Neon Lights

FIVE

"Alex" was the second barrier to come down, the delicate wall of formality I'd held like a vow made to an indestructible God, his name, so familiar, so soft, so cunningly addictive "Alex, hey. It's me"

It took him six seconds to reply.

"Clara May?"

"Mhm" my fingers fumbled with my skirt, waringly eyeing the men watching me under hawk eyes "Hey, I can't talk much right now but I need your help, babe" I had to fight against shutting my eyes against that, heartbeat drumming against my throat I had to swallow it down "sooo I kinda got arrested? And I need you to bail me out"

I could feel him hold his breath. Could feel the engines in his brain, turning, could almost see him do the thing with his fingers and his shirt. The shorter man in uniform tapped his wrist, I was out of time, I shot him an apologetic smile.

"Why"

Because you're the only person i know. Because I for some reason trust you with this.

"I'm black so" the taller one, buff with that childlike face, raised an eyebrow. I managed an apologetic smile at him "I'll send you the location? Thanks babe. I owe you one"

There was something almost peaceful about being arrested in the middle of the night. The city didn't sleep, the city ran on a twenty four hour schedule but the night, the city lights spotted the roads in a dreamlike ambience that I blamed for this night.

"Being black?"

"It's. More acceptable than this" I met his eyes over the wooden desk, legs crossed and arms hugged around myself "it's more likely to happen than this"

"Ah" they exchanged a look. I resisted giving the station a look over "your boyfriend?"

I tried to not react to that.

"Something like that"

He nod, again. I chewed inside my lip. The animal on the floor whimpered for the thousandth time. I flinched against that. They shared a look. I watched the passport copy between them. The clock ticked. The animal whimpered again. This time, we all shared looks. The shorter one sighed.

"You want it?"

"Someone has to, no?"

The clock ticked into the silence. The office phone rang. Taller buffer cuter one picked it. The animal whimpered. This time I reached out to fluff it's fur. The shorter one made eye contact. I smiled back.

"Take him home. I'll make you a deal- you take him with you, we make this easy"

I wanted to let him know he'd make it easy anyway. That I was under the protection of someone he might have no choice to bend over for.That I could have been in handcuffs but the car, the car had told him not to.That if a car can keep me out of handcuffs and a cell it could keep me from anything.  That if a car had that much power maybe it's owner had more. That somehow, one way or the other, I'd leave this room. That I wasn't worried, that I'd survived worse. I wanted to, but the animal whimpered, again, big brown eyes locking with mine and I was sold. It would be a problem, yes, but I felt I could find a place for it. A loving home. After vetinary care, of course.

I knew the risk I was taking and the repercussions of it. I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have but I couldn't resist. We had something in common, the animal and I,  and it was more than brown eyes.

"Deal, if my name stays off record"

It would stay off record anyway. Everyone in the room knew that. I pretended not to.

"Off record?"

"I'm on a visa. This will look bad if I'm to renew it, no?"

"Hm"

"I'll care for him. I promise"

The taller one turned his attention back to us. He said something to the other in the language. I kept my gaze locked on the whimpering animal.

"Clara May. You're free to go"

I softly released an exhale. We locked eyes, the taller one and I. There was something there. There was something in that phone call. We both knew what it was. I nod a quick thanks. He offered to help carry the animal into the car. I picked my mobile and tried to tame my steps out.

"Law student , is it?"

I nod , watched him lower the animal into the back with the care of a parent. His eyes were a heavy black under the city lights and diluted moonlight.

"You're a smart girl. Don't get caught up in all this"

I flashed him a smile. We both knew what all this was. We both knew I was already in it.

"I'll do my best, officer. To keep your roads safe, too"

His eyes didn't leave me as I sped off. The animal in the back fell asleep. I cried a little, driving back, it was the only time I'd be allowed emotion. I cried just to remember I could.

I didn't drive back to the house. Tear stained cheeks and set jaw, I typed in the nearest 24 hours open vetinary clinic and drove,  city lights blurring into abstract lights. My phone died . I spent my night by a wounded animal.  We were alike, him and I. Two pairs of brown eyes lost in the wrong land.