Page 55 of Pushed

“Yes, yes you do. I'm handing it to you, I placing it on your fucking lap, so take it.”

Slouching her shoulders, her hair fell over her face as she shook her head. “No, it's not you. Someone else gave me an offer, and to be honest, I don't think I can turn it down.”

“What is it? Who gave it to you?”

“I met this guy at a party last weekend, and he, he says he can give me a job. It pays good, I'll have a roof over my head and anything else I could ever want.”

Laughing, I raked my hand through my hair and smirked. “Megan, come on. That guy was probably fucking with you, he probably just wants to get laid or something. No man out there, especially some asshole that hangs with druggies, is going to be able to give you that shit. He's full of it, Megan, you can't really be that stupid?”

Veering her stare, her lips went taut. “I'm done, I'm out of here.” Grabbing the handle, she started to open the door.

“Megan, come on, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that.” Reaching out, I held her arm, trying to keep her inside. “Don't run off, let me help you. You need help, you need serious help, and I'm here for you.”

Shrugging me off, she climbed out of the car. “Thanks for the coffee.” Holding the door in her hand, she leaned inside.“Not everything is smoke and mirrors, Machi. Maybe sometimes, things are exactly what you think they are. Have a nice fucking life, Asshole.”

Those were the last words she said to me, that was how we left it.

I was an asshole.

I never expected that I'd be making wishes for her to be right back where she was, with a needle in her arm and me holding her hand. What came after was far worse, it created who I was.

Megan made a choice, she followed the breadcrumbs that lead her into a world she could never handle. She was right, not everything was smoke and mirrors, but most things that sound too good to be true usually are.

And in the end. . . I buried my sister.