𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋 ✔︎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

Cautiously, I stepped down the stairs.

"Zoeeee!" Liv said in a sing-song voice from the top of the stairs. "You're so cool! You made friends with gangsters?"

"What?" I said. I ran down the rest of the stairs to see two police officers, one woman and one man.

"Everyone please go to your rooms," Nina told the little kids who were drawing flowers and butterflies with coloured crayons.

They all did as they were told.

"Take a seat, Zoe," Nina said, frowning at me.

I stared at the police officers. "What's going on?"

The man officer cleared his throat. "This description exactly matches you. About five foot three with brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a black jacket, grey joggers and white trainers."

My heart pounded in my chest. "Where did you get that from?" In my mind was the middle-aged woman carrying groceries with her husband.

"We were informed of two youths exchanging illegal drugs. You were one of them," said the policewoman.

"Oh my." Nina's hand went to her head, a shocked lock on her face.

"I was out with friends," I lied. "I've never even seen drugs in my life."

"Zoe," Nina whispered, almost like a gasp. "Please tell the truth."

"I am!" I yelled.

The policeman cleared his throat again. "The person who had informed us had taken a picture of you and the other youth." He showed us his tablet. "She couldn't describe the other one due to the fact she had her hood up. All we know about her is she is white and was wearing black clothes. She also has a purple bike with a black backpack. Sound familiar?"

I thought about the main, tough gangster with the long hair who I begged for more weed from. My cheeks flushed.

"We are only asking you for the truth," said the man. "We will find out if you have been lying in any way, sooner or later. Tell us every detail about what happened and every detail about who the other youth was. I would also like to know if there were other people involved."

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. My blood turned cold and my heart seemed to stop working. I remembered the gangster's words. If the bobbies ask you anything, say you don't know a thing. Pretend to be dumb.

"I d-don't know anything," I said.

"Well it looks like we have to ask you questions," said the policewoman. She took out her notebook. "What's her name?"

"I don't know her name," I replied. This was true and I felt some guilt drain out of me.

"What's your name, then?"

"Zoe Ankers," I mumbled.

She asked for my date of birth and other information and also got Nina's personal number.

"I'd like to ask you a question about the other youth," said the policeman.

Blankly, I looked at him, waiting.

"Does she or does she not have grey eyes?"

An image popped into my head; her big irises as grey as ash on her tough face.

"Erm I don't know," I said.

"Does she look like this?" The policeman showed me a picture on his tablet of the gangster. She was scowling in the picture and had a dry bloody lower lip.

The policeman must have seen my shocked face and gave a strange smile then chuckled. Even the policewoman tried to hold back a laugh.

"This is Claire Berry," said the policeman. "She is nineteen, known for her drug dealings and is also known in the police department for encouraging younger teenagers like you to start taking drugs. There was a case where she made a ten-year-old consume cocaine. She had been arrested and fined a couple of times and we are still investigating where she gets those illegal items from. We know what has happened due to the hidden CCTV cameras in the alleyways and how you have reacted is seen as criminal activity. You will be allowed no further contact with Claire and it is most likely she will be jailed for another week and charged depending on what the judge decides. Most likely you will not be attending court but you are given a warning and your consumption of illegal drugs will be stuck there on your criminal record, lowering your chance of employment in your future. I hope you understand and I hope you have learned your lesson."

My teeth chattered as he spoke. I have turned into a criminal. What was wrong with me?

"Oh one last thing," said the policewoman before she left. She walked toward me and stuffed her hands in all my pockets. "I'd like to check her room before we leave."

They found nothing suspicious apart from the smell on me and my bed. When they left, I was the centre of attention.

"Ooh, Zoe! What did you do?"

"Oh my days Zo you're turning into a rebel, you."

"How's it like to commit a crime?"

"Calm down guys, it's not that much of a big deal."

"Zoe you baddie!"

"You should dress up as Harley Quinn for halloween!"

"Erm, Arnold... Halloween is ages away. It's literally summer."

"Doesn't seem like summer does it?"

"I know it's been raining loads."

"No way-"

"Children, quiet down!" Nina shouted.

Everyone stopped their chattering and continued having their lasagne. I didn't even take a bite. I couldn't believe I had committed a crime and broken the law. I didn't care about stupid Claire Berry; she was out of my mind. I started to loathe her. It was all her fault. She and her friends pressured me. To make matters worse, I had started yearning for more weed. It was all I wanted.