Our quiet drive was interrupted by a police siren and flashing lights behind us. I glanced in the passenger\u2019s side mirror and frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, shit.\u201d Olivia cursed. \u201cWhat the hell did I do?\u201d She demanded. There was nowhere that she could pull the car over safely, so Olivia pulled her father\u2019s car into an alley.<\/p>\n
She shut the car off and rummaged through her purse for her license. She was already getting the registration out of the glove box. I was waiting for the cop to come around to her side of the car, but instead he came to mine and tapped on the glass.<\/p>\n
I rolled down my window.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood afternoon, officer?\u201d Olivia said sweetly. \u201cDid I do something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t do anything.\u201d The police officer answered. \u201cBut he did.\u201d<\/p>\n
I knew instantly that I recognized the police officer. \u201cCrap.\u201d I mumbled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to need you to step out of the vehicle.\u201d He said to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsaac?\u201d Olivia asked worriedly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s alright.\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019ll handle it, and I\u2019ll be right back. Stay in the car.\u201d I instructed.<\/p>\n
A clear expression of panic crossed Olivia\u2019s face. \u201cBut-\u201c<\/p>\n
I opened the door and stepped out into the cold air.<\/p>\n
Officer Locke folded his arms over his chest. \u201cLong time no see, Isaac. Where have you been hiding?\u201d He sneered.<\/p>\n
I narrowed my eyes. \u201cI\u2019m sure you know. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve been looking into me, haven\u2019t you?\u201d I challenged.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatch it, boy.\u201d He sneered. \u201cI can throw you in jail without even probable cause. I can hold you for twenty four hours before I have to charge you, and I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be able to find something to charge you with.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m clean. Do you want a piss test right here? Where do you want it?\u201d I narrowed my eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast chance.\u201d Officer Locke said. He shone his flashlight in my eyes, temporarily blinding me. \u201cYour pupils are dilated. What are you on?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing. I\u2019m clean. It violates my probation to even be near drugs or alcohol, you know that.\u201d I spat.<\/p>\n
\u201cOfficer, I\u2019ve been with him all day. He hasn\u2019t done anything wrong.\u201d Olivia said, coming to the other side of the car.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiv, get back in the car. I\u2019ll handle it.\u201d The last thing I wanted was to drag her into this.<\/p>\n
\u201cStep back.\u201d The officer warned. \u201cI won\u2019t hesitate to arrest you too.\u201d<\/p>\n
I half turned to Olivia. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, just a misunderstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officer Locke suddenly whipped me around and slapped the cold, hard handcuffs around my wrists.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey!\u201d I cried. \u201cYou have no right to do this! I\u2019m clean, and I\u2019m behaving!\u201d I struggled.<\/p>\n
\u201cQuit resisting!\u201d Officer Locke barked, slamming me hard against the hood of the vehicle. My cheekbone crashed against the hot metal of the car. I groaned out loud.<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t hesitate from charging you with resisting arrest too. I am just looking for a chance to put a two-timing drug addict into jail for the second time.\u201d He growled over my shoulder.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t stand up or move with my arms behind my back. Officer Locke kicked my legs apart and searched my pockets. He dumped my wallet onto the ground, spilling any loose change I had.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing in a car like that anyway? Did you steal it? Or is it her car?\u201d He demanded.<\/p>\n
It was none of his business and I didn\u2019t feel the need to justify his questions with a response.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn that case, what are you doing with a girl like that anyway? She\u2019s too good for you.\u201d He shoved me against the car roughly.<\/p>\n
My face stung, quickly numbing in the cold night air.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t done anything wrong! You have no legal standing to search him! You have no probable cause!\u201d Olivia said from the other side of the car. Her voice was shaking.<\/p>\n
I could hardly even look at her, even if I wanted to.<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up.\u201d Officer Locke warned her. \u201cHe\u2019s on probation. I can do whatever the hell I want to with him. Including throwing his ass in jail.\u201d He spat.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis probation is not justifiable cause for you to do an illegal search.\u201d Olivia answered. \u201cHe\u2019s adhering to the terms of his probation, and I will testify to that. And I will testify that you used unreasonable force and you will be charged with police brutality!\u201d Olivia said.<\/p>\n
I could hear the terror in her voice. \u201cOlivia, I can handle it.\u201d I replied.<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t hear me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you threaten me, girl.\u201d Officer Locke pointed a finger at her. \u201cYou do not know what you\u2019re dealing with her. You do not know the system.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou may be right about that.\u201d Olivia answered. \u201cBut I know someone who does. My father is Judge Donovan James. I can make one phone call to him, and we\u2019ll see what\u2019s happens after that.\u201d<\/p>\n
This seemed to stop Officer Locke in his tracks. He relinquished his hold on me, and I was able to turn to face Olivia.<\/p>\n
Officer Locke sighed, and yanked me upright. He removed the cuffs, and my wrists screamed in pain from being rubbed raw on the cold steel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI may not have reason to arrest you tonight, Hanson.\u201d Officer Locke warned. \u201cBut one day you\u2019ll mess up. One day you\u2019ll make a mistake. And I\u2019ll be the one right there to throw your rotten ass in jail.\u201d He warned.<\/p>\n
He shoved my shoulder and stalked out of the alley to his car. He got into the driver\u2019s side and peeled out of the alley, speeding off.<\/p>\n
Olivia ran around the front of the car. \u201cAre you okay?\u201d She demanded. \u201cYour face!\u201d She lightly reached up to touch my cheek.<\/p>\n
I brushed her hand away. \u201cIt\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell was all that?\u201d She demanded. \u201cYou didn\u2019t do anything wrong!\u201d<\/p>\n
I sighed. \u201cLocke has been out to get me since before the accident. He popped me a couple of times for shop lifting and minor possessions charges\u2026 He\u2019s looking for me to make a mistake, just like he said.\u201d I said, rubbing my sore wrist.<\/p>\n
Olivia folded her arms over her chest. \u201cHe has no right! That\u2019s not who you are anymore. I\u2019m going to tell my father and he\u2019ll do something.\u201d<\/p>\n
I could feel anger boiling up in my blood. \u201cDon\u2019t bother. He\u2019s a bully, it won\u2019t stop him.\u201d<\/p>\n
I raked my hands through my hair and paced across the alley. The buildings on either side were made of brick. I growled sharply and pulled back my arm slamming my fist into the brick wall as hard as I could. I could feel the skin on my knuckles tear.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsaac!\u201d Olivia gasped. She was at my side in a second, grasping my hand between her tiny hands. \u201cOh, you\u2019re going to need stitches.\u201d She gasped. \u201cWe need to take you to the emergency room.\u201d<\/p>\n
I yanked my hand from hers. \u201cI\u2019m fine!\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia gaped at me and for a second, I thought she might actually cry.<\/p>\n
\u201cShit, Liv, I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d I placed my hands on her upper arms. \u201cSweetie, I didn\u2019t mean it. I\u2019m just mad and frustrated. That guy really gets to me. No matter how hard I try to make everything right, there\u2019s something that creeps back\u2026\u201d I sighed. \u201cI have tried so hard to keep you from this part of my life. You have no idea. And it seems like no matter what I do it\u2019s just not good enough. I just can\u2019t run from my past! And the worst part about it? The worst part about it is that he\u2019s right. He\u2019s completely right. You\u2019re too good for all of this, and you don\u2019t deserve it. You deserve someone way better than me.\u201d I sighed, lightly cupping her cheek.<\/p>\n
Olivia gaped at me, and for the second time looked like she was going to cry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsaac!\u201d Olivia gasped. \u201cThat is not true! You don\u2019t realize how sweet and genuine you actually are. He is wrong about you. They don\u2019t know the version of you that I know!\u201d She paused, pursing her lips and choosing her words carefully. \u201cThis may be a little soon, and I\u2019m sorry if this scares you away, but you need to hear it. I love you. I think I\u2019ve loved you for a long time\u2026 And it\u2019s okay if you don\u2019t feel it back, but it\u2019s how I feel and-\u201c<\/p>\n
Before she could finish her long, drawn out rant, I leaned toward her and gently kissed her. I brushed her hair back over her shoulder. \u201cOh, Liv. I love you too.\u201d I whispered softly.<\/p>\n
At first I wasn\u2019t sure if I meant it, but when the words came out I knew in my heart they were true.<\/p>\n
Olivia nestled her cheek into my palm, and sighed. \u201cWill you let me take you to the emergency room now?\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t think I needed to go, but if Olivia was going to insist, I wasn\u2019t going to start a fight. Not tonight, anyway.<\/p>\n