Page 53 of The True Garza

Lexi:It depends. Is it heart-racing, brain-fogging, can-barely-breathe crazy?

Lexi:Or is it ‘want to pull your hair out and go running naked in the streets’ crazy?

True:First one.

Lexi:That’s good crazy! It means you’re really into her.

True:What if I don’t want that?

Lexi:Tough luck. You’ll have better luck pulling your hair out and go running naked in the streets than trying to fight that kind of crazy for someone.

CHAPTER Fifteen

“True happened.”

Lonny

“Hey, Benny,” I say, turningfrom my locker, “how many days are you working this week?”

“The usual four,” he replies, lacing up his boots. “With the option for a double shift over the weekend. Why?”

Confused, I glance at my roster again. Then ask the others about their roster for the week. Theyallhave the usual four days with an option for a double shift over the weekend.

“This is bullshit. Why do I only have two days?”

Benny shrugs. “Dunno. They probably need you for something else. Ask the Supe.”

Nick and Carlos are avoiding eye contact with me. Suspicions raised, I slam my locker door and demand, “What are you two pussy willows hiding?”

Carlos elbows Nick accusingly. “Told you she’d be pissed. You shouldn’t have—”

“Bridge!” our supervisor bellows from the doorway, beckoning me with two fingers.

Before leaving, I dagger a threatening glare at Carlos and Nick. “Whatever this is, it better not be bad. Or I’m busting both of y’all’s kneecaps.”

When I follow the supervisor out, he tells me, “You’re wanted on the third floor.”

Third floor. That’s the vice presidents’ floor. The heads-in-command's floor. Trent freaking Garza’s floor. “I thought we weren’t allowed down there.”

“You are when you’re summoned and escorted.” He gestures to the elevator where a head guard is waiting. “Jimmy’s here to escort you.”

With a sigh and a nod, I cross the floor to the elevator. “Hey, Jimmy.”

Jimmy lifts his chin in greeting as we enter the elevator. He scans the platinum bracelet on his wrist in front of the tiny, red-lit circle next to the numbers panel, and “3” automatically lights up. “How you been holding up, Bridge?”

“Good so far,” I reply. “But I might end up maiming someone at the end of whatever this is.”

He chuckles as we descend.

In most establishments, the higher-ups are generally on the higher floors with the better view. But not here. The higher-ups are on the sacred third floor, where no one but who belongs there is allowed. The elevator will never stop on the third floor unless one is wearing a visitor’s bracelet that grants a single access to that floor, or if they’re escorted by someone with a special access bracelet.

Jimmy escorts me to the meeting room. The one I haven’t been in since I bullied my way into employment.

Inside are two of my least favorite superiors here. Trent, flipping through some documents. And Guy, hiding behind his façade of dorky suspenders and a bow tie.

“If you try to fire me for some bullshit, I’ll burn this place to the ground.”

Guy snorts.