Cell Mates

02|| Flirting With the Law

02

Being pushed face down onto the side of a cop car wasn't my ideal Friday night. I pictured it going a little differently, maybe ending in a snug bed with lush covers and warmth. The way it was looking I'd be faced with an overnight cell and the smell of piss.

"You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent," a woman officer bellowed out my Miranda rights and pressed her bony forearm into my back, roughly closing the cuffs. "Easy on the wrists, lady," I huffed petulantly, squirming and rolling my shoulders under her grip.

She snorted and dug her elbow in harder. The already flowering bruises were giving me intense pain every time I shifted position, and the cop's abuse certainly wasn't doing me any favors. "Anything you do –"

" – can and will be used against me in a court of law. Yes, ma'am, I understand my rights as they're being read to me."

Her cat eyes narrowed on mine and she shook her head in disgust. I flashed her a brilliant smile and ducked into the famous back seat. As the door was closing I could've sworn I saw the guy gloating. A crowd of blinking onlookers had gathered, farther away of course as to not get too close to the criminal, but close enough for a good show.

People in this city officially disgusted me and I was the scum apparently.

"Have a nice ride," made it to my ears. I knew it was him: the guy that had been the first to ever inflict so much damage on me, the guy that stood between me and freedom. The one who cost me everything.

▲▲▲

The ride to the station was quiet except for the static on the radio and an occasional transmission. Sure, my restraints were painful but they only served to remind me of the moment when the cuffs closed and sealed my fate. The panic stopped and a serene calm overcame me. Settling into the back seat of the cruiser I came to terms with the fact that I was getting arrested tonight one way or another. Why spend more time than that analyzing it?

The car stopped drawing me out of my reverie. I was sufficiently familiar with my surroundings not to be intimidated. Let's just say it wasn't my first glimpse into the station. I'd been here a while back visiting a friend when he got busted for illegal possession of marijuana. He hadn't stayed long, only enough for me to make the acquaintance of the head guard.

I breathed in a huge gulp of the night's cool air to clear my head and made my way to the automatic doors that slid open to reveal an austere lobby that was lit too brightly when the building itself was morose.

I hadn't noticed when the officer slipped past me and started conversing with the secretary on duty. She was younger than him, I noted with mild amusement, yet he seemed bent on impressing her. Well, small talk isn't gonna cut it, I thought to him. You're definitely not getting any action from her, not now not ever.

I looked past him to the girl in question. She wore a lime green cardigan over a white ruffled blouse. Just one glimpse at her told me everything I needed to know. This was a part-time job she took to pay off her student loans and was patiently waiting for someone other than Mr. Prince-not-so Charming over there to notice her. Maybe one of the cute young recruits that came in every day to put in their hours. And despite her goody-two shoes image she was dying inside for a little attention.

At the moment it was clear she was more than a little annoyed with the old bag of dirt hitting on her, and kept fidgeting in her seat, eyes not making contact with his and giving clipped replies to his pestering questions.

Feeling rather generous, I decided to do the poor girl a favor. I walked to where they were and directed my words at the officer leaning casually against the front desk. "I don't think she's desperate enough. Not yet. Give it a few more months of lonely nights." The officer looked annoyed and embarrassed. I bet he'd been dying to extend his one-way flirting session. "Maybe you should spend a little less time harassing women half your age who clearly aren't interested and more time doing your job."