✔︎ | Gold Digger

Chapter 26 - Finding Peace

Chapter 26 - Finding Peace

Zara has me polishing picture frames to place her new tattoo designs in, and then hang them on the wall at her station. As I scrub away smudgy fingerprints on the glass, she asks, "so does your brother know where you are?"

I shake my head. "I just told him I'd be okay and I needed a little more time alone. There was a memorial for Thompson and my mom last week. He went expecting to see me, but I couldn't go, you know?" She nods thoughtfully, getting back to her drawing. "But don't worry, I'll be gone soon."

Zara chuckles. "You can stay as long as you help me out around here. Jason likes having you around too, haha. But if you do plan on staying longer, you're going to need to start letting me ink you." 

I laugh. "Maybe someday." I set a design into the frame and stack in on the others. "I'm finished," I tell her, folding the cloth. "I'm going out for a bit. I think I'm going to go home soon." 

She stands up and comes over to me as I pull on my shoes. "Look at me," she mumbles, taking me by my shoulders. She sighs. "Does it make you feel any better?" I frown, confused. "The weed you're smoking, Jessie?" I look away, flushed. Zara pulls me into her arms. "Don't think I can't smell it on you, sweetie. It's maybe a little too obvious."

I sigh. "It's better until I have to come down from the high." 

Zara helps me into my jacket. "Weed isn't the worst. But it doesn't solve anything. You need to talk it out with your family, and your boyfriend. Before you start looking for something harder. I've known too many people who've died from drug overdoses not too much older than you. It's not worth it, Jessie. You have a family. I don't know what happened between you and that handsome young man, but you can figure it out." 

I shrug. "Thanks. He told me he never wanted to see me again." 

Zara tucks my newly short hair behind my ear. "It's been two weeks, hun. He loves you. Figure it out." 

I nod. "I'll be back to get my things tonight. Thank you for everything."

I hear her sigh as I walk out of the parlour and into the fresh, evening air. I plug my earbuds into my phone and walk down the sidewalk to the bus stop. The bus takes me further downtown until I reach the bar. I can't actually get a drink, I don't have a fake ID. But I glance around me before I walk into the alley beside the bar and trudge around to the back. 

"Back so soon?" A voice catches me by surprise. 

I spin around, the kid from my Functions class that I no longer go to is standing behind me. I pull out a wad of cash. "Rough week," I mumble, handing him the money. He grabs it and hands me a bag. "Thanks, see you around," I smile and walk back out of the alley. 

It's getting darker out already. The bus doesn't come for another half hour. My car is still at my apartment, completely out of gas. The bus is my only way of transportation. Instead of waiting for it, I trudge into the little variety store a block away to grab a chocolate bar. I walk back out, my music blasting through the earbuds.