15

"What the hell is taking you so long to answer?" I ask nervously.

"Dude I've got people coming to me for drugs on a treadmill, I don't really have time for phone calls. Say what you want, I'm asking because I know when you call me, you call me with a purpose, you're my loyal customer after all, say, you're tired of needles and now you're doing powder, right? On one hand, I don't really do that shit called injections. They just contribute more to neuron destruction."

I let a sarcastic laugh escape me and answer him in the most serious way possible.

"I need five grams of cocaine."

He remains silent, I guess the amount I wanted seemed exaggerated to him too. He'd given me 1, 2, 3 grams before, but 5 was already too much.

"Finn, I checked and I have a few grams left, but I have to let you know that the price has gone up. It will no longer cost you 120 dollars a gram now it will cost you 150 dollars a gram... let me do the math.... 150×5...750 dollars."

I breathe a sigh of relief thinking it will be more.

"Ok, I'll transfer them to you and come by around 4:00 to pick them up, that's ok. I really can't come right now."

"Ok, you can come when you want. I have nowhere to go today anyway."

"Aren't you going to class?"

"No, fuck college, what do I need college for?"

"Okay, so it's at 4:00?"

"Yeah.

"Okay, bye."

I open the PayPal app and transfer him the amount, he accepts the transfer and all I had to do was wait until 4:00.

I watch the clock ticking and slowly, slowly I wanted to fall asleep. I hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks, and my eyelids kept drooping.

I take a better look at the clock and consider that I can allocate 2 hours of sleep.

I set the alarm and lay my head on my pillow. Instantly falling asleep.

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Where am I? What's happening? Am I having a lucid dream?

I look around and everything seemed made of colored glass, too colored, excessively colored. Am I alone? That's what I thought until I felt a hand on my back.

It was Carl. He looks upset and worried. I look into his eyes and try to hold my breath.

I was breathing fast and I was beginning to think that breathing like this was going to kill me.

"Don't worry. I'm right here. I'll take care of you, just shut up."

"Why shut up? Carl, what the fuck is going on?

"You're dreaming, which is perfectly normal. Keep dreaming. Don't worry. I love you."

A large shadow approaches and engulfs Carl.

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I wake up breathing heavily, the alarm hadn't even gone off, a call had woken me up. Kyoko was calling me in desperation.

I answer.

"Finny, I thought you weren't answering. I wanted to ask you something. Did you hear the kiss-ass is having a party?"

"Which one. We know about three."

"Ryan. Apparently he and Smith are getting married."

I remain shocked.

"Yes.... of course I'm coming. Did it cost anything?"

"Two grams of coke and a bottle of vodka."

"You got off cheap, it cost me five grams of coke."

"Five? Apparently you're guaranteeing them three sex rounds tonight, because after they snort that much coke, they'll be fucking a wall. Or maybe they wanna do it with you, crazy."

"Where's the party?"

"Behind the college, you know why, I don't think I need to tell you why. In five words: Cigarettes, booze, escorts and drugs. Maybe you'll do it with someone. You look like you need someone to fuck."

"Shut up with that shit. I'm not doing it with anyone, I'm still thinking about someone."

"Carl?"

"How do you know?

"He's in arts, the literature majors get along pretty well with the arts majors. We're similar. I'm friends with him, he tells me how much he misses you. Honest to tell you, the man really likes you. He also told me you did it with him in Kristen's jacuzzi."

That asshole Carl! So many details.

"Okay, Kyoko, see you there, bye."

"Bye."