What happened to Emma

"Every time I think I know what you'll do next, you do something completely stupid." Aaron sucked his tooth loudly. "Yeah, whatever. Do you have the money or not?" I asked impatiently, the last thing I needed to hear right now was his nagging. It was all he ever did.

"Do you think I'm rich or something? How exactly do you expect me to cough up eight hundred dollars on the spot?" I rolled my eyes internally, holding the phone closer to my ear so he could hear me better. " Did you think I called to give you a review of the food? Get your ass over here now. I'll explain everything later." I slammed the phone back into the wall before he could answer. I didn't want to hear it.

The overfed guard who was in charge of me shoved me all the way back to my cell. Don't they have to pass a fitness check? Genuinely, what good would he do in any situation. "Get back in there!" He yelled at me, his breath strong enough to knock out a roach. I bit my tongue, reminding myself there were bigger things to worry about.

Like Emma. What the hell was she thinking?

I flinched, feeling the vibrations of the metal gate slamming shut in my ear. This was probably the only time he could ever feel better than someone, I'll let it slide. This time.

I had been stuck here for two days already. The dumbass wouldn't let me call anyone until he felt his manhood was satisfied. Now Aaron is taking his sweet ass time and Emma is god knows where. And I'm the idiot who decided to get myself in this mess. What am I even supposed to do? I just need to get out of here, I don't think I've ever done good locked up. Well—what psycho would?

"Hello?" The guard answered a phone, his harsh tone echoing throughout the room. I couldn't exactly see him, the cell i was placed in only gave me the overwhelming pleasure of staring at a blank wall, but If I placed my head against the gate I might be able to get a glimpse of him on the left. "I can't do that, sir. You would need to come in person."

Was it Aaron? That lazy- does he think I'm not worth coming in person for? I almost kicked the metal bars in frustration but managed to hold myself back. I was irrationally angry right now but it wouldn't do me any good to act on it. Just sit tight. Aaron will come.

But every second felt like a minute and every minute felt like a never ending…well, it just felt never ending. I could almost imagine one of those grandfather clocks swinging back and forth, making that small ticking sound. God, please tell me I'm not going crazy after only two days in jail.

"Semaj Orozco, you are officially free to go," I blink back into reality to find Aaron standing behind the cop as he opens the cell. "Just remember you will be monitored closely, and if you miss court your ass is coming right back here." He almost growled it. Feisty.

I just ignored him, walking out of the cell, past Aaron and towards the exit. I had wasted enough time in that box, and if I waited any longer to shower me and that guard's breath would have to compete for the world's most deadliest smell.

"Yo. You aren't even bothering to explain how you ended up here? I dug into my savings for you." Aaron had rushed after me, following closely behind as I bee-lined towards his car. I didn't have energy to explain everything so I told him the gist of it, "It's Emma. I found her dealing for the Vultures."

I tried to ignore the obvious reaction from him, everything was getting on my nerves right now. "Hurry up, I need to shower. " I couldn't think while feeling every speck of dirt off me. It was disgusting. "You just told me Emma is dealing and your biggest concern is showering?" He trailed up behind me, disbelief coating his voice. "Where is Emma right now?"

I ignored him, purposely yanking the car door handle repeatedly. He stared at me, unmoving, as if he expected me to concede and tell him everything. I kept yanking the handle.

"Okay, okay," Aaron put his hands up in defeat, simultaneously unlocking the car with his left hand. "Be careful with my baby, I just got her engine fixed." He smiled, probably realizing things would be better if we weren't still right in front of the jail I had been in for two days.

He'd been a brother to me since we met in middle school, even eight years later he was still helping me out. If it weren't for him, I'm not sure what mess I would've gotten into.

"I'm not sure how to say this but when I saw Emma on Tuesday, she looked hooked up on something and was just acting..wrong," I cringed at my poor wording, "listen, I'm not sure what she got herself into, but we'll figure it out." Emma was Aaron's younger sister, one of the few people I'd gotten along with during my…impulsive stage.

To my surprise, Aaron didn't look surprised at all. He had already started the car, undoubtedly about to race home. "You knew?" I asked party in shock, partly in denial. Why would he let Emma get caught up in something like this? It made no sense.

He shook his head, his eyes facing the road as he entered the main street. "I didn't know she was dealing, but I saw a message pop up the other day. A guy named Damien asked if she enjoyed the visuals." My forehead creased as I tried to make sense of what he just told me. Aaron was always protective of Emma, and he just let her- what? Try out a bunch of drugs for the heck of it? I turned my head away from him, deciding that looking outside the window would probably be the best option right now.

"Well, did you know that the cops showed up at my place saying some girl saw me giving hand outs? And that the girl was a short brunette with green eyes? Now you tell me, who is the only person we know that fits that description.'' It was difficult to figure her out, why would she pin the blame on me when she knew I had video evidence of her making deliveries.

"The hell?" Aaron blurted out, "you saying my sister put you there?" I turned to glance at him, only to find him squeezing the durability out of that steering wheel cover. "Technically, I put myself there," I tried to smooth it over, "I had a video of Emma selling, but I figured it'd be better if I ended up there instead. Proof is damning, and they had none on me anyways."

It grew quiet for a moment and I wondered if he was going to be okay. It was about now I'd wished I had a talent for talking, i was never good at giving bad news gently. I always thought it was better to rip the bandage off.

"Thank you." His voice was hard, like he was fighting every instinct to curse me out. Well, fine, I'll work with you. "Don't mention it," I replied flatly, "just get me to a shower."

It wasn't till the most awkward car ride on Earth came to an end that I realized something. "Damien Lopez." I breathed out, pretending literal gears were turning in my head.

"What?" Aaron questioned, his face contorted with confusion. I hopped out of the car, going straight for the stairs. He'd taken us to his house, a large two story apartment complex with his room being on the second floor. His parents were loaded, but he thought living with his parents in his twenties was lame so he moved here. Not sure what his problem is but he let me crash sometimes so I didn't care.

The door to his apartment was unlocked and I burst in, confident Aaron was only a few steps behind. "Who's Damien Lopez?" He rushed in, his breathing a little ragged. He definitely needed to exercise more if that's all it took to make him lose his breath.

"He's Laz's cousin, the one who got arrested for assault and battery a couple months ago." I gave him what I could before I reached the bathroom, everything else would have to wait.

The second I jumped in the shower it felt like part of my trouble vanished. I don't think I've ever been more grateful for Aaron's shower until now. The only problem was that I would have to explain everything to him as soon as I got out and I hadn't had a moment to put the pieces myself.

Damien Lopez was trouble, and if that's the same Damien who texted Emma then it would explain a lot. Whatever shit she got herself in, Aaron and I would have to fix it. I just don't know if he'll be able to focus on anything except the message.

The hot water pouring down on me began to cool, and I stopped it before the ice cold water began to fall. Aaron's shitty apartment was shit.

"Hurry up, I think I found it." Aaron called out from the other side of the bathroom door. I grabbed a towel hanging on the door and wrapped myself in it, stepping outside the bathroom into the living room. He was hunched up on the couch, looking at my phone.

I had completely forgotten to get it from the station. "Fuck, man. What was she doing in an empty parking lot at 2am?" Aaron lifted his head to me, "how did you even get this?" I clicked my tongue, "how do you even have my password?" I was sure I changed it recently.

Aaron didn't answer, he only stared at me. This time I knew he wouldn't let it go and I sighed. "Angie's boyfriend was the one who bought from her, when she noticed Emma looked familiar she started recording and sent it to me." I tried to ignore the awkward beat of silence after that. Emma and Aaron hadn't been close for a while, and everyone knew it. The only person who talks to both of them is me, even if I don't talk to her as much as with Aaron.

I grabbed the clothes Aaron had set for me on the armrest of the couch and turned to the bathroom to put it on before stepping back out. "I wouldn't think about it too much," I tried smoothing it over, getting his to focus back on Emma's trouble, "either way, there isn't much we can do about it now. Emma is more important."

Aaron nodded his head and began dialing Emma's number. Once. Twice.

She picked up after the third ring, "…hello?" Emma. "Where are you?" Aaron's voice cut through her meek tone. "…Is Semaj okay?" Her voice came through, filled with a strange emotion I couldn't figure out. I couldn't tell if she hoped I was still locked up or if I was finally out.

"Listen, Aaron-" loud movements from the other side of the phone made it difficult to understand a word and Aaron looked up at me anxiously. There was definitely something wrong. It wasn't clear what she was trying to say but the words video and Semaj spilled out before the call was disconnected.

I tried not to come to a conclusion, tried my damned hardest. But the thought came anyway. Emma gave me up to save herself.

Neither of us spoke for a couple minutes. Aaron probably had no idea what to say right now, and I had no energy to say anything. I basically confessed to being involved with drug deals because I thought something went wrong with Emma. She'd never accuse me of a crime just so she wouldn't get blamed, right? Damn it, did she think I would snitch her out or something?

I slammed the wall before I could control myself.Nothing good was going to come out of this, but I still had to find Emma.