Crimson Park

Chapter 25

"Good morning, Ms. Park," the voice of Officer Baig greeted you as you rummaged through your pantry in search of another bag of coffee - which miraculously was being depleted quicker than you could restock it. You were considering charging a dollar per cup to the guards and investigators who had started skipping their morning drive thru in lieu of your supply.

"Morning," you turned and smiled. Baig was a tall, handsome man with a slender build, a kind face, constant five o'clock shadow, and black thick-framed glasses. He had his eyes on you from the moment he walked into your penthouse a week and a half ago, and you hadn't quite worked out if it was because he had a little crush, or if it was just his overall friendly demeanour.

"You have this great Cafe down the road from you, did you know that?" he smiled as he handed you a brown bag. "I picked you up a chocolate scone."

"Oh," you said in mild surprise. "That was so thoughtful. Thank-you."

"Jeon said they make these great ice cappuccinos that are awesome with a shot of espresso and vanilla in them - so I grabbed you one too," he handed you the icy cup. "It's starting to get hot out there - I thought you might miss not being able to enjoy the spring sun."

You glanced over his shoulder and into the living room. you could see Jungkook sitting at the table, his leg crossed over his knee with his papers strewn across his lap and leaning back in his chair - the way he used to when he was working in your office. His eyes had wandered into the kitchen, and he had been watching your interaction. His face remained calm, but you could see the way his pen tapped madly against his knee, and you knew that whatever he was seeing wasn't sitting right in his mind. If you didn't know any better, you would have thought he was maybe a bit jealous... you could work with that.

You looked back to Baig and put on an obvious smile. "I did. Thank-you."

Baig smiled back but stood there for a moment and you waited for something to happen. Then he finally spoke, "You don't remember me, do you?"

The moment he said it, you realised there was something familiar about him. You cocked your head and narrowed your eyes as you tried to remember why. "We lived at the shelter together. For a couple months... in that room they put all us teenage runaways in."

"Oh my God," you gasped in genuine disbelief as it clicked. "Oh my God, B! Is that you?" His smile widened and he nodded. "Oh my God, you're a cop now?"

"I am."

"What happened?"

"Well... relatives picked me up. Good ones. I lived with them, graduated high school, went into the academy, and now here I am."

"Wow, I'm so happy for you!" You were happy for him, but at the same time you felt a twinge of envy in your gut that this kid you remembered somehow found a way into a normal life, and a bit of Shame that he was now here while you were going down for your less than extraordinary choices. "Please don't ask me how my life has been going."

He chuckled. "Nah. No matter what, I'll always remember you as that... hot chick who stole from the kitchen and scared all the crazies away when they bugged us. You were my hero."

"Ugh, please don't say that."

"Seriously. You've changed so much, but in many ways not at all. You know, I even went back a few times looking for you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Sure. I was a boy with a crush."

You smiled meekly at his flattery. How much different would your life have been had you fallen for a boy like Baig instead of someone like Carter.