Criminal Love

9. Blank Space

It's been a week after the party, and the boundaries between Dylan and Yue have become pretty much nonexistent. He doesn't wait for her in the hallway anymore, he barges in unannounced and sits on her comfortable couch to pet Whiskers, who immediately hops onto Dylan's lap.

Dylan still gathers all Yue's things every morning -water, keys, wallet-, but he does it in her apartment, while she gets ready.

Usually, when Dylan arrives at 7.45 am, Yue storms out of the bathroom in her pajamas, apologizing for being late once more. They should leave at 8 sharp to be able to get to the office on time, but that never happens. Yue can thank the special unit for being lenient with her tardiness, otherwise she would have been warned multiple times already.

Dylan simply smiles when he sees her roaming around still in her nightwear. Nothing Yue does bothers him at this point; she is too cute and sweet to upset anyone, or Dylan specifically. He has become a better person thanks to her, he likes that. And Yue doesn't mind that her home has become his backyard. She is used to Dylan's stimulating presence and enjoys it.

However, something funny is happening lately at the office: Darren and Caesar have noticed the change in Yue and Dylan's behavior thanks to the tracker app. They love to spy on the couple, and they can pinpoint their locations to a few centimeters in real time. Recently, the two dots on the screen, one purple and the other yellow, have been close to one another all day every day, except...

"I wonder how long before the two dots remain proximate even at night..." Caesar jokes and whacks Darren on the arm as both look at the most recent movements on the screen.

Nonetheless, Darren feels that Yue could do better than Dylan. He finds her responsible, charming, and valuable, a woman who deserves the best in life, because she is always giving a lot to other people. Who knows if Dylan would be good for her in the long run?

What Darren doesn't realize is that Dylan has been a friend like no other to Yue. He is there for her day and night; he makes sure she is cared for and gives her emotional support when she doubts herself. No one has ever made Yue feel so capable and confident. She blooms when Dylan is around.

◇◇◇

As Yue and Dylan step foot into the office this morning, the main line rings with a case. It is the boss telling them there has been an art robbery at a famous person's house.

"Who is it?" Caesar asks Yue, who answered the call, wondering if it might be someone worth meeting.

Yue replies as if she is picking a menu at McDonald's: "Taylor Swift."

The three men suddenly feel like they have been thrown into a movie.

"Is she here in Florida?" Caesar questions with the most interested voice Yue has ever heard since she met him.

"Yes."

The guys go ballistic, hitting each other and giggling like teenagers, and immediately begin to argue about who should interview miss Swift. Yue rolls her eyes. Seeing these adults become silly boys is ridiculous and unbelievable, and a little irritating, to be honest.

Still, there is something else bothering her in the pit of her stomach when she sees Dylan shaking Cesar's shoulders and screaming "We get to meet Taylor Swift! Man! She's hot and tall!"

Ouch... Hot Yue can attempt to achieve, tall is unlikely.

"Apparently, nobody cares about how talented she is or that she was the victim of a robbery!" Yue abruptly shouts so loud that the boys are flabbergasted, and then she storms out to the main gallery.