Down the Drain

Trisha and Ace pick up Julia from the airport when she arrives in New York. They take her to “a massive doorman building on Riverside Drive” (97). A high schooler named Patrick owns two apartments in the building. One unit is empty, and Patrick lets Julia and her friends stay there. Patrick makes counterfeit money, and Julia offers to help. She and Trisha take the bills to the bodega to see if they work, but the cashier knows they’re fake. Ace is furious when they return and attacks Julia for leaving without telling him where she is going. Julia tries to defend herself, but Ace stays angry.

One day, Ace tells Julia he will “beat up” some of Patrick’s private school enemies. Julia warns him not to, but he forces her to come along, and he attacks the kids with brass knuckles in the street. Someone reports Ace to the police, who issue a warrant for his arrest. Back at the apartment, Julia shows Trisha her return ticket to Italy while Ace goes out to purchase cocaine. Later that night, he finds the ticket and tears it up.

Julia and Trisha spend the next few weeks at Trisha’s.