Unlawful Love [girlxgirl]

Chapter 1

As I made my way into the courthouse my phone buzzed in my purse. I pulled the iPhone from my purse as I sipped at my coffee. I rolled my eyes at the text; some girl I had hooked up with a few nights ago just wouldn't leave well enough alone. She just wasn't getting the point that what was between us was nothing but a friends with benefits deal.

"Good morning, Ms. Darlton," my paralegal said as I walked into my office on the third floor.

"Morning, Isabelle," I said with a nod at her.

I rubbed my right shoulder as I sat down at my desk and turned my computer on. Even after all these years it still hurt... I leaned back in my seat with a sigh as I waited for my computer to finish it's stupid update that had started once the computer fully turned on.

I closed my eyes and started to nod off, until I heard the TV turn on out in the waiting room of my offices. It wasn't up loud enough for me to make out what it was saying. My computer finally loaded the main screen so I started getting to work.

"Oh my god!"

My head snapped up at the screech my paralegal let out. I went out to see what had upset her but all her response was her pointing at the TV, her other hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. I stiffened at the headline: SCHOOL SHOOTING: SHOOTER STILL ON THE LOOSE IN EAST HIGH SCHOOL.

My hand went to my shoulder as it throbbed along with my side. I pulled my phone out after a realization hit me... The date on my phone was....

"6 years exactly..." I muttered.

"What," Isabelle asked shakily.

"It's been exactly 6 years since there was a shooting at East High School. 6 years to the day..."

Isabelle gave me a questioning look.

"I know only because... I was shot during the last shooting."

----

I sat in my police cruiser, sipping at a coffee and eating a piece of toast. I had this feeling that today was going to be very dull. Just as I took my last bite of toast the dispatcher came over the radio.

"Shots fired at East High! Repeat: shots fired at East High! Code 12! Code 12!"

I floored it out of the parking lot, downing the rest of my coffee and tossing it onto the floor on the passenger side. The sirens on my cruiser blared as I flew down the road towards the high school. My grip on the steering wheel was tight as I realized what today was... The 6 year anniversary of the last shooting.

I could hear sirens following me, the whole town had probably erupted with the sound of sirens all at once. I slammed on the breaks when I reached the school and jumped out, running up the long front steps of the high school. There were students running out the doors, screaming and crying. I could hear the officers behind me as we tried to push through the mass of students.

I drew my gun and strained to listen for the sound of gunshots over all the screaming. Then I heard it... I started running as fast as I could towards the sound. I stopped and pressed my back to the corner, and leaned around. I saw a group of students cornered by the shooter, a teacher in front of them.

"Drop the fucking gun," I yelled coming around the corner.

The boy whirled around and gave me a crazed look.

"Ha! A girl cop?! That's priceless! You think you can take me down?"

He raised his gun to fire at me, but I was quicker. I fired and hit him in the left thigh. He hit the floor screaming in pain and the gun slid across the floor. I kicked it out of the way as I holstered my gun and cuffed him, reading him his rights as I did.

As I took him down to the ambulance, I spoke into my radio, "Shooter apprehended, gunshot wound to the leg."

"10-4, Officer Gates," the dispatcher said.

As we made our way down I felt tears well up in my eyes. There were bodies left and right and the floor was almost completely covered in blood... Some of these kids would never get a future and some would have one, but not the one they dreamed of, while the ones that managed to get away would have tainted futures, never to forget what happened to their schoolmates...

I guess I had been wrong... Today hadn't been dull...

----

I sat in my office, waiting for this boring day to drag on. Compared to the case I had been on five and half years ago, every other one had been dull.

"Hey, Cass, come out here. You're gonna wanna see this," my paralegal said.

I sighed and walked out of my office. On the TV was the news channel we normally had on. My eyes widened as I read the headline.

BOY APPREHENDED IN SCHOOL SHOOTING, TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL WITH GUNSHOT WOUND INFLICTED BY A POLICE OFFICER.

"Did this just barely happen," I asked.

My paralegal nodded sadly.

"I'll be back."

"Wait, where the hell are you going?"

"To the hospital."