Looking at the mess of clothes around her apartment, Ember was beginning to think she might have overestimated her wardrobe. As far as the eye could see, cargo shorts and vests, leather pants and combat boots. A few fun dresses, but nothing that screamed dinner party.
Ember, sitting in the middle of the chaos, grabs the nearest boot and throws it at the last few boxes she hadn't unpacked. The boxes tumbled and she flinched at the sound. Exhausted with the whole situation, she started cleaning up her apartment, and as she was finishing up with the fallen boxes, Ember notices one in particular, and immediately recognizes Reggie's penmanship on the side of the box.
When did she give me this? Ember thought as she opened the box and gasped as she pulled out its contents.
It was a draping black mermaid party dress with a high split with open toed heels of the same colour. Ember was in awe with the outfit, she almost missed the note nested at the bottom.
My darling,
If you're anything like me, your closet is all work and pyjamas, but every person should have an outfit that takes people's breath away. I couldn't find such a thing for you, because you're always burning bright like the dying embers of a collapsing nebula, but I figured this comes close.
I love you so much,
Regina❤️
P.S., if you tell Marina I signed with my birth name, I'll sick her on you😊
Ember laughed, enjoying Reggie's antics. She raised the dress again and laid along her front to look at it better in a long length mirror.
It's perfect, she thought.
As Ember got dressed, and putting on some finishing touches, she heard a knock. She looked at the time, noticing that Bradford was a bit early. She smirked as she went to open the door.
"I didn't think you'd be this eager to go to the party. Or perhaps you just wanted to see what I'm wearing...Oh!" Ember started talking, expecting it to be her T.O., but was surprised when she saw a stoic Chen.
"Lucy! I wasn't expecting you. Is something wrong?" Ember asked, wondering what her friend was doing at her apartment.
"Can I come in?" Lucy asked quietly. Ember, getting worried, quickly opened the door wide and let her in. She grabbed two glasses and poured, and one to Lucy, who downed it immediately.
"Are you okay?" Ember was concerned, not having spent a lot of time with Lucy lately. Lucy settled into the bar stool, and looked at Ember all dolled up.
"You look nice." Lucy said dryly. Ember raised her eyebrow at the delivery of the comment but went along with it.
"Thanks. Marina and Reggie are hosting a dinner party. Attendance is mandatory."
"And you're going with Bradford? You seem eager to show him your outfit." Lucy made a jab, referring to Ember's earlier words as she opened the door.
Ember was now getting annoyed with Lucy, " What the hell are you getting at? Don't think I haven't noticed your dodgy behaviour lately. If you have a problem with me, come out and say it."
"Fine. You have no idea what you're doing!" Lucy raised her hands, waving them up and down Ember's frame, "Risking your career and reputation to go on a date with your training officer. Your superior officer. Instead, all you care about is how sexy your dress looks, even though he's a married man. I always knew you had a few loose screws, but I didn't think you'd stoop so low as to try to seduce Bradford, for what? To get on his good side? It's pathetic." Lucy looked Ember dead in the eye.
Ember cocked her head to the right, a bewildered look on her face. Then slowly, a smirk creeped up, offering no warmth or mischief, and Lucy noticed this, and as she tried to retract her words, Ember placed a finger to Lucy's lips, silencing her.
"You've spoken your bit. Now it's my turn." Ember grabs her glass and fills it to the brim, and gulps, not stopping till the last drop, Lucy's confidence dropping as fast as the drink.
"Let's get one thing straight." She gently slams the glass on the counter, "It's not a date. All the T.O.s know he's going because Marina asked him to accompany me. So no, it's not because I'm trying to seduce him to rise up the ranks, as you've so eloquently suggested." Ember wags the finger she had placed on Lucy's lips before continuing.
"And don't you think you're being a little hypocritical? Considering you're dating Nolan?" Ember looked at Lucy, noting how her face was cracking under Ember's fiery scrutiny. Then suddenly a lightbulb went off in Ember's mind.
"You broke up with Nolan, didn't you?" She saw Lucy fidgeting, "No...He broke you with you! So in your stupor, you decide not to act like a normal person who'd buy ice cream, and watch true crime documentaries but to confront me and basically call me a seductress, all because your boy-toy broke up with you?!" Ember's voice strained, as she struggled to contain her anger.
"I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't have taken out my issues on you." Lucy tried to explain, abruptly interrupted by the redhead.
"You're right, you shouldn't have." Ember walked to the door and opened it, "Which is why you're leaving immediately, before either one of us says something we can't take back."
Lucy, taken back by Ember's reaction, stood up and tried to mediate the situation.
"I know you're upset..." Lucy trialled off as she heard Ember's hearty crackle.
"Upset? UPSET!? No, I'm not upset." She walked up to Lucy and stared her in the eye, "I'm hurt. My friend accused me of being able to seduce my T.O., for my own benefits. As if we hadn't spent so much time together, to know each other and our capabilities." She placed one hand on Lucy's cheek, "I thought I knew you, that you wouldn't think so low of me before talking to me. I don't recognize this heartbroken girl in front of me. So I'll ask you again. Please leave." Ember's eyes glistened with tears. Lucy wanted to say something, but decided against it, and walked out.
Ember let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She pours another glass, drinks it quickly and slides down the side of the counter, cupping her face, wondering how the evening had devolved so quickly.
She didn't know how long she sat down there, and she probably would have spent her evening there if she hadn't heard Bradford's voice.
"Are you okay, Boot?"
__________________________________
As Bradford walked towards Ember's apartment and noticed the door slightly ajar, he freaked out and pulled out his gun. He didn't have to look far till he spotted his rookie on the floor. Bradford didn't see any obvious injuries, but he wanted to be sure.
Ember looked up and saw Bradford squatting in front of her. She couldn't be bothered to wonder how he got on, she was just that drained.
"I'm fine." Bradford had a look of disbelief, but decided he wouldn't push for answers. Not yet anyway. He stood up and held out a hand for Ember. She reaches for it and gets pulled up, a bit too strongly than she expected, and is yanked towards Bradford's chest. She looked up and saw him steading her by her lower back and still holding onto her hand. Becoming flushed with the situation and what occurred earlier, Ember detangles herself from her T.O.
"Sorry." She fidgets with her fingers. Ember coughs and excuses herself to finish getting ready. She pours and hands a glass to Bradford then rushes to her room.
Bradford looks around the apartment, impressed with the style of decor. As a simple man, he wanted minimalistic, straightforward and functional. Which was similar to what he could describe as Ember's place, with her own stylish feminine colours and earthy tones, he hated how much he actually liked her place.
Which brought back the issue at hand. She didn't seem hurt or scared, more like stressed and tired. He knew how to handle rude, sarcastic Ember, not sad, timid, stressed Ember.
Bradford heard the door open and he wanted to bring up his question again, but was starstruck when he laid his eyes on her.
Ember was anxious. She knew without a doubt this wasn't a date, but she still wanted to make an impression on Bradford. As she stood before him, Ember couldn't tell if his silence was a good thing, or she went overboard. Typical of her, Ember tried to use humour to mask her feelings.
"Have I left you speechless?" Ember gave a small smile. Bradford could easily see how his rookie was trying to save face. He closes the distance between them, towering over her, seeing the blush on her face.
"Am I making you nervous, Ember?" Ember snapped her eyes to meet her T.O's, noticing the teasing smirk on his face. She didn't like the shiver that ran down her spine when he said her name.
"Not as much as I made you speechless. One might think you've forgotten that you're my T.O., Officer Bradford."
"I could say the same about you, looking flushed. Don't forget you're my rookie, Officer Ross."
Neither one tried to move, still looking into each other's eyes. The air getting heavy. Bradford knew he had to resist. This was his rookie. He couldn't cross that line, but he also couldn't help himself.
Ember's breath hitched as Bradford tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"You look beautiful." Bradford whispered.