains that shielded them from the light.

Only doing so ever so slightly ,just to take a look before being painfully blinded for a short while. Covering his half naked body and after said moment, noticed people laying around the backyard like dead bodies in a crime scene of some birthday massacre; in what Rowland recognised as Nick's back yard. Taking note of the novel floats that littered the pool.

Sick, bottles, balloons and half dressed people lay splayed across the yard with the DJ passed out on the deck, as Rowland watched a girl wearing a tight yellow dress fumble as she has probably just woken up, and was looking for one of her possibly painfully high shoes in his moment of dark amusement.

But then Rowland soon took notice of the yellow colour of the dress, it was so shocking to him as he watched her, the sun shone in such a way that when he looked directly at the dress, his eyes burned. And the sudden heat made him feel dizzy. So he closed the curtains and grabbed his things.

His phone bounced out of his jean pocket and hit the floor with a muzzled yet audible thud due to the carpeted floor, he winced at the noise it made when it hit the foot of the bed and when he went to pick it up, it flashed twenty one minutes past twelve in the afternoon but not a scratch.

The sun shone through a slit within the thick curtains and that became apparent to Charlotte. And upon waking and seeing Rowland's hazy face gazing out into raw sunlight one last time before buttoning up his chinos, she smiled, sat up and stretched; getting up completely and grabbing his waist from behind until she was face to face with Rowland from his position from the bed. While resting her body on his chest, putting their heads together as they lounged there on one another, still waking up, as they stood for a little while longer.

And though she smelt of alcohol and marijuana cigarettes, Rowland could still smell a hint of her scent of perfume that filled his nose as he laid his head atop hers and breathed her in.

"What the fuck happened last night?", was the first thing he said, which made them both laugh with fatigue and tired giggles.

"I have... No real Fucking idea. But I think it was fun.", Charlotte spoke through laugher, her laugh echoed in Rowland's hazy head like a song as she spoke in response. He realised how much he wanted her so bad, but was just too hungry to concentrate.

"Shit, I'm still kinda feeling it.", he huffed as he put on his vest, "You wanna get out of here?", Rowland asked, feeling the vibration of his deep voice within her own chest.

"Where would we go?", Charlotte sighed softly.

"I don't know, to get food. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.", He said to her, which made Charlotte all giddy as her throat bubbled with laughter, and although he knew she was probably still high too, he smiled.

Rowland stomach growled, it was audible this time. Charlotte then patted his chest, "So, breakfast?"

"Breakfast.", Rowland answered with a sigh. She then broke away from him and unsteadily hopped back into her panties and into her skinny jeans.

Rowland watched her for a while before deciding to get his dress shirt on and to go nowhere again. Charlotte stumbled momentarily before huffing and laughing at her self.

"You okay?", Rowland asked still standing ready to catch her with his dress shirt unbuttoned, "Shit, yeah. Think I may have eaten that sushi roll too fast, You're gonna have to drive.", Charlotte said in a daze but with a smile on her face, "Plus, you're buying. Just so you know."

Rowland laughed and straightened himself, now fully facing her as she grinned, satisfied with herself in putting her pants on the right way this time and with her hands on her hips looking for her shoes. Once Charlotte noticed him just standing around, he then suddenly tackled her. Picking her up and tossing her on the bed.

He himself didn't know where this energy came from, though he had a few ideas. And though he was indeed famished, it seemed as though he had no other explanation or excuse other than the fact that he missed her, figuring one more time before the high calms down.

Rowland hovered over her for a while after the fall and just looked at her light sap green eyes. He saw them not as a lover would for a moment; but as an artist would, the way artist fall in love with a particular thing within their painting that, to them; would have no meaning without. His world was the painting, and she was that one thing in a much bigger perspective oppose to the current situation.

Rowland saw the colours and envied their sparkle, how they mingled with the light; how he wished he could put them in his pocket and have them forever, but couldn't.

Then he saw how those colours in her eyes made her in all her beauty; her smudged mascara, her freckles her bucktooth; which would be apart of an incredible smile.

Rowland kissed her once his eyes thoughtfully traced down to her juicy and full rose pink lips as everything around them seemed to slow to a silence in his drug dampened mind.

The birds' chirps were muffled, and with only the sun gave romantic life to this dark room. Rowland fantasized about how to get Charlotte's pants back off of her curvy body, but seeing as how much trouble they were the first time, they might just slow him down. He knew his stomach wouldn't allow it, but he simply just carried on kissing Charlotte until she clung to him.

"Is this breakfast?", she asked while gently tugging on his lower lip with her teeth, she let go and he spoke;

"Oh no, I'm actually hungry.", he pulled a serious face as he joked, earning a good push away and back from Charlotte who smiled and acknowledged his slyness;

"Screw you.", Charlotte wiped her cheeks with her jersey sleeve:

"But, food does sound good though. "

Rowland went back to putting on his shirt and grabbed the keys from the floor and Charlotte finished dressing up. They tip toed around and over people who were passed out and too drunk or high to feel when either Rowland or Charlotte kicked them by mistake as they try to dodge broken glass and mysterious spills. But once they made it out, Rowland braced himself at the thought of how long it had been since he so much as touched a steering wheel.

They both did not see any sign of Nick, so they helped themselves by opening the gate of his estate with the help of Rowland's long arms and made their way, finding themselves at a cosy and half asleep diner near by on their way to the highway.

At a quiet spot just across from a bar and a car dealership on a sun bleached stretch of road. They both took a seat in a booth by the shop window as they entered, watching people pass as they waited for service.

Rowland had his eyes covered by his one hand due to the sun, and soon asked Charlotte if they could swap seats. Finally getting the attention they both wanted from a small woman in her late thirties, wearing thick horned spectacles, who had taken their orders:

" A meal sized chicken salad and milk shake.", for Charlotte.

" And a stack of thick and fluffy pancakes with butter and maple syrup on the side.", for Rowland; who was tickled by the waitress's thick and folksy accent as he smiled a 'thank you' before the woman left. Hoping that she doesn't have too much of a hard time trying to carry those large portions of food.

But she managed them, and when the food came both Rowland and Charlotte dove into their plates.

Everything tasted delicious and seemingly melting in their mouths, as if they haven't had food that tasted of anything at all for long time, despite the sloppy lettuce and two burnt bottom pancakes; going well with the taste of burnt coffee beans as Rowland washed down his food as Charlotte started to speak.

"So, there's this party..."

Rowland stopped her mid sentence as he swallowed his food:

"We haven't even finished breakfast.", he stated, looking at her from above his coffee mug.

And though his plate was half empty, his mug was still half full; meaning his morning hadn't even started yet, and if the sentence Charlotte was about to finish had anything to do with Nick, then chances were that he would need two more just to muster the energy to talk about him;

'Like can I finish my coffee first?', he thought.

"Hold on old man, it's not today, but soon. " Charlotte laughed; "We're planning this little like, Rocky Horror, slash, celebrating Halloween early themed party. Just a little bash for my new girl Yaya's new bar opening.", she finally stated before continuing, "...and maybe an early birthday present from me, seeing as it's your birthday three days from then. This is the only excuse I can find to get you out of the house.", she smiled with her mouth closed as she chewed.

"Yaya... You mean the chick with the beard you were talking to last night?", Rowland asked,

"Yeah, she's really nice, yeah.", she answered.

Assuming that another party would once again be another useless escapade for entertainment, for he never socialised. Rowland also felt it would be strange that she wanted it to be some kind of birthday gift but answered in contrast:

"I'll come.", holding his mug to his lips and shrugging his shoulders.

Rowland never enjoyed his birthday even before his father left, so he never really thought about any parties apart from a good brand of cupcake mix with his name on it and an after-school special.

And not that his mother didn't care, she was just too busy caring for others, being a nurse and all.

"Did I mention that it's a birthday present from me..?", she batted her lashes as asked.

"Oh, for me? You really shouldn't have... Really.", he ordered a refill.

"Okay okay, I know it's not your thing to be social, but I think you'll like this.", Charlotte played with her straw within her tall glass filled with thick and creamy blue stuff called bubblegum milkshake.

" Thank you, babe.",Rowland said defeated, they sat in the ambience of old and slightly inaudible music , covered by the familiar yet unwanted sounds of clinking plates and cups as Rowland knew he would never really outrun his job, finishing the thought of work over his cup of coffee.

Blankly staring at and past Charlotte, who continued to further finish her salad in piece. He suddenly started;

"Holy shit, I almost forgot, I have this idea... ", he began: "I wanted to do a photoshoot...", he mumbled the last part.

"What? For what?", Charlotte asked, completely taken aback by his sudden enthusiasm.

"Do you still have my camera? ",he asked Charlotte while in deep thought.

"Maybe, what for..?", she asked, still confused.

Rowland shrugged his shoulders as he hunched over the table,

"I just kinda need it."

"Wait wait, let me guess you're taking Nick up on his offer? We are talking about Nick; who just gave us hectic drugs, Nick right..?"

"Yeah, why?" Asked Rowland, who sat with his full attention on her now.

"I told you about it at the bonfire, this isn't anything new... What, did he say something?"

"No...", she started grimly; "Look, I know that he's super rich and crazy sexy...", Rowland raised an eyebrow at that last comment.

"...but... I gotta say he's a bit shady-"

"Says the drug dealer." he replied in a hush voice, as if not to alert people of their business.

"Row. And I've seen my share of pretty dark rainbows, but Nick... Is like a shade too dark, like... The colour Verdi Black: so black that you're eyes can't comprehend it.", She played with the end of her straw as she spoke.

"Did he even tell you where it is..?", she continued.

"What? "

"The gallery?", Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"Has he even given you his number..? She said this as if she knew she had won her case, folding her arms.

"Do you have it? ", Rowland asked, mostly because he wanted to get it from her.

"I'm sorted. But, you find it 'cause it's under a different name.", she said with a haughty and yet playful attitude.

"Will you tell me? ", Rowland smirked as Charlotte shook her head.

"Besides, I'm sure a guy like him has like, three phones on him so...you gotta ask why he would need that many phones.", Charlotte said, still with her arms crossed.

"How do you know?", Rowland asked.

"He had like two, I think I saw 'em at the party.", Charlotte flicked her hair out of the way.

Rowland, hating how right she was, leaned out of the conversation and off the table with arms now folded. He went back to the sneaking suspicion that Nick was in fact a fraud and a beautiful and shady lie, as Charlotte unnecessarily stated by his standards.

But Rowland felt that he couldn't let go of this, even if it was all an elaborate roll that Nick was playing, then he wanted to at least make a few millions in order to ditch the creep if necessary. But who was he to judge by appearances?

"So what?", Rowland began again, thinking about the conversation he had had with Nick the day they went to the forgotten house in the woods; about how bland and afraid of his life he was and it all took one question to take him through that journey through the looking glass.

And if it wasn't something mildly exciting that had happened in his life at some point, then it was something fairly horrible that which he always felt he felt, alone.

Constant mistakes of his past leave unkind reminders that contribute to his suspicions that the universe was against him.

He figured this was his chance to change this;

"So what if I don't have or know that? Don't you think it's a bit too late now..? I mean, I'll get it sooner or later, I guess it'll just be later rather than sooner. We met on informal terms, he was just a chilled rando not so long ago that borrowed me a lighter one day from class, y'know, and then it happened it just...happened and I never thought much about it.", Rowland said it so blasé as he made excuses to cling to this. Still sitting in his defiant opposition, gazing at Charlotte while deep in thought.

"Besides.", he continued, "You're one to talk.", he put his nose in the air slightly.

"Yeah, and..?", Charlotte batted her lashes.

"You seem pretty cozy with the guy. You already have his num- one of his numbers and I didn't even know about it.", Rowland stated trying to hide his jealousy with spite, only making it that much more obvious, so much so that Charlotte couldn't be mad about his remark on her business relations with Nick.

"Rowland, we're business partners, okay. It's informal but I can take care of myself. He gives me crazy drugs to sell that no one else around has and I get to spoil myself with my gains. ", she ended her statement with a playful yet catty grin.

"Ill gotten...", Rowland added.

"Gains none the less, sweety.", she said as Rowland asked for the bill; "Is that why I'm paying?", He asked.

"Duh.", she answered with a cute hair flip, unaware of his eye roll as he gazed at her smirking at their comfortable banter.

"Yes, Miss Jackson.", He shook his head and said sarcastically, partially mocking her but partially respecting her comment; the thing was that what he loved about Charlotte most was that she knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to say anything about what she didn't, their was nothing sexier to him than a woman that wanted him and didn't need him.

But I digress:

" In all seriousness, though. I feel that I have to do this...'If nothing else matters,then why the fuck not?'", Rowland quoted himself.

"If it is all just a lie, even if he is full of shit. I'm gonna at least see this through and push as far as I can.", he said.

"What do you mean?", she gazed back.

Rowland looked at her and his face softened, he didn't know what he meant by what he said at that moment, he just felt that that was true.

"I just...I just feel that I gotta do this.", he took her hand and leaned in once more; "At least you'll know who killed me.", he broke a smile and made Charlotte huff as he broke away from the tension of the possible conversation that would have come from his true confession.

"I hope you know what you're doing, or I'll be the one to kill you.", Charlotte said, looking at him through slanted eyes filled with scrutiny in her playful ways.

"I have no Fucking clue, but that's why you're here.", his smile was filled with bashfulness, breaking eye contact. They were both finished with their own plates and had nowhere to go on this windy yet mildly heated Sunday afternoon, so he paid their bill and they drove off to Charlotte's apartment.

Her apartment was just as quaint and as simple as his, but something about a woman's sense in particular decor made the place look stylish and well made; a neon sign shone 'green' in a rose pink glow just above her fridge; though old (she called it vintage), it was filled with pictures taken with Rowland's camera from top to bottom from a time in their relationship when she stole it from him some once before a time ago (that which Rowland still can't remember if she gave back).

None of the pictures were of him but rather of other people and her friends although he was with her when those pictures were taken. Rowland had an incredible ability to hide from cameras and was willing to defend that title.

Stiff mixtures of smells of weed, incense candles and a sickly sweet perfume ran up Rowland's nose, he sneezed.

"Bless you.", she said as she moved to a window and opened it. Once done she turned around and looked at him; who still stood at the now closed door.

"So...what do you wanna do now?", Charlotte bit her glossy lip and he smiled.

Five minutes later and they were in her bed, watching cartoons while Rowland rolled two blunts for the both of them:

"I never noticed how intense Invader Zim was until now. All that screaming, jesus.", Rowland said while chuckling and placed a marijuana cigarette in his own mouth to light it. Charlotte did the same while placing an ash tray on the bed between them.

"Right, like I Fucking love that show.", Charlotte chuckled, now binge watching several episodes of Rick and Morty.

And after four blunts and three seasons of two shows each, they both now lay down with candy wrappers, chip packets and pizza boxes all around them as Rowland inhales the very last bit of the last roach of the last blunt he made, before huffing it out as one giant cloud of smoke into the already smokey air.

It was dark out and Charlotte got up off the bed and lit some candles, she left the room and disappeared for a while; leaving Rowland to watch the end of an episode of The grim adventures of Billy and Mandy alone for a while. And just as Mandy appeared on the screen indicating the start of a another episode, just as she said her weird quote in front of a black background wearing bright pink.

Charlotte walked in wearing what appeared to be nothing but his hoodey (which truthfully wore her) as she came to his side of the bed and closed the laptop without warning, moved it aside and sat on top of him in silence. He looked at her, not sure of what to make of her actions as they were watching a show. Rowland rubbed her smooth thigh, tracing a finger on a stretch mark;

"You lost?", he asked getting heated, though he played it cool.

She stared at him and unzipped her (his) jacket;

"Fuck me like you hate me.", Charlotte demanded as she then slowly unzipped the jacket completely open, revealing that she was in fact not wearing anything at all, with her bare chest slightly covered by the rest of the jacket; just enough for Rowland to pay attention.

She sat under his belt, sitting lower this time. Tugging on his belt and in doing so unbuckling it, then she unzipped his jeans and slip her hands upward and under his shirt with warm hands, undressing him slowly as he watched with his hands behind his head.

And now shirtless, her long nails ran down his sides, Rowland flinched as he found this ticklish:

"Whoa, hey now. We spoke about this.", Rowland said as he tried to pull a straight face between all the excitement and anticipation, but Charlotte simply giggled and carried on doing it until he gagged and flipped them both over; pinning her down as her joy made her freckled cheeks glow with colour. She was like a light bulb in his dim life, in that moment everything to him was perfect; the smokey air gave a nostalgic aura to the moment, somewhat like that very afternoon at Nick's bachelor pad. That simple magic of a romantic mind.

Rowland hovered over her just a little while longer like he did before.

"Is this dinner, then?", Charlotte asked as Rowland started kissing her on the neck, moving down to her chest, where he hummed a no that vibrated through her body; heightened by her excitement, she felt it all the way down through her toes.

"Dessert...", was all Rowland could manage to say, concentrating on how her body responded to his certain touch and how each groan of unexpected pleasure sounded like music in his ear. She writhed under him, letting herself go in his hand, melting. Her skin soft to the touch as the air smelt of magnolia and smoke. The night was theirs for the moment, he found his little piece of heaven in this place the locals called Hell city; him being one of them, after five years of residing here.

Being attacked by his inner demons on this bone dry desert island he called home; bearing the scars of his battles on his sleeves. She never judged him for it, she couldn't as she-like him, had her own very haunting apparitions. It was yet another reason why he felt that loosing her could hurt him. But along with the scars on his arms, his heart lay there as well.

At least for her.