Chapter Text
“Goodnight, Kate. Have a safe walk home!” the receptionist at the animal shelter said to me sweetly as I exited the automatic doors. I had taken to volunteering there during the winter, due to budget cuts they had to sacrifice some of the staff to keep the animals warm in these freezing arcadia months.
“Thank you, goodnight, Sharon.” I returned as the doors closed behind me, taking to my normal path home.
It was cold out tonight, my nose and ears sting the marvellous feeling of winter and I can see my breath in front of me in the form of wispy white fog, watching the trails of vapour dance in the air I get lost in the unintentional patterns the fog of my breath would hold for just a second, before disappearing into the night. Taking a deep breath out I twirl my finger around in the larger Kate-made cloud before hearing a strange thudding on the other side of the fence next to me. I stop and watch it as a hand grabs over the top, then another, then a head peeps out over the wooden barrier, before I know it the figures whole body is over the fence and they’ve ran directly into me. With a loud “Ooff!” And a sharp pain to my elbows we’ve crashed to the floor and they’re on top of me. Franticly looking around to figure out what the hell is going on I see multiple other figures scrambling over the fence and scattering in every direction once on the this side. It’s not long before I realise what they were running from. Sirens.
As a police officer expertly vaults the tall fence he, picks us both up and holds us firmly and roughly by the wrists, the person beside me is thrashing in his grip while yelling profanities at him, it’s a she.
“Don’t touch me!” the mystery girl hisses at the man “Let go of me, asshole!” as the sirens get louder and louder until the approaching car whizzes to a stop in front of the three of us and before long, we’re both cuffed and stuffed in the back. I don’t have any time to object to it, to tell them I don’t even know what’s happening, heck I can’t even process what’s going on! When the girl next to me stops kicking and screaming I lean forward.
“Uhm…” I begin “Excuse me officer?” I get a grunt from the wide shouldered man in the passenger seat in return “There’s been a misunderstanding I’m not involved in thi-“ He holds his hand up to stop me.
“Don’t try to get out of this, sweetie. The law always wins.” The drawls out, monotone, before the girl next to me speaks up, civilly this time.
“She’s telling the truth, Ricky-boy.” I looked over to her, in the dim yellowy light of passing street lamps I could make out the silhouette of her mouth moving and I was detecting hues of blue for her hair, which was smoothed messily under a saggy beanie. “I don’t even know who she is,” The girl continued “I smashed into her while making my great escape.” She gestured her hands into the air as if talking about something great in front of her in big flashing letters.
“I’m not buying it, Price. Drop it.” He turned around in the passenger seat and looked at us “You’re not getting yourself or your little buddy there out of this.” He jabbed a finger in my direction “This is the third time I’ve had to bust your little posse this week, honestly its becoming second nature.”
The rest of the drive was silent, expect for whoever this ‘Price’ was next to me huffing and puffing while whispering stuff under her breath. When we arrived at the station we were put in a small cell, bare of anything except for a solid bench attached to the far wall and two rock hard ‘mattresses’. The officer stepped into the cell with us, closing the sturdy metal door behind him, my still unknown girl got into a jumping jack positon and just stared at the man blankly as he approached, it was as if she’s done this a thousand times. The officer began to pat her down removing various things as she did so, throwing them to the ground beside him I could see, a box of matches, a lighter, a pack of smokes, a brown small brown case and a tiny zip lock bag of what looks like foliage but I can only assume is drugs. Chloe scoffed and sat on the bench watching the burly man move on to me.
“Heh, first time in here, eh?” He chuckled “Don’t worry, if you’re running with Chloe I’m bound to see you a few more times.” He sighed throwing a glance over my shoulder to Chloe while harshly patting my arms. “Alright you’re clean.” He pulled a breathalyser off of his belt and outstretched it to me “Blow as hard as you can into this please ma’am.” I did as I was told “Hm.” He looked at me “Alright, you’re completely clean… Price!” Chloe stood up and done the same as me, except when he looked at it he sighed “0.15” Okay I’ll phone your dad, but you’ll probably be in here overnight like last time. Picking up the contraband he left the cell, closing the cold door behind him with a slam.”
Turning to face Chloe, who looked all too relaxed, she was stretched out on the mattress, her clunky combat boot-clad feet resting on the bench with her eyes shut and her arms behind her head.
“How are you so calm?!” I was losing my cool “Why am I here!? I didn’t do anything wrong!” I grip my head with my hands and flop down to sit on the other mattress.
“Dude, its fine.” Chloe opened one eye “My stepshit’ll get you out tomorrow morning,” She sat up when she noticed I was actually distressed “don’t worry they never bother to put anything on any ‘criminal-record’” Silence. We looked around the room and snuck little peeks of one another. “Um” The blue haired girl began “I’m Chloe.”
“Kate.”
“Well, Kate. Ya come here often’?” She jokingly winked at me and I couldn’t help but feel madness boil inside the pit of my stomach.
“Why is this not bothering you? Why are you being so casual about this?” I flung my arms around visibly distressed “We’re in a cell. In jail. I don’t know about you but I have class tomorrow!” She looked taken aback “It’s your fault I’m here! You need to get me out.”
“I will I will, sheesh. Like I said, cupcake. My stepdouche will bail us out tomorrow morning…. Before classes start. Probably at like half six cause he’s gotta be at work by seven.” I sighed at the thought of spending the whole night in this hard stone room.
“Alright, fine.” I massaged my temples “so are you going to tell me what you did to get here… And land me here with you?”
“Uhh…” Chloe pulled her beanie down over her face, “Yeah, sure” She uttered somewhat unsure. “Me and my friends were out just having a good time y’know?” She pulled the beanie back onto her head before propping herself up against the concrete wall “With help from, um. Somewhat, illegal substances…” Her voice drops in volume “And then I saw a really cute puppy, so we might have committed break and entry to pet him.”
“You broke into somebody’s property for a dog?” I questioned sceptically, with one eyebrow cocked.
“It was such a cute dog!” My cell mate pulled her beanie off once more and playfully threw it at me.
“Well, I admire your commitment to the cause.” I giggled at the serious, yet comical crime.
The rest of the night included learning random facts about each other and sharing funny stories about our lives before passing out on our individual rock beds. In the morning we were awoken by the ear-piercing squeak of the door opening, sitting up and turning to face the source of the disturbance I saw a tall thin, vaguely familiar man with a moustache stepping into the room towards Chloe, who was stumbling to her feet.
“Morning, David!” She taunted him by beeping his nose with her index finger. The man completely ignored it, his stare burning holes through Chloe.
“How many more times, Chloe?” The man’s voice was stern yet sullen, he seemed disappointed in her as he spoke. “And why should I look out for your friends” He swung his arm backwards, pointing at me half-heartedly “when they encourage this behaviour?” Turning around his face dropped when making eye contact with me “Kate Marsh?”
“Wait you know each other?” Chloe intercepted
“I work at Kate’s school. But I really did not expect such a nice well behaved student like Kate to get involved with you Chloe. I got to say I’m a little disappointed in you.” He spoke to me as I was his child.
“We actually only met a few hours ago. When Chloe knocked me over and dragged me into all this.”
David sighed. “Well come on let’s get you two out of here.”
He marched us to his car, dropping Chloe off at what I assume was her house before running himself and myself back to Blackwell Academy. After properly thanking him for his kindness I went to my dorm room, sleepy and slowly, to prepare for today’s classes.