Vanished || l.h. au

eighteen

Holden laughed, a huge smile overcoming his features. “You’re adorable, Beth, really. Have you noticed where we live? Of course it’s still available.”

I sighed out in relief, a smile spreading its way onto my face as well. “Well, that’s good news. Is there anything that I have to fill out?” I asked, finally getting up from my car. Holden stepped back, allowing room for me to comfortably get out and close my car door behind me.

He turned around, and started walking towards the police station’s front doors as I followed closely in step. “Just some basic paperwork. You’re only going to be doing filing and handling non-emergency phone calls.” he explained, turning his head slightly to address me.

I nodded in acceptance, his description of my future tasks not sounding difficult. “Simple enough.” I responded.

“It is.” he smiled at me, reaching for the handle of the door as he pulled it open. “Ladies first.” He smirked, gesturing with his hand for me to enter the station. I abided, stepping in, and my eyes meeting several of the officers’ who were sitting behind their desks and doing nothing.

“It’s been a slow day.” Holden joked, leaning forward as his curls tickled my ear.

“I can see that.” I whispered back.

“Just come over by my desk. I’ll print out a copy of the application and you can fill it out there.” he instructed, once again making me follow him.

He fell into the swivel chair behind his desk, and I pulled out the hard, wooden chair in front, crossing my arms over the surface of his desk as I waited for him to print out the application.

“So what have you been up to this summer? Without a job and all?” he asked, making small talk as he searched for the application on his computer. Oh, just hanging out with my supposedly dead boyfriend and trying to figure out who killed him. The usual.

“I’ve been slumming, I guess.” I replied, keeping it simple.

“About Luke?” he assumed, not taking his eyes off the computer screen.

“Taking it day by day with a box of chocolates and Netflix.” I responded, trying not to let my voice give anything away.

The sound of the printer whirring interrupted our dialogue, and he turned to grab the paper from the dispense tray.

“Here you go, Laude.” He said, setting the set of papers down in front of me with a pen. “I have work to do so I’ll just keep quiet while you fill that out.”

I nodded in agreement, grasping the pen in my hand as I proceeded to fill out the application, the next few minutes drawn out in silence as we both focused on our individual tasks.

“Your phone’s buzzing.” Holden said a few minutes later, pointing to my phone that I had absent-mindedly place on top of the desk.

“Oh.” I responded, my eyebrows furrowing at how I hadn’t heard it. My focus must have been so invested in filling out the application that my mind tuned it out.

I set down the pen and picked up my phone, noting that I had a few text messages.

“Who’s sending you so many text messages? Your boyfriend?” Holden teased, knowing very well that I wouldn’t move on from Luke so quickly. Or at least I hope he did. Looking down at my phone to see who the text messages were from, I knew that Luke would definitely be pissed at Holden if he took into account the context of Holden’s statement and who was texting me: Calum.

12:51: Hey are you busy?

12:51: It’s okay if you are.

12:51: I’m just asking because I have a question.