Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

Chapter 71 - Flagstaff Station, West Melbourne

Adeline -

I sit on the uncomfortable seats as I play a game on my phone, bored and anxious as I wait. I hate police stations passionately.

'Adeline!'

Ashleigh suddenly comes running and jumps on me, hugging me as she's released from her cell.

'Thank you!' I say to the police officer.

'Miss Templeton, you have paperwork to sign before you leave' the police officer says, waving the paperwork up in the air. Ashleigh sighs as she quickly runs over, signs it and we leave.

'Man, thank you SO much, I owe you big time' Ashleigh says, as we stumble out of the police station and into the CBD.

'Yeah, you do! This is the one and only time I'm bailing you out for stupidity. I want the bail money back as well' I say, as we walk towards the nearest train station. There is, without any single doubt, a couch in Abbotsford that has Ashleigh's name written on it, because I just know she'll be too scared to get the Sunbury train tonight, and I don't think the Bendigo trains run this late.

'Oh yes, I'll transfer that back to your bank account now' Ashleigh says, as she goes onto her banking app and transfers all the bail money over to Charlie and I's shared account. (And why is it shared? Because somebody can't be trusted with money).

'So, where'd Olivia end up? Nobody's told me. All I know is Scarlett called me, practically begging me to bail you out' I say.

'Taken to some hospital, I think. I don't know why, I didn't get her that bad' Ashleigh says, as we access the Flagstaff station.

'She was taken to hospital?' I ask, panicking.

'I didn't hit her that hard. I'm sure she's fine. She's probably trying to fake some injury to get me in the shit. Like getting sacked from my placement employment wasn't already embarrassing enough. Oh well. Who needs channel 7? I'm sure Fox Footy will send me an offer if I request them' Ashleigh says.

'I'm surprised you didn't request them in the first place' I say, as we go down an escalator.

'I had to try and work around my legal placement too, Adeline. I can't have a clash or a overly huge conflict of interest' Ashleigh says, as we walk to the Hurstbridge/Mernda platform and wait for the next train that stops at Victoria Park.

I hug my jacket around me as I suddenly shiver, feeling cold.

'Is the Collingwood/Abbotsford area safe to walk around at night?' Ashleigh suddenly asks.

'In my opinion, absolutely not. But people still do it. So many nightclubs around Johnston and Smith St. I truly don't get it' I say, as a train to Heidelberg pulls up at the platform. Ashleigh goes to board it, but I hold her back.

'Direct express to Ivanhoe and Heidelberg' I say. She nods.

'That's stupid' she complains.

The next train, going to Eltham, pulls up as Ashleigh and I board. We sit together as I check my phone, seeing if Olivia or Jack have messaged me yet. No, of course not. Ashleigh does notice something flashy though.

'No. Way' she says loudly.

'What?' I ask, looking at my phone, misunderstanding.

'What's that?' She asks, as she grabs my wrist and yanks it, examining my finger.

'Great, now I have a matching one' I say, rubbing my sore wrist. Thanks, Zac and Ashleigh.

'Girl. Is this what I think it is?' Ashleigh asks, inspecting my engagement ring.