"Maybe you should stay in the car," said Lily.

"I'm fine with that," said Evan. He turned off the engine but left the key in the ignition.

The house was on a dirt road that branched off from a two- lane highway. It was one-story, old, decrepit. The grass was yellow and long. There was a rusted old tractor sitting in front of the dilapidated garage. A white Lexus sedan was parked in front of them, looking incredibly out of place. The whole area gave off a Deliverance atmosphere.

"I'll be right back," said Lily, but before she could get out the front door of the house flew open and out came a powerful-looking dude in a stained white tank top. He was six foot six, at least.

Evan watched in awe as the guy approached the car, arms swinging. His head was shaved and he wore baggy black pants. He had a scowl on his face when he first appeared, but his expression softened when he saw Lily.

Evan was nervous.

"That guy has definitely killed someone before," he said.

Lily didn't answer. She looked very excited to see him.

"Tyrone," she exclaimed happily.

Tyrone came over to the car and opened the passenger door without being invited. Evan kept his hands on the steering wheel.

Lily leaned out and threw her arms around Tyrone's considerable neck. He kissed her cheek as Lily clung to him like an excited monkey. She looked as small as a child in his arms.

"Lily Talent," boomed Tyrone. "How you been, girl?"

He offered Evan a meaty hand and Evan extended his own, his fingers crushed in Tyrone's grip.

"What's happening, friend," said Tyrone, grinning, showing two rows of dazzlingly white teeth. "Thanks for chauffeuring my girl here."

"Evan," said Evan, intimidated beyond belief. "You're welcome."

"It's so good to see you again," Lily squealed, releasing Tyrone and falling back into the seat to smile up at him gaily. "How have you been?"

"Can't complain, business is good," said Tyrone. "I'm glad I made it down here, though. Daddy said you'd be by yourself, though."

"Yeah, Evan is cool, don't worry, though."

"Yeah, he looks cool," said Tyrone, grinning again.

Evan didn't have a response.

"Do you miss Michigan at all?" Lily asked.

"Other than this heat? Hell, no. Tell Clancy he needs to get his ass down here, too."

Tyrone reached into his pants pocket.

Evan's balls went into his throat.

Here it is, I'm gonna die, he thought.

"I got something for you," said Tyrone. "Make this quick."

"Whoa," said Lily, watching his hand as it shuffled around inside his pocket. "You don't want to go inside and do that?"

"We're being watched," said Tyrone. "They gotta see me give it to you."

Who's 'they'? thought Evan.

"Just don't pull a gun out and it'll be fine," said Tyrone. "Ain't no one gonna look at this car and think you got anything special in here. The hell's a Yankee girl like you doing all the way down here anyway?"

Lily gestured at Evan.

"He's auditioning for American Idol and I just came with him and Daddy found out and asked if I could pick this up."

Tyrone chuckled.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Sure he is. Open your hand."

He produced a small twisted baggie of white powder and handed it to Lily. Lily was right, the baggie was 90 percent wadded up around a ball of what looked like powdered sugar. It was about the size of a large marble. Lily dipped a hand into her bra and made the baggie disappear neat as you please.

"You be careful with that now," said Tyrone. "That shit is pure as the driven snow."

"You know me, I'm careful as fuck," said Lily. "How's Daddy paying for this anyway?"

"You don't need to worry your little head 'bout that. You don't think he'll have a problem knowing you weren't solo on this? You know how he gets when you do shit behind his back."

"Well, he doesn't need to know, does he?"

Tyrone looked at Evan.

"I guess not. As long as Evan here is cool."

"Are you cool, Evan?" Lily turned and asked.

They both looked at him, wry smiles on their faces.

"Yes," said Evan, feeling light-headed. Both his hands were still on the steering wheel. "Yes, I am cool."

Tyrone chuckled heartily. Lily snorted laughter.

"See?" said Lily, turning back to Tyrone.

"Good to see you again, Lily Talent. You two best be on your way," said Tyrone.

He lifted his head and made a strange squawking noise at the house. There was no one else visible but Evan knew Tyrone had just given some signal that the package was delivered.

What the fuck are we doing here, he thought.

"You want to come hang with us?" said Lily, sweet as can be.

She never uses that tone of voice with me, Evan thought against another pang of jealousy.

"I can't, boo," said Tyrone. "Love to, but can't. You make sure Daddy gets that now."

"Thanks, Tyrone," said Lily.

"Off you go," said Tyrone. He looked at Evan.

"Don't want nothing bad to happen to you, now."

Lily leaned out and hugged him hard one last time.

"I'll text you," she said.

"You do that," said Tyrone.

Tyrone slammed the car door shut, stepping back and heading into the house without a word or a wave.

Evan threw the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway. He sped off down the dirt road, kicking up dust and praying they wouldn't break down or get a flat tire. There were no other houses or driveways.

"He's Clancy's younger brother," said Lily. "Remember Clancy?"

"Yeah, I remember Clancy," said Evan. He was on edge, full of fear and fury. This had not been a good idea. "So I guess I'm your drug mule now?"

Lily frowned at him.

"Uh, what?"

"I'm your drug mule."

"Who said that?"

"No one, but now I've got however much of that potent heroin in my car, in addition to whatever you already brought down here without telling me. You probably should've just kept it a secret."

"We'll be fine. You saw how little it is, right? And I had my own stash on me this whole time and we've been fine."

She put a hand on his forearm, which prickled with gooseflesh.

"Look at me," she said.

"I'm driving," said Evan.

"Just look at me, Evan."

Evan turned his head. Her brown eyes were wide and clear.

"If we get caught, I'll take the fall," Lily said. "Don't worry. You didn't know anything. That's all you have to say."

Evan didn't quite buy that, but what was the point in arguing now? It was done.

"K," he said.

"K?"

"Yeah, all right."

"Don't worry about it."

"I'll try not to."

They turned off the dirt road onto the two-lane highway again.

"What does heroin feel like anyway?" Evan asked, needing to change the subject. "Like, the high?"

Lily thought about it, pulling out her phone and sending a quick text. Probably letting Daddy know they'd received his package.

"Like gloryland," she said after thinking for a second. "It feels like gloryland."

"Can you be more specific?"

Lily sighed.

"Uh... it feels like, you know, like, right after an orgasm? When you're lying there and your body's all worn out in a good way and has that glowing feel? Kind of like that."

"I want some," Evan said, surprising even himself.

"You what?"

"I want to try some heroin."

"No, no, no, no. No way. This is Daddy's," Lily tapped her left boob where the baggie was concealed. "And you can't start with this shit anyway. This'll knock you on your ass. You've never even smoked weed before, have you? You'll lose your fucking mind. To be honest, it might even kill you."

"Then I want some of whatever you've been using since we left. The normal quality stuff."

"No," said Lily. "You can't."

"Why the fuck not?"

"Cause, I said so. Cause it's mine. And it's expensive. And you wouldn't be able to handle it anyway."

"How the fuck do you know that?"

"I know," Lily said.

Evan seethed.

"You shouldn't have told me about this," he said. "What if I just take some when you're not looking?"

"You won't. And even if you do take some, you won't be able to audition tomorrow. Trust me."

"What if I just turn you in?"

Lily batted her eyelashes at him.

"We both know you're not gonna do that, Evan."

"How do you know?"

"Cause you'd be an accomplice. You knew exactly what was going on."

"You just said all I'd have to say is I don't know anything."

"That's if we get caught on accident. If you turn me in you're coming down with me."

"So you set me up, then."

"No, I did not! Come on, I could've tried to lie to you and told some extravagant lie about, like, meeting up with my friend in the middle of nowhere for coffee or some shit, but I respect your intelligence too much for that, and I trust you and I wanted to be honest with you."

"Was this the whole reason you came down here with me? To potentially pick up some dope shit for your strip club boss slash fuck-buddy roommate?"

"No. I didn't know I was doing this officially until last night. He asked me then."

Evan shook his head.

"I don't know if I can believe you."

"Well, it's the truth. But I can't let you have anything, either, it's just not a good idea. You're too good for this shit."

"Too good for it?"

"Yeah, you are. And so please, let's just let this go. It doesn't have to be like this. Let's just enjoy the rest of our vacation."

"I'm too good for heroin and too good to have sex with you, got it."

"OH MY FUCKING GOD," Lily exclaimed. "JUST STOP. FUCKING STOP."

Evan didn't say anything.