Read Online The Green by Karly Kirkpatrick - Free Book Online

He got up from the couch and
handed me the pot he’d put into the cassette box. “Do me a favor
and wrap that up real quick.”
    “Where are we going?” I had a pretty good
guess.
    “Hands on training. We’ve gotta go make your
first delivery.”
    My heart pounded against my ribcage. I took a
few deep breaths to steady myself. I tried to force down the
dread.
    He picked up the knife sitting on the table
and handed it to me.
    I scrunched my face and looked at it like
he’d just handed me something disgusting. What the hell was I going
to do with this?
    “Now I know you’re gonna be in real good
neighborhoods and shit, so you shouldn’t have any problems. Rich
folk don’t want problems with drug dealers, ya know. Anyway, I
would feel bad if anyone tried to mess with you so I want you to
have this. Just like, take it with on deliveries or whatever.”
    I wrapped the package and headed out to the
lot. Javier took my keys and hit the remote. Sitting under one of
the parking lot lights was a shiny black Cadillac. Its lights
blinked when he hit the button on the key fob. Someone got out of a
Mercedes as we approached. He nodded at Javier.
    “Cadillac CTS. About a year old. Clean as a
whistle. Oh, and this is Junior.”
    It was gorgeous. And I was going to get to
drive it? Wow!
    “It’s so not what I expected. Hi, Junior,
nice to meet you.”
    Another nod.
    “What did you expect? Some pimped out hooptie
like your brother sported? Fuck no.” He snorted. “Junior, let’s
ride.”
    Junior, a large guy with a shaved head and a
black leather coat, squeezed into the back seat of the
Cadillac.
    We jumped in and drove through Slate Park and
Cambridge to Lavender Grove, another suburb full of large houses
and fancy cars. At least the Cadillac didn’t look out of place
here.
    “I also had them put a nav system in the car,
so you just have to punch in the address and the car will take you
there.” He gestured to the dashboard.
    “That’s cool.” I glanced nervously out the
window at the passing houses.
    We pulled up into a circular driveway that
ran through the front yard of a large cream house. I had managed to
keep my mind off what I was about to do during the ride over
because it still didn’t seem real. I started to get a little
nervous when he stopped the car. This was it. I was going to be
breaking the law. In public. Where everyone could see.
    “Ready?” he asked, handing me the
package.
    “No.” My hands quaked.
    “Look, it’s easy. He knows we’re coming.
Dude’s name is Ken. He should give you money and that’s it.” He
patted me on the shoulder and gave me a big smile.
    Here goes nothing.
    I grabbed the package and got out of the car.
I ran up the manicured front walk, lined with perfectly pruned rose
bushes. I felt ultra-aware of my surroundings. My hands were slick
with sweat and I couldn’t help looking around. Oh god, someone had
to see me. I was right here, out in the open. Was that a police
siren I heard? I felt like my head was spinning like that chick
from the Exorcist. I checked to see if someone was following me.
But there was no one. Suburban neighborhood on a dark, fall
evening. Cars drove by on their way home. Birds chirped. And
nothing happened. Not a damn thing.
    I stepped up onto the expansive front porch
and knocked. The red double doors stood out against the white brick
of the large two-story. I really didn’t want to call any more
attention to myself by ringing the bell. The door flung open
quickly and a middle-aged man in a shirt and tie answered.
    I gulped. There was NO way this old business
guy was buying pot.
    “Hold on a minute, I’ve got to get the door,”
he said into a cell phone that was glued to his ear.
    “Hi,” he said to me.
    Gasp. Air. Breathe. Come on Ariceli. Pull
yourself together.
    “Ken?” I managed to squeak out.
    “That’s me,” he answered impatiently.
    “Um, I have a delivery for you.” I held the
package forward, like I was making an offering.