Shooting Hoops

Chapter 2

I stare at the Officer blankly. Surely he has the wrong vehicle. "What?"

The Officer doesn't repeat his comment. He takes a step back. "Can you and your friend step out of the car?"

I unbuckle my seat belt, but I didn't step out of the car like he told me to. There is no reason for me too. There's some kind of mistake. Quite possibility another vehicle had a similar license plate to Brodie's Dad.

"There must be some kind of mistake, Officer." I gesture to Brodie who was still fast asleep, and hadn't even made any movement since we left Connor's "This is my friend's father's car, in which he borrowed from."

The Officer gives me a frustrating look as to say he doesn't feel like dealing with me right now. Or maybe he just didn't want to look like a fool when I tell him the vehicle wasn't stolen. Perhaps maybe it's a slow Friday night and he is looking to bust someone. But why would be bust me when I have done nothing wrong? I couldn't even think to steal a car. I don't want to even know what Dad would think if I was arrested for Grand Thief Auto.

"Look," he says, "I wouldn't be pulling you over if I wasn't told to keep a look out for this vehicle matching the description I was given. So please, step out of the vehicle."

A million things ran through my head, and I didn't know how I was going to be able to get out of this, or how to convinced this police officer that he is wrong.

I turn to Brodie, shaking him. "Brodie, you need to wake up and help me out here."

He groans, his eyes still shut. "What is going on? Why does everyone keep shaking me for?"

"Open your eyes and look at me. It's important."

He obeys me, staring at me with a blank look. "Where are we? Where's the party? Is it over?"

I ignore his questions. "Brodie, please tell this officer that this car isn't stolen."

Brodie is still looking at me like I had no idea what I was talking about. It takes him for a moment to realize what was going on. "Oh, I borrowed my Dad's car and well, I didn't tell him I was taking it."

I stare at him, unsure how I was going to be able to convince the Officer about Brodie's story. I get it now. Brodie had taken his father's car without telling him, and now his father thinks his car is stolen. His Dad works night shifts so I guess maybe he was asleep when he had taken it. Although it sounded odd to me to why Brodie would take his father's car if he knew he had to go to work tonight. I'm sure he would have borrowed his mother's.

I turn back to the Officer. "See? I told you I'm not lying. Now can I please go?"

"Not so fast," he says. "Have you been drinking? Your friend here said you have been to a party, and I can smell alcohol on your breath. I assume you're both twenty one?"

"Of course we are twenty one," I lie the best I can. "It's not like we are seventeen or something like that."

I don't take my eyes off the police officer. I want him to believe me, but it's clear he doesn't believe a word that's coming out of my mouth. Why wouldn't he? I mean, I have done nothing wrong, except lie around my age. I'm being a good friend driving a drunk friend home, yet I'm being accused for stealing a car.

"May I see your license please?" the Officer asks. "It will determine whether you are lying about your age."

I sigh, rolling my eyes as I fetch my license out of my jeans. I hand the license to him and wait anxiously for what he will say next. I'm dead. Dad is going to kill me for getting arrested.

"Any reason why you felt like you needed to lie to me about your age?" The Officer hands me back my license.

I place it back in my wallet. "Look, I don't want to make it a big deal, but I only had one drink."