Medicine (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter Three: Louis

"Louis, you have a call on line two." My manager called.
"Who is it?" I ask.
"Some guy named Bobby? I don't know. He's frantic, I can't really make out what he's saying. "
I sigh. Bobby probably wanted money, or someone to smoke with. He called my work often, telling whomever answered the phone that the call was urgent. "Tell him I'll call back later. "
"I don't think that's an option. "
I looked at my manager. "What do you mean?"
She pulled the receiver away from her ear. "He says he isn't getting off the phone until he talks to you, and hes running out of time. "
I pace over to the phone, taking the receiver from her. "Bobby what do you want?" I snap.
"We've been arrested, I don't know what the fuck happened, but we were caught in a bust, and I don't know how." Bobby cried into the phone,"Lacey ran off, but they got Jan..."
"What the fuck do you mean you've been arrested? If you're fucking with me...."
There was a commotion in the background, and a gruff voice came in: "You've got five minutes."
"Exactly what I said... I'm here at the police station, and I got a phone call, so I called you. I am so sorry, I don't know what's going to happen... "
I raked a hand through my hair. "Is Jan at the police station too?"
"Yeah, but she's already made her call. "
" That doesn't matter, " I sigh, "I get off in half an hour, I'll be by after that. "
"Okay. I don't know what's going to happen to us... I mean I had weed in my pocket, Jan had coke... God were fucked. "
"Listen, I have to get back to work, I'll be by soon."
Bobby muttered his goodbye and I hung up the phone.
"Every thing okay?" My manager asked.
"Yeah, just peachy." I sighed.

How the fuck did they get caught?
I hit the hood of my car.
I knew this was coming, but did anyone listen to me? Of fucking course not. Now I had to try and bail my girlfriend out of jail. Should I even bail her out? She would learn her lesson, I'm sure. But she would also break up with me, I was fairly certain.
Did any of that matter now?

Should I call her mother? Fuck. I'm sure the police station did, or called someone to let them know. Maybe that's who she called. I didn't realize before how much it actually bothered me that Jan didn't call. I mean, I took care of her, I was her boyfriend, she should have fucking called me. If not me then who? 

The police station was a ten minute drive from my work, but with my mind all over the place, it took me twenty minutes. 

"What can I do for you, love?" A plump policewoman asked as I walked into the station. 

"Ehm, my girlfriend is here? Jan?" I replied. 

"Are you Lou?" She asked, standing after I nodded. "Right this way, she absolutely will not shut up about you."

"Funny, since she didn't even call me." I muttered, following the woman. 

Three cells sat behind a door. Bobby and Jan were in the same one, and she sat in the back corner, feet crossed, looking as she usually did, like she had no care in the world. She came alive when she saw me. "Lou, Lou, you absolutely have to get me out of here. " She panicked, running to the bars. 

I shook my head, "I can't take you home right now but-"

"Why the bloody hell not?"

"I can't afford it, but-"

"Figure it out! You're the bloody adult here. Lou, I can't stay here! You know I can't stay here, with these people." 

Jan wasn't out of place among Bobby and her other cellmate, a woman with scars much like Jan's. "Jan, I really can't afford it right now. I can try to call around, see what I can do, but I can't take you home tonight."

"You're useless. I bet you want me to be in here."

"What's going on with you? You didn't just smoke, did you?" 

"I don't know what the fuck you're going on about, I didn't even smoke." 

"You were found with cocaine on you." The police woman chimed in, "I searched her myself, and found it." 

I raised an eyebrow at Jan. "You aren't really going to believe that cunt, are you? Come on, I'm your girlfriend, I'm your Janny-poo, come on then, get me out."

I stepped away from the bars and shook my head. "I can't bring you home tonight, but hopefully you'll be sober tomorrow." I mumbled, turning to leave. 

"You're such a wanker, Lou. " Jan cried, "Fuck you!" 

I pretended not to hear Jan as I left the police station. I sat in the car and rested my head against the steering wheel. What the fuck was she thinking? What the fuck was I thinking, letting her go off and be an idiot? 

I yelled into the open air of my car. Fucking moron, fucking stupid, stupid, stupid. God. Do I even want to deal with this anymore? Fuck. 

I turned the car on, taking one last look at the police station. I don't care what else happened, I was not bailing Jan out this time. I pulled out of the parking lot and began to drive home. 

I was about two blocks away from my apartment when my phone began to ring. "Yeah?" I answered.

"This Lou?" A shrill voice rang across. 

"Yes, how did you get my number?"

"Who gives a fuck about that, how could you let Jan be arrested?!" She screamed. 

"Who the fuck is this?" 

"This is her mum you fucking moron. How could you let her be arrested?" 

"How is it my fault? I'm not the one who told her to do fucking cocaine. I'm not the one who got herself stuck in jail, and let's be honest, I don't really appreciate you making it my problem." 

"It is your problem! She's your fucking girlfriend!" 

"And she's your fucking daughter! Maybe if you had taken better care of her she wouldn't have ended up with me."

"That is none of your concern. Are you going to bail her out or not?"

"No, I'm not. I can't fucking afford it." I snap, pulling in to the parking lot of my apartment complex. 

"But you could afford to buy her weed? God you're really something."

"I didn't buy her anything. Not weed, not coke, I didn't buy her shit. Look, if you're really that concerned, why don't you fucking bail her out?"

"This is rich coming from her boyfriend. I thought you're supposed to be taking care of her. "

"Fuck off, will you?" I yell, hanging up the phone. 

I got out of my car, slamming the door. Was it really my fault? I didn't really try to stop her... No. She's a grown adult she can make her own decisions. I punch the wall. I kept punching until my knuckles were numb. I sink against the wall, the sweat on the back of my neck mixing with the blood on the wall. I closed my eyes and sat against the wall for what felt like an eternity. 

I hear steps walking closer. "Hey mate, you alright?"