My Guilty Pleasure

Chapter two

( STERLING )

Love.

 Four letters that ruined my life forever. One word that landed me miles away from the one place that held everything I held dear to my heart. Two vowels, two consonants, and one girl to take my pride, my want, and my need away with three words.

 I love him.

 Mia never loved the guy I was. I wasn’t the guy she needed and when she played me like the fool I was I decided to leave Michigan and all it’s ignorance behind without so much as a glance over my shoulder.

 Mason said I was fucked in the head to leave over some girl, but just like when my parents died, every part of Michigan I liked to spend time at was spread with my memories of me and her.

 The fucked up part? I still love the chick. I even love the part that loves the guy who took her from me. But why in the hell, in all that is good in the universe, did the chick send me a wedding invitation?

 Did she really think I was going to torture myself through a few house of seeing her in another guy’s arms? Why in the hell would I watch her say ‘I do’ to someone who isn’t me?

 Laughing, I throw the pink envelope on my desk at the office and lean back in my chair. Maybe I shouldn’t have let her leave so easily. But who was I to stop someone from doing what they wanted?

 I was that good guy. The one who would stand back if it meant doing the right thing. Deep down, that guy’s still there. It’s the reason I decided to become a cop. But that part of me isn’t something that is easily shown.

 My past has changed me. It’s made me into this image of a guy I don’t like to see. A little piece of me died the day my parents passed away, and a little piece of me died when I gave my heart to a girl who didn’t want it.

 Day by day, little by little, the old me has shredded away.

 And I don’t think that guy will ever come back.

 “Parker!” My boss, Roberts, pokes his head out of his office and gives me the two finger point and beckon. My partner, Jones, shoves my shoulder mockingly as he walks by.

 “Boss wants you.” He mocks, high fiving another officer on his way to his desk. I disconnect myself from my chair and make my way to Roberts office, wondering what could be so important.

 Earlier today Jones and I busted two little punks trying to get away from stealing an ice cream shop out of two hundred dollars. I just got done  handling the two hours worth of paperwork.

 I guess all those kick ass cop movies forgot that boring little detail.

 They also didn’t mention how anti-climatic being an officer really was. While some days were better than other, mostly my job consisted of handing out speeding tickets to soccer moms. Why a soccer mom find the need to go fifty in a thirty mile lane I have no idea.

 I shut the door behind me as I enter Roberts own personal office and lean against the wall. He  knew first hand how much I hated the metal chairs in front of his desk.

 One time my ass got so numb after hearing a rant about how Jones and I need to be more alert, that I actually stole the damn thing and threw it out the window.

 Yeah, a week suspension because of a damn chair.

 “Parker,” Roberts starts, putting his feet on the desk the same time he crosses his ankles. He leans back and tries to go for the intimidating look.