Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 23 - THE POLICE STATION

"No! You should listen to us!"

"Is there a problem?" Sanchez asked him when he noticed Ferran's reaction.

"Nothing." Ferran was about to proceed to his cubicle when he noticed Blair. "What the h*ll is she doing here?"

"Who?" Sanchez asked but Ferran's focus was on Blair. He walked towards them and approached his niece.

"Hey, young lady. What are you doing here? Are you involved?" He can't remember that Blair is involved with this case. Blair and Alexa looked at Ferran.

"H-Hi, uncle." She smiled in awkwardness.

"What's going on here?" Old Alfarez appeared. They all looked at him and fell into silence.

"Uncle!" Aquiro called.

"What are you doing here young man? What happened to you?" Old Alfarez's brows furrowed when he saw his nephew with some bruises on his face.

"Just got into a fight, uncle. Nothing serious." Aquiro tried to lighten the mood. This will surely reach his parents' ears.

"Is that so?"

"Officer," He talked to another policeman to avoid confrontation with his uncle. "Since I'm the most sensible here." Aquiro looked at the five young men with him and they nodded. "I'll explain---" was interrupted again by the other group.

"Idiot! Sensible my *ss! I will explain---"

They did not understand each other again because the two groups threw bad words at each other.

"SILENCE!!" Ferran and Alfarez shouted in unison. Everyone was silenced, not only the young people but also the policemen around. They looked so shocked 'coz the two deep tone voices are both scary.

Alfarez slightly glanced at Ferran before facing the crowd.

"You!" Ferran pointed at Aquiro. "Speak."

"S-So I was saying," He was scared to death to speak, especially when he saw Ferran's frightening look.

"These guys with me were just wandering around the park when suddenly those guys came up." He looked at the other group looking at him with madness in their eyes. "They approached those girls who are my schoolmates."

Everyone looked at Blair and Alexa before Aquiro continued what he was explaining. "They harassed them so---"

"Harassed!? Liar! We didn't---"

"Look at Alexa's wrist. It's swollen 'coz you forced her to go with you." Aquiro tried to be calm. "Blair can be the witness."

"Yes. I can." Blair said while slightly raising her hand. "I left her for a while and then after that she's shouting for help. Thanks to Aquiro and his friends, they immediately helped us before those men did something worse."

"They are from the other town, officers." One of the policemen who handled this case said referring to the group who harassed Alexa. "We can't put them to jail 'coz they are all minors."

"But they should pay for causing so much trouble." Old Alfarez said while looking at his nephew.

"Community Service." Ferran suggested. "They will clean our streets for the whole week."

"What!?"

"No way!"

"We were f*cking beaten to death yet you'll force us to clean the damn street!?" The leader complained. "And why just us? They should too! They f*cking causes a lot of trouble. J*rks!"

When you look at it, the troublemakers from other towns were more beaten compared to Aquiro's group but based on the statement given by Alexa and Blair, they deserve to be punished after what they've done.

"Watch your words young man." Ferran warned him. "If you didn't try to harass someone, that would not happen to you." He seems to be out of patience.

"Okay. Just to settle this issue. Aquiro, is it fine if you and your friends clean the police station for a day?" Old Alfarez asked. Aquiro and his friends nodded and didn't say anything.

Everything was settled and everyone got back to what they were doing earlier.

"Hey." Alexa tried to talk to Aquiro and he immediately looked at her.

"Oh! We're leaving first, master." One of Aquiro's friend, Zipheus or Ziph for short, said with teasing look and tapped his shoulder.

"Yeah. Yeah. Shoo!" Aquiro said while pushing them a little.

"See you tomorrow, master." – Evin.

"Treat us for a nice meal. We should celebrate. Yie!" – Beor.

The other two, Edrei and Hazen, just laughed.

"Sorry, my friends are just---"

"It's nothing. By the way, uhm... I just want to say 'thank you' for helping me earlier. Thanks to your friends too." She said shyly. "And I'm sorry for causing you trouble. Because of me," She unconsciously touched Aquiro's face that made the boy blushed. "You got hurt and was punished to clean---"

"Don't worry." He stepped backward and awkwardly looked at Alexa who just realized what she did.

"Opss! Sorry for making you uncomfortable." She awkwardly smiled and tried to avoid Aquiro's gaze.

"No... uhm... it's fine. I think you're just worried..." He paused and waited if Alexa would react to what he just said but she stayed silent because of embarrassment. "I'm glad... I mean... we're glad to help, especially that it was you and your friend. Uh... maybe, you should be extra careful next time."

"I will."

"Good. So..." Aquiro slightly scratched his bald head. "I'm leaving first---" Aquiro was about to turn his back when Alexa said something again.

"Uh... Wait! Uhm..." Alexa can't continue her word 'coz Blair was watching from a little far. "Are you and your friends free this Saturday?"

"Uh... Yes, why?"

"Maybe... lunch with us?" Alexa played with her finger.

"W-What?"

"Oh. Sorry. I thought you're available that's why---"

"No... uhm I mean yes we are. We're available."

"So... See you on Saturday."

"Yeah. See you." Aquiro smiled and slightly messed up Alexa's hair to remove the awkwardness between them before he left.

Alexa watched him walking away and didn't notice Blair who poked her side.

"Hm... something fishy, huh?" Blair grinned. "'Opss! Sorry for making you uncomfortable.'" She copied what Alexa said a while ago before she laughed. "You even touched his face and looked so worried, worried like a girlfriend."

"Blah blah. Stop messing with me."

"You like him, don't you?" Blair asked to pissed her best friend more.

"Blair!"