Chasing The Dollar

Dollar had heard it all before in so many different ways, it was the story of Faustus. Yet he'd heard it from so many different mouths that they all blended together into one voice but it was never his tale. No his role was that of the observer, the ever maligned Devil.1

His name was David, fifteen years old, coffee colored skin, curly black hair and a timid nature. You could tell from how he entered the party, trailing behind his friends, all of them still dressed in their school clothes, gray pants, white shirts and blue and red striped ties, loosened of course, all their shirts untucked. Tre chic, the morons. You could see it in his eyes, even from across the room from his position by the punch table Dollar could smell the kid's fears and doubts. He was sure his pupils dilated behind his tinted glasses and wolfish grin began spreading on his face. It didn't take the kid long to sense that someone was scanning him.2

His eyes scurrying around the room he completely overlooked Dollar, which wasn't surprising, and then he saw her.Lying back with a careless kind of grace on the only couch in the room, crowds of people around her, the room's landscape constantly shifting as people danced and talked, yet her eyes were on him. She stood up and walked towards him, her black miniskirt tightly hugging her hips, her white shirt barely containing her full breasts, black strands of hair falling in front of her burgundy eyes, a wicked smile gracing her plush red lips. The kid seemed awestruck, his When3

She took a slow scan of him from head to toe then turned back to David, "Do you usually let your friends talk for you?"4

"Yes!" he blurted out, his eyes watering with embarrassment as he realized what he'd said.5

"Well I .." BK started to say but she held up a hand to stop him before he could finish.6

Giving David another smile she said, "Find me when you decide you want to talk," then walked away.7

Dollar had moved closer to them so he could hear the exchange, and stifled a laugh. David lowered his head in shame as his friends laughed at him. BK once more taking the initiative said, "Let's get some punch," and they left him standing alone looking lost, which is when Dollar struck. Coming behind the kid he put his hand on his shoulder.8

David turned around to see a bearded teenager behind him, he guessed him to be around college age, his eyes concealed by tinted spectacles, a half smile preceding him.9

"Need some help kid?" Dollar asked him, his deep voice rumbling, a leonine sound that was oddly pleasing to hear.10

"No....no I'm fine."11

Dollar was amused at the little stutter the kid seemed to develop.12

"You sure?" he gestured in Michelle's direction, where she stood surrounded by a crowd of admirers, "looks like you struck out big time."13

David looked in her direction, to catch her take a single glance at him then look away, Dollar saw his eyes shine with unspilt tears.14

"I can help you, you know," he whispered as he leaned closer to the kid's ear.15

David whirled around, "How !?" he exclaimed.16

When Dollar caught the sound of hope in his voice, he knew he had him.17

"Watch." He focused on Michelle until she noticed him, then he indicated with his head that she should follow them. He steered David towards the stairs, "where're going upstairs kid."18

They climbed the stairs and found themselves before a door. Dollar knocked on it, a little staccato of differing taps like a code.19

"Is it some kind of code?" David asked nervously.20

"Nah, I just like doing that."21

David couldn't tell if he was joking or not, then the door opened smoke drifting out in a toxic cloud.22

"What's up?" a red eyed boy asked peering out of the room.23

Dollar didn't answer and pushed past him walking into the room leading David by the arm.24

The room was dark, the only light coming from a blue neon bulb overhead. They stepped on styrofoam containers and cans that littered the floor. Dollar surveyed the room his eyes alighting lastly on the room's occupants, "What have you punks done to my room?"25

There were two other boys in the room and they looked up with blurry eyes their movements lazy and slow. The one by the door answered in a soft voice, "You didn't come back,"26

"Yoh does that mean you can mess up my crib?" Dollar's voice had still not changed it's tone.27

"No," the boy replied lowering his head.28

"Yeah, yeah, get out I've got a visitor," Dollar told them in that calm, relaxed tone of his.29

The three shuffled out slowly and closed the door behind them.30

"Sit down," Dollar told David, and moved towards his desk which was crowded with odds and ends, including a glass tube with a wide bottom. David sat on the bed.31

Dollar started fiddling with the tube his movements hidden from David's sight. Then abruptly he was done, bringing the tube with him, he pulled up a chair from the desk and placed in front of David and sat down. He took a lighter from his pocket as David observed an even smaller tube attached to the bigger one.32

"This is called a bong," Dollar told him testing the lighter. He struck it and used it to light whatever was in the pipe, taking deep breaths and expelling noxious clouds of smoke. He finished it quickly, then he refilled it with a sort of green debris and held it towards David.33

"Here take a hit."34

David looked at him for a long while before asking, "What's in it?"35

Dollar smiled, "Kid I said I'd help you, so trust me and take it," the bong still held out in front of him.36

David took it and stared at it before Dollar passed him the lighter. He tried to mimic Dollar's movements but he couldn't seem to get it to light.37

"You cover the hole bra."38

David looked carefully at the bong before he found the hole, then put his finger over it and tried to light it again. Putting his mouth on it he took a breath then immediately began coughing, causing Dollar to break out in laughter.39

"You breathe it in and out dude, you know like you normally breathe," he said after he'd recovered.40

David tried again, and seemed to cough a little less.41

"Congratulations you're beginning to get it," Dollar encouraged him, as someone knocked at the door. He got up to answer it leaving David puffing away. Dollar opened the door to find Michelle waiting, standing aside he let her enter the room. She smiled as she saw David on the bed using the bong. Turning to Dollar she asked, "What's this a threesome?"42

"You're not that lucky," Dollar told her, "you can take a seat on the bed."43

She gave him a long look then went to sit beside David, who had watched on while still smoking from the bong.44

Sitting down again Dollar said, "I think it's done kid," and held out his hand to take the bong.45

Refilling it he passed it to Michelle who took it casually. She lit it and then took one long deep breath and exhaled a huge cloud of smoke. As she gave it back she noticed that David was staring at her in amazement.46

Taking it back Dollar took his time refilling it watching as David's eyes randomly closed and sprang open.47

"You okay kid?"48

"Yeah...yeah," David assured him.49

For the next hour they passed the bong between them and in that time David found himself beginning to talk to Michelle, she even seemed to be enjoying his company, laughing every few minutes and touching his arms or leg occasionally but he was beginning to feel strange, his mind straying far afield.50

Dollar had watched all this in amusement, somehow managing to stay sober. He stood up suddenly, and they both turned at the sound of chair scrapping the floor.51

"Well I'll leave you two alone for now, I need to get back to the party."52

"What...wait," David tried to say something but couldn't think of anything because just then Michelle put her hand on his arm.53

"Michelle I'm sure you'll be able to keep my man here occupied until I get back, right?" Dollar asked her, a half-smile returning to his face.54

"Oh yes," she responded looking at David who seemed hypnotised, his will completely captive.55

Dollar walked out as Michelle got on David's lap and pushed him back on the bed.56

Dollar stood outside the door as he heard the sounds of lovemaking begin, and then he turned his back on it, a satisfied grin plastered on his face because he knew he'd picked the right one. He knew David would be back for more, back for Michelle, back for that confidence and high because he couldn't get it anywhere else. He would lead him down the road to a life he'd never had and get a little cash out of the bargain, but honestly was that such a bad thing? 57