Happy had picked Saad up from the bus stop on Martin Grove. He came home from Vaughan on a bus route that stopped by his place so he would come over after school to watch pirated shows in his PC while Mummi made Indian style pizza for them.
This time Saad got off the bus holding a new t-shirt.
“This is for you. I lost my virginity today. I felt so happy I had to get something for you.” Saad said.
“Thanks, how did it happen?” Happy said.
“There’s this Argentinian chick who I took into the bathroom. Moose gave me condoms before first day. I told her to work it mami,” Saad said.
“That’s sick,” Happy said a bit subdued.
“Yo, do you think my eye is noticeably sunken?” Saad asked as they walked closer to the building.
“Nah it looks fine,” Happy said.
“Nah you’re gassing me. I know it looks fucked. We’re watching The Wire today?” Saad said.
“Yeah I got season finale started up on KaZaa,” Happy said.
“I still can’t get over a homo being a gangster,” Saad said.
“That’s part of what makes it edgy. No rap video is showing that. This is more real to the streets,” Happy said.
“Sometime they make shit complex just cause. Sometimes shits just simple and gangster,” Saad said.
They walked in and watched the episode. Mummi’s pizza was heaped in veggies on top of a leavened crust that always expanded triple in their stomach when done, making them take a nap on Happy’s single bed toe to head.
“How is Vaughan?” Happy said.
“It’s wild. No desis, all goray and a few kalay. All the goray are Jewish and their parents are rich. They all date and fuck each other, and they have parties at their homes like in the TV shows. I sell them all coke. I started with weed but they like coke better and I can charge more of a margin on it. Thanks for teaching me what margin means, it made me look smart in front of this hoe before I smashed today after class,” Saad said.
“That’s wild,” Happy repeated. Saad got expelled and now somehow was rewarded for it while Happy’s life looked the same as 3 years ago. It wasn’t fair.
“How’s Sweety?” Saad said, still on her.
“She’s good, she’s been working at HastyMart since the summer. I seen her going up and down the elevator in her uniform,” Happy said.
“Let me hold 400,” Saad said.
“That’s most of what I got,” Happy said.
“Trust me,” Saad said.
Happy obliged, but was livid inside.
“Moose asked me to look after his gun,” Saad said.
“You have it now?” Happy said.
“Nah, I got it hidden in my room. Shit’s getting hectic with Billa,” Saad said.
“I thought they were cool even though you and Amit beefed,” Happy said.
“Now Billa’s in this credit card shit with the Tamils and he iced Moose out. They were boys until he had to split money. He’s even got Amit running the cards now since he’s younger and less bait. Watching this Wire shit makes me realize we gotta do it bigger too. We need to be jacking more from the warehouse,” Saad said.
“We’re already taking a bunch. I don’t wanna draw heat,” Happy said.
“The hindus are making thousands a month bro, that’s adult money. We can’t keep doing small boy shit. Moose will help us. What’s that?” Saad sat up and looked at the corner of the bed.
A small, flat bug crawled across the bedding.
“Must be a baby roach,” Happy said unperturbed.
Saad grabbed his arm and looks at the scabs.
“Been itchy eh?” Saad said.
“Yeah, it’s my leftover scabs from my cysts in India. They were healing well but not their irritated,” Happy said.
“Oh yeah? That ain’t it. You got bedbugs bitch,” Saad said.
Happy shrugged, he already had roaches.
“This shits are going to ruin your life. You need to strip this house. You’re such an idiot for exposing me to this. Now I gotta leave all my shit in the hallway and go home in my boxers. Thanks a lot asshole,” Saad said.
Saad got his things and left soon after.