Opposites Attract

Chapter 7~ "You Know You Love Me..."

~Judy's POV~

"So, I've been thinking. You know our city's named Zootopia, right? Well, I get the whole 'topia' part of the name and all but, why 'zoo'? I mean, what does zoo even mean? Deep, I know. But then I thought... Carrots? You listening?"

"Hm? Uh, yeah...sounds nice."

I'm falling for him. There! I said it. Ever since sending him that text it hit me like walking into a sign post. I wasn't just writing it to him, it was as if I was writing it to myself, too. Just...not realizing it, until I'd pressed send.

It's now the next day at work and we've been set out bright and early to find a reported porcupine apparently witnessed to graffiti on walls-or something along those lines. There's been too much going on in my mind nowadays to listen. I'd personally like to get more action to keep myself distracted, but I guess it's better to be out in the open rather than stuck indoors with paperwork to stare at. So now, I've been tuning in and out of Nick's one sided conversation as we patrol around town, looking for trouble. Nick's taken the wheel and seems too distracted with himself for this to result in a successful mission. But that's the least of my worries now.

I think back to yesterday when I got home from that day we spent together. Thoughts whirled round and round my mind; twisting my brain into knots. I was convinced I was losing my mind and decided to call one of my closest sisters back home in the Burrows about my situation. Well, I had to talk to somebody about this, now that it had turned serious. I of course substituted Joseph, from the café, in for Nick, saying that he was a new guy at the ZPD. It was quick thinking in order to avoid getting myself into trouble. They simply sniggered and said, 'Re-lax I won't tell a soul...' I wasn't satisfied with that. Although the advise they gave seemed reasonable enough; which was to instantly blurt it out when I got the chance. 'It's just like ripping off a band-aid Judes.' Easier said than done. This is already happening faster than I can catch up with. But am I going to let that bring me down? No. All I needed was that good pep talk I had in the mirror this morning.

I give him a concerned glance. What is he blabbering about anyways? Last time I saw him like this was the day he packed his bags and got sent out to the police academy. He was a nervous wreck then, and it's seems like he's a nervous wreck now. I decide to examine him further. I watch him get to the radio. The music he's already blaring from it exceeds louder as he obnoxiously turns it up and taps his claws against the steering wheel, bobbing his head to the beat. His tapping became too vigorous as his claws started to create scratch marks on the wheel. I twitch my ear and roll my eyes, choosing to act annoyed from his reckless behaviour. I can't help but feel that there's something off about his tapping and head bobbing though...

"And I really think I'm starting to grow on some of the big guys at work!" I force myself to tune back in. "Fangmeyer? We're practically friends. McHorn? So much in common!" His gestures became more animated as he spoke. "I'm getting more popular each day that passes! I mean, they always refer to me as the 'little guy' more than I'd like but so what if I'm a couple...or many inches smaller than the rest? I don't feel small."

I wriggle around in my seat "Right. I forgot about your oversized ego."

"Awh come on Carrots..." He chuckles. "You know you love me..." He looks back over his shoulder with an expectant smirk.

Alarm bells went off in my mind. I feel a strong tug at heart and a heavy gut feeling of what I had to do. This is my chance. I clench my fists and take a deep breath, not looking him in the eye. Wait, am I sure I want to do this? My sister's voice echoed through my mind; 'It's just like ripping off a band-aid Judes...' Of course I am. It's now or never. I ignore my twitching nose, swallow down the lump in my throat and suck in a breath. The lump comes right back up and my nerves get the best of me, I end up speaking out in a croaky whisper. "I...do love you..."