when you met me

arrest

Arrest

Dud leaned against the walls heading to the changing room, sipping his coffee with Jim standing next to him, jabbering about the bomb he'd diffused using some sort of robot that he had named Denise. He nodded along to the story slowly. Suddenly, a flash of purple hair caught his eye.

"I'm telling you, I have nothing to do with it!" Her familiar voice rang. The officer mumbled something in annoyance, and Dud leaned forward to see Mara. Her short, straightened hair framed her features. She looked older. "Well, we didn't either!" A blonde haired bloke yelled in defiance. Dud recognized him from Mara's flat a while ago. He couldn't remember the name.

"Oh no." Dud whispered to himself, his head swimming. Jim noticed his change in mood and watched four people being escorted into the interrogation rooms. "What is it?" Jim asked curiously. Dud hadn't the strength to lie, "That was her. The one with the purple hair. That's the girl."

Jim took a moment to process what Dud had said. "Wait, THE girl?" He asked incredulously. Dud nodded and set his mug down. "Oh-"

"Time to go lose my job." Dud interrupted, talking to mostly himself. "Okay, this is what I have to do. She needs me, I have to do it. I can't leave her."

"Wait, what?"

"I need to go and trick some people into letting her go, which will soon lead to my being sacked." Dud explained in a frenzy. "No you don't, Ash." Jim said simply. A man called from the other side of the hall that Jim was needed for a potential security breach. "One second." He said, focusing on Dud. "You don't owe her anything." He almost laughed.

Dud shook his head. Jim didn't get it. "I can't leave her now. It's my fault, don't you get it?" Jim just raised an eyebrow, thinking Dud had gone mad. "I'm the only person who's always cared about her, and been there, and she's done the same for me. I know, it's wrong, but I would... I'd break the law." Dud shrugged.

"You shouldn't have to, mate. She made her own mistake. If she really thinks it's necessary to put you under for what she's done, then she's-"

"That's just it, Jim! She wouldn't be here if I had been there." Dud shook his head, knowing that no matter how illogical, he couldn't leave her. He would need to figure out a way to help her.

Mara had taken a walk with her friends. She'd somehow convinced them that fresh air got the creative juices flowing. "The air in London isn't really fresh." Cole had commented. Dax rolled his eyes and continued walking.

A man walked up to them and singled out Beth, who was texting. "Can I interest you in anything today?" Beth's cheeks blushed. "No." She said simply.

"Anyone?" He looked around. The man was small and dirty looking and smelled of wee. He had jacket, obviously filled with all kinds of illegal things. Mara knew they needed to get away from the man before the continually patrolling coppers caught them and got the wrong idea.

Cole decided he was entertained by the man. "Got any watches?" He asked, amused. Mara nudged him and he ignored her. The man pulled up his jacket sleeve, revealing stolen watches, gold and silver, up his arm. Mara's eyes widened, and Cole laughed. "Wow."

Dud walked casually towards the holding cells. He glanced into each one, recognizing one of them as Beth and almost smiling at how small the city really was. He stopped at Mara's window, looked around to make sure the guard had turned the corner, and peered through the window, catching her attention.

Mara's head snapped up at the sound of faint knocking. She stood up. Dud, of course. The boy she'd known forever and a day. He wasn't a boy anymore that was for sure. Mara should have known he would be there, do anything for her. But she didn't want him to. It was her mistake, her misunderstanding. It was his job on the line.

"You don't have to help me." Mara said. Dud spoke slowly. She couldn't hear him. She imagined he had said that he couldn't hear her. "Sorry." Mara said. Dud shook his head, having read her lips. "Go away." She said, motioning him away. Dud shook his head. Mara frowned. "Please." She said, begging him.

Dud could tell that she meant it. She wanted him to leave. And as he heard the guard coming down the hall, he let her have her way one more time. "Okay." He mouthed. She smiled sadly and nodded. Dud put his hand on the window, which was met with Mara's on the other side for only a second before he had to take it away and leave.

Mara left her hand on the cold, thick glass for a minute longer, then pulled it away and sat down. Asher Dudley, the boy across the street, her best friend, her first REAL love. Whenever he could be, he was there. Mara's eyes brimmed with tears and she kept the sad smile on her face long after Dud had left