Melting His Jet Black Heart [cake au] ✔

12.

You lucky people get a double update bc I'm happy :)

Chapter 12

"You must be Luke! Hi, sorry I'm Mali," the older sister of Calum introduced, sticking a shaking hand out towards Luke with a weak smile. Luke took her hand and shook it gently, also a bit nervous himself. "C'mon then, let's go inside and see what's happening."

Mali had told Luke to go with her to the police station. Sure, she might've made the journey often, but each time it brought intense grief and sadness, so much that she couldn't bear to go alone. If Luke was there, she might feel a bit better. It was just a hypothesis but she wouldn't know for sure till she tried.

"Excuse me Miss, who are you looking for?" a police officer demanded, looking very tough and study with his thick boots and dark uniform, a gun strapped to his belt.

"Calum Hood. He's my brother."

"Ah, Calum. I should've known you'd be here, Mali," another officer said, popping up from a desk. "Hi. Who's this?" he asked, pointing at Luke. She introduced him. "Nice to meet you, Luke. I'm James. Mali and I were high school classmates," he explained. "I knew Calum as a young kid, but Mali, he's really changed hasn't he? One crime after the next; I really feel bad for him."

Luke felt angry at how casually the police officer could say that. What empty words, 'I really feel bad for him'. He thought Mali might feel the same, but instead she smiled. "Yeah, he has changed. He used to such a cute kid, who had a passion for football and music... and now, well now he's almost completely different."

"Aren't you gonna defend him?" Luke asked. They both looked back at him with surprised faces. "He's your brother."

"That doesn't change what he's done... I don't think you know him very well Luke."

Luke's jaw dropped as his heart beat quickened. Didn't know him? Oh, so he'd been ignoring Calum this whole time? Yeah right. If anything, he'd been the most observant, and most caring; lending a hand whenever possible. "You do realise why Calum's here, don't you?" She shook her head but shrugged, mentioning something about 'getting into a fight'. "He's been accused of murdering your parents."

Tears accumulated almost immediately as her expression crippled into despair, legs giving into the surprise and causing her to fall onto the floor. James gasped and quickly bent down to help her up, whilst Luke put his hands in his hair, frustrated that he broke it to her in such an awful way. Couldn't he have said it a bit nicer? Or took his time? He meekly apologised, but Mali shook her head.

"I would've found out anyway... how could he be accused? He was only ten, for goodness' sake!" she retorted. James stroked her back whilst a few police officers came out of a small room at the back.

"Mali-Koa Hood? Are you here to see your brother?" one of the female officers asked. She nodded. "He's right over here." She stood and limped her way over, tears still fully obstructing her view. Luke began to walk over, but the officer blocked him off. "I'm afraid we only allow family members in here."

"But I'm-"

"Are you by any chance Luke Hemmings?" He nodded worriedly. "Mr Hood has requested that we prevent you from coming in. I'm sorry; you can either wait outside or go home." Luke's mouth opened to speak but they all disappeared into the room. He banged his head against the wall and slid down, shaking his head irritatingly and running a hand through his perfectly shaped quiff. Why would anyone even begin to accuse a kid of killing their own parents? And why now, of all times? He'd literally just begun opening up to Luke; it was the worst possible thing to happen at this point in time.

He paced up and down the office, not caring about the officers at their desks staring at him. Eventually he made it to the reception desk with jittering limbs, and decided to ask the guy who accused Calum. "Erm, excuse me? Could you possibly tell me who accused Calum Hood of murder?"

The man grunted through his thick moustache, the wrinkles surrounding them moving as he spoke. "I'm terribly sorry sir, we don't disclose that kind of information to the general public," he replied tiredly, almost bored from saying the same thing again and again to other people.

"You all think I don't know him – I do, okay? We're really good f-friends."

"Being friends isn't enough. His sister is in there; one family member is enough for these cases."

"But I could make a statement or something-"

"That won't be necessary sir. If we need any more statements, we will contact you."

He pouted and with a squint, replied, "So I can give my number to you and you'll contact me?"

"If you so wish."

Luke smiled and grabbed a pen from the desk, scruffily jotting down his mobile number and handing it to the reluctant officer. At least now he could feel a bit more relaxed, knowing he could help if it was needed.

~

Meanwhile, Calum was sat slouching in the hard plastic chair, listening to his sister and the officers talk it out. Certain thoughts began running through his head:

"Why am I here? Did they manage to stop Luke from coming in? Why does he care so much? Why can't he leave me alone? Who accused me? – was it someone out to get me? Is this why I've been living, so I can be accused of killing my parents? I should've died with them that day. I should've run out of the cupboard and let them stab me too, because this life isn't worth living anymore."

"Officer, please, you can't possibly!"

The brown haired officer shook his head with closed eyes. "I'm very sorry. We're going to have to take this to court."

***

Wait till next week to see what happens!

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Kimmy xx