Crackhead by Lisa Lennox Page A

trying to burn off some of her excessive energy. This went on for a little bit before she started to feel herself coming down off the high.The girls didn’t appear to be coming back anytime soon, so she was on her own for the rest of the night. She put Crystal’s door on slam lock and headed into the streets.
    â€œDID YOU SEE that bitch tweekin’?” Shaunna asked, as she sipped her spiked cranberry juice. They had managed to find an old dude outside the store to buy them some alcohol. They decided to head down to the basketball court, where they could scope out the fellas playing a night game of pickup.
    â€œG-i-r-r-r-l, I thought I was gonna fall out when her jaw locked,” Monique laughed, taking a seat on the park bench. “That bitch was s-o-o-o gone. Crystal, did you peep when she started steaming that shit?”
    â€œHuh?” Crystal asked, not really paying attention.
    â€œEarth to Crystal,” Monique said, trying to snap her out of her daze. “Damn, you been on some quiet shit since we left the crib. I know you ain’t still tripping on how Dink was up on Laci?”
    â€œYou peeped that too, huh?” Crystal took a swig of her Pepsi mixed with vodka.
    â€œWho didn’t?” Monique said with a snicker.
    â€œNah, I ain’t stunting that bitch,” Crystal lied. The truth was, unbeknownst to the girls, she felt terrible about what they had done to Laci. Crystal had an aunt that fell victim to the pipe. She watched her aunt go from a hardworking mother of four to a basehead, sucking dick for her next high.
    â€œFuck the dumb shit,” Monique said. “That lil’ bitch deserves a reality check. I’ll bet her Mommy would’ve had a fit had she known her little girl was up in the crib smoking a woo.”
    Tonette, who hadn’t said too much either, decided to jump into the conversation. “Oh, my precious Laci,” she said with a horrible British accent. “A crackhead? Well, I never!”
    â€œShe’s probably gonna feel like shit when she wakes up,” Crystal said.
    â€œYou don’t know the half,” Tonette said. “That second one we left her . . . double the lace.”
    â€œGirl, you crazy!” Monique shouted hysterically. “You see this crazy bitch, Crystal?”
    â€œWhat the fuck were you trying to do, kill her?” Shaunna said, shaking her head.
    â€œIf she’s still buzzing like she was when we left her, she probably wishes she were dead. Ain’t that right, Crystal?” Monique laughed.
    â€œYeah,” Crystal chuckled halfheartedly.
    Tonette peeped Crystal acting strangely. She knew about her aunt and could see how she probably felt funny, but fuck it. It was too late now. It was a cold world, and fucked-up shit happened every day. “That bitch caught the vapors,” laughed Tonette. Monique and Shaunna cracked up. Crystal was still in her own world.
    The girls couldn’t wait to see Laci so they could find out firsthand what the drugs had done to her. They laughed every time they thought about Laci trying to speak through locked jaws. Finally, Crystal joined in on the snaps. “She sounded like Mush-mouth. See how much she talk about her momma and college and shit now. Maybe this is just what Miss Goody-Goody needed to keep that trap closed.” Crystal took a puff of her cigarette and laughed—partially because she was amazed at what she’d pulled off and also because she couldn’t believe how low she’d stooped.
    Though the plan was something Crystal and Tonette had pretty much made happen, all the girls went along with it. But Tonette was their leader. Once she was down, it was a go. Whenever she gave shit the okay, the others just fell in line behind her.What the crew didn’t know was that Tonette harbored a secret—a dark, ugly secret. Everyone just assumed that she didn’t like Laci for the same reasons they didn’t much