thin walls (are calling me home)

Chapter 9

It was a warm day.

Maybe that shouldn't have surprised Lauren given that the weather was supposed to steadily rise in temperature, but so far February had been pretty cold, and so it did leave her somewhat shocked.

It made her kind of annoyed too, if she were being honest, because of course the weekends and the days she had morning or night shifts would be cold, while the days she could be enjoying a nice afternoon out with Camila would be warm. It was just her luck.

Lauren huffed as she set her bag down on her desk, already in her uniform, and sat on her chair. But then a thought crossed her mind and a big smile took over her face. If there was anything to be happy about, it was-

"She said yes!" Normani screeched, hugging Lauren's neck from behind her and scaring her to death.

Yep, that was it. If there was anything able to lift her mood effortlessly, it was her friends' engagement.

Normani snickered at Lauren's small jump, but the green eyed girl couldn't even glare at her friend. She turned around to face Normani, with a hand on her chest and a huge grin on her face, and simply laughed gleefully at her.

"I know! You told me yesterday. Or, well, I guess technically it was today since it was like midnight. And like, two more times through your texts this morning." Lauren exclaimed.

Normani had the biggest grin on her face. "I'm not even sorry, Laur."

"I don't want you to be." Lauren stated, getting up and hugging her friend tightly.

Lauren hadn't been able to drop by Ally's to give Normani a ride earlier that Thursday because she had run late, but she totally intended to go there after work and drown her best friend in affections and congratulations. Besides, they had gushed about it and Ally had cried on the phone for about half an hour before Lauren realized she was indeed late, which was why she hadn't been able to congratulate Ally personally earlier.

(It wasn't really her fault.)

"I still can't believe she said yes." Normani said, shaking her head in bewilderment as she pulled away.

"Well, I can. We're totally celebrating tomorrow, right?"

"Oh yes, girl! I'm calling Issartel too! And Dinah, of course. If Camila wants she can bring Shawn or her friends too." Lauren chuckled as Normani went on. "What are you laughing at, Screamer?" Normani asked mockingly, making Lauren roll her eyes, but her huge smile betrayed her true feelings. "The more the merrier!"

"We'll bring my entire family, happy now?" Normani nodded with a satisfied grin and Lauren laughed before shaking her head affectionately. "Now, come on, tell me the detai-"

"Everybody listen up!" Lieutenant Joseph interrupted her. "The captain wants to have a word with the police officers, so get yourselves to the meeting room." Lauren looked at Normani, who seemed just as confused as she was feeling, and she guessed the entire precinct must have been like that, because not a minute later the lieutenant clapped his hands. "Now, people!"

That seemed to break the trance Lauren was in, much like the other offices in the room, and she made her way to the meeting room with Normani by her side. They sat down together with Officer Lucas at one of the big rectangular desks and waited.

Not too much time had passed when Captain Russell walked in, closing the door behind him and walking up to his own desk in front of all the others. He looked around the room and Lauren thought his gaze was fixed just a moment longer on her, but before she could really think about it, he started talking.