Baby SOS

Social Casualty

Sirens. I could hear them in every direction but couldn't see the flashing lights of the police cars just yet.

"Run!" 

I yelled to my group of friends who were a few feet in front of me. I always brought up the tail of the group because I was one of the fastest runners, one of my best friends, Alyssa, was always up front leading and my other best friend Cameron was in the middle to sort of keep things moving along. 

We continued running until I noticed Alyssa standing to the side, waiting for the other three members of our group, not including myself and Cameron, to jump over a fence. I waited for Alyssa and Cameron to get over before starting to climb but I only got half way before I could feel myself being pulled back to the ground. I looked at Cam, who had been waiting for me up ahead, and knew what I had to do.

"Go!"

I exclaimed as officers pushed me to the gravel road. Cam was a good kid and he had only been arrested twice and I figured if they caught him it was only a matter of time before they caught the others as well and I'm pretty sure none of them had ever been arrested. As for me, I had already been in this position twice last month and another time at the beginning of this month. Four times between July and August, and its still only the second week of August... Oops?

I was handcuffed and read my Miranda rights, then pushed into the backseat of the cop car. I was in a lot of shit when they called my mum and I knew it. The vehicle pulled up to the downtown LA station and the Officer opened my door, helping me out of the car and leading me into the building after slamming the door behind me. I was put into a holding cell to wait for Officer Shepherd, my parole officer.

Shepherd arrived followed minutes later by my mum. She was on the phone when she got there, presumably with my father who was living in Sydney at the time.

"I don't know what we're going to do with her," I half listened to their conversation, "okay, I'll call you when I get this sorted out."

She hung up and finally turned to me giving me an angry look. Officer Shepherd walked over to the holding cell and unlocked my door.

"So am I being charged?" I asked, looking at my feet.

"Nicole," he started with a sigh, I looked up my piercing blue eyes meeting his tired looking green ones. Shep was like a father figure to me. I know that can be strange to say about your parole officer but he was always there and he had always seemed to care the most.

"No, I managed to get you off the hook this time but I wont be able to again. This is your fourth infraction in 2 months, last time was your third strike. I know you're loyal but if you would tell us who you're working with the punishments wouldnt be as harsh on you."

I continued to look at him, my mouth shut in a straight line. He just nodded and sighed heavily again. "You're free to go."

The car ride home was relatively quiet with the exception of the faint murmur of the radio in the background and the odd sign from my mother.

Eventually she broke the silence,  "so I talked to your father," I glanced at her and hummed in response.

"This has gotten out of hand," she continued, "I can handle you anymore Nicole."

Now I turned towards her, "what are you saying?" I asked, "you don't want me anymore?"

Mum shook her head quickly, "I'm not saying that. I-I'm just saying that we talked and we think it would be best for everyone if you went and lived with your brother for a while."

I looked at her wide-eyed becoming angry, "you want me to go and live with Calum?!"

"It's only temporary Nicole, you can come back when you've settled down a bit. It'll be better for you." We were now sat in the car in our driveway. I looked at her in disbelief but nodded my head and got out of the car.