Twenty-Four Hours (Crystal)

[Anime]

Caden sat in a cafe on the outskirts of town waiting anxiously for her dealer to arrive.

Her leg shook, her fingers tapped against the table, and her gaze went back and forth from the clock on the wall to the door. Every time the man did not appear in the doorway, she sighed and opened another packet of sugar. She would dump it on the napkin, dip her finger, and bring the sugar to her mouth.

Finally, the man appeared across from her, sitting his laptop bag beside his chair, as he took a seat across from Caden. "I was expecting your package yesterday." He commented taking the seat across from her. "It isn't like you to be late." He grabbed the container of sugar and started to prepare the tea that Caden had ordered upon her arrival. "It appears that everything is now in order." After taking a drink of the, now, cold tea, the dealer reached down and pulled a make-up case from his own bag. "I believe you will find all is in order." He smiled cheekily.

Caden grabbed it and dropped it into her gym bag with a grunt. "You're twenty minutes late." She growled and stood. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

After stopping at the gym, she made her way to her first grocery store of the day. She dropped a few non-sense items into the cart before heading to the cleaning section. She dropped a few different cleaners into the cart before heading toward checkout.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

A young man in his late twenties leaned against the wall outside the grocery store. He had a cigarette in his hand, and was in the middle of blowing a lungful of smoke out of his mouth. Every now and then, he would glance over at the people exiting the store. Some of them, the pretty girl, he would give a charming smile. Some of them glared, others ignored him, and still others giggled and looked away shyly. He wasn't really waiting for anything or anyone in particular. He just liked hanging out here, hoping maybe he'd get lucky and strike up a conversation... or, you know, not. I know, strange hunting grounds, but he had already been banned from multiple bars and clubs.

There was a reason some of those girls were giggling. Julius Howell had dark eyes that many girls would call 'beautiful.' The rest of his face wasn't too bad looking, either. Most of all, though, his smile was what drew girls in. Confident but not overly-so. He definitely had that bad-boy vibe, but at the same time he didn't really look it. His clothes certainly didn't. He just wore a pair of blue jeans and converse with a jean jacket over his navy blue t-shirt. The jacket really wasn't much defense against the cold, but Julius had never liked the way heavy coats looked, so he stuck with whatever had long sleeves and made him look good.

[Anime]

Caden paid no mind to the man leaning against the wall. She had other more pressing matters to tend to, like the "makeup case" in her gym bag and the fact that her next shipment for the Dracones was due tomorrow, not to mention she was only three-quarters through what she needed to make. Then, she still had to cut it and package it. None of these would be a problem if the small ring she'd dismantled yesterday had been any good at their job...

She had figured that she'd be able to take some of their product and sell it with her own, but it wasn't up to her standard, and that meant it wouldn't be good for business--her business and the Dracones business. Caden took a mental note to remind her snitch what happened when he gave her a bad tip...

However, first, she needed to take of her shaking hands, her irritability, and the headache pounding at her temples. As one of her fellow gang members pointed out, if she kept taking her temper out on those that assisted her in the lab, the boss would find someone else qualified to control it. Caden couldn't have that. The fighting ring brought in decent coin for the gang, but her real contribution was in running the drug business for them. Part of Caden knew that if she continued to let her own...issues...get in the way of gang business that it wouldn't end well for her...

She walked passed the man, pushing the sleeves of her t-shirt up--revealing part of the dragon tattoo that covered her one arm--as she made her way towards her silver 1969 Chevelle SS 329, which she had spent most of her free time restoring when she first entered the gang.

((img of car: media.motortopia.com/files/4269/vehicle/49e541ae159dd/2009_Chevelle_11.jpg ))

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

The man raised an eyebrow when he saw the tattoo. He'd met some gang members, and heard a lot about them, but he'd never seen this girl before. Knowing he might regret it later--like most of the things he did--he pushed away from the wall and jogged to catch up with her. "Hey, there," he said. "Fancy that. Yet another Dragon."

[Anime]

With a glance at the strange man, she walked to the trunk of her Chevelle. "Most people take that as a sign to stay away...not come closer." She said harshly, as she placed the bags in the vehicle. "Unless your a cop..." She glanced up at him suspiciously. "If so, save yourself the hassle and paperwork... I don't have anything on my person that is illegal."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Julius laughed. "Me? A cop? Please. No, I'm just a friend of some of your associates." He smirked and winked at her. "But none of them are as pretty as you."

[Anime]

"Well, clearly, you aren't a good friend of my associates, as they would have warned you to stay away from me." Caden closed the trunk and moved to put the cart away, ignoring his flirtatious comment. However, she did advise him against trying again, "Also, you might want to know the last guy that tried to flirt with him didn't find the hospital stay and bills worth it." She put the cart in the depot, placed her hands in her pockets (so he wouldn't notice they were shaking), and headed back to her Chevelle.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Julius thought about leaning against her car but thought better of it. "What can I say? I love a little danger. I get the feeling you don't have much fun. Try living a little."

[Anime]

"I have fun." Caden frowned and crossed her arms. "I just doubt it is your kind of fun." Her leg started tapping against the ground. "Now, if you excuse me, I have something more important to do than loiter around this store with some loser."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Julius laughed. "You have no idea what I think is fun," he said. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What exactly is so important for you to do?"

[Anime]

"I don't see how that is any of your business." Caden frowned, opening her car door. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Aww, come on, sweetheart," he said. He stepped forward and grinned at her. "At least promise me one chance, and I'll let you go."

[Anime]

Caden rolled her eyes, leaning her arms on top of the door to her car. "You haven't given me one good reason to." She pointed out, sliding into the driver's seat. She reached out to close the door. "And, I don't find you all that charming."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Julius smirked. "Trust me, I can make it worth your while." Inside, though, he was a bit offended. Didn't find him charming? Well, he'd have to convince her through other means. Perhaps ones that would get him a knee in the groin. He stepped closer and pressed his lips close to her ear. "I have many... tricks. You won't regret it."

[Anime]

She placed a shaky hand on his shoulder and firmly pushed him back. "If you think that is what women find charming, then I think you'll die a virgin." Caden frowned. "Now, if you'll move out of my way, I'll let you leave with the rest of your dignity intact." She warned, gripping the door handle.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Julius grinned, ever cheerful and completely unaffected by her insults. "A virgin, huh? Right. I'll see you 'round, sweetheart. You'll find me charming yet."

[Anime]

"I believe I know what I want and what I don't." Caden said closing the door. She needed to get back home. She could feel the beginnings of the more severe withdraw symptoms. It concerned her that she couldn't go such a short span of time without the drugs. It had only been three days, but as a daily users that seemed like a lifetime. In her haste, she didn't realize she dropped her wallet.

She sped out of the parking lot and away from Julius. The wallet was empty, except for a cards: her license, a library card for a man named Roland Parks, her gym membership card, and a long-expired state-issued ID.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Julius frowned when he noticed the wallet, then bent down to pick it up. He opened it and perused the contents, his face curious. Interesting. Who the hell was Roland Parks?

[Anime]

Caden dropped off the supplies at the lab before heading to her apartment. She grabbed the make-up case from her trunk and headed into up. Once in the comfort of her own home, she opened the bag, glad to see that every thing was in order, but her sister's words were burned into her mind. Was she right? Was it impossible for her to go even twenty-four hours without the drugs?

She sat the bag on the table and sat back, staring at the bag of drugs. No, I don't need them. They don't control me.[/] She thought back to her interaction with Julius, wondering how it would have gone without the irritation of withdraw.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Julius pocketed the wallet and headed back toward his home. His apartment was just a few blocks away.