Temperature's Rising. [WATTYS 2023]

Temperatures Rising: Chapter 46.

Omniscient

"Stop it!" Heaven shouted as the boys continued to fight, knocking over her lamps and everything in the walkway leading into the house. But they weren't listening; the more she screamed for them to cease, the more the burning sensation rattled in her throat.

Next thing she knew, her front door was burst open, and the boys were thrown to the ground and handcuffed, while she was pushed into a corner, forced to watch as the officers used excessive force. "Stop. You're hurting them," she pleaded.

The officer who pulled her aside kept telling her to let the officers do their job, citing resistance, which was true, but the level of force they were using seemed excessive. "I didn't call you guys. Why are you here?" she demanded.

"Ma'am, ma'am. Calm down. Do you know these men? Is this your home?"

"Yes. I own this house. That's my fiancé and my ex-boyfriend. What? I didn't call the police," she stammered, trying to look over the officer's shoulder. The officer's expression softened slightly as he took in Heaven's words. "We received a call reporting a disturbance at this address. Are you sure you didn't call?"

Heaven shook her head, confusion clouding her thoughts. "No, I didn't call. But something isn't right here. They were fighting, yes, but this... this is too much," she insisted, gesturing towards the scene unfolding before her.

The officer nodded, his gaze shifting between Heaven and the commotion. "We'll need to sort this out. Can you come down to the station to give a statement?"

Heaven nodded, grateful for the chance to explain the situation. As the chaos subsided and the boys were led away, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease. She was sure it was one of her nosy neighbors who made the call. She hated police. And she hated it even more so that she was the one here giving a statement.

"You said the two men fighting in your home were your fiancé and ex, correct? Mind telling me who is who?" the officer asked, clicking his pen and opening his notebook.

"Logan. That's my fiancé, Logan Carter. And—," Heaven replied, her voice wavering slightly. "Look, I'm not pressing charges, so I don't see why we're even doing this."

She shook her head at the officer. "They just had a disagreement, like men do. How long before they can be released?" The officer made a note in his notebook before looking back at Heaven. "We'll need to process them first, but if you're not pressing charges and there are no other outstanding issues, they should be released shortly. However, I'll need you to provide a formal statement."

Heaven nodded, relieved that the ordeal seemed to be coming to an end. "I don't know what more I can be of help. There was a disagreement and they fought like men do. It was a mutual fight. The officer nodded in return, his expression sympathetic. "I understand this must be a difficult situation for you. We'll do our best to resolve it swiftly."