Still In Bloom ↠ Twilight ✓

00 ; here's the thing

Here's the thing: Wallace has always been the guilty party in all of the decisions he's ever made.

It's a fact he's aware of, and after the tenth detainment, he has finally accepted it. His sister, on the other hand, has yet to acclimate herself to Wallace's rebellious spirit. Even if they share the same parentage, and it's more than likely she shares it too.

Shelby's flat stare when she stops in front of his detainment cell makes Wallace shut his eyes and run his hand down his face, muttering a quick 'fuck' underneath his breath, that Shelby more than definitely heard and will silently revel in.

The last thing Wallace has wanted was for Shelby to pick him up, and take him for a drive on her patented guilt trip.

"I called Dawson to come get me," Wallace spoke in an exasperated voice, finally letting his hand fall back onto his lap so he can see Shelby's judgmental eyes squinting at him.

Shelby's lips tighten, and her dark eyes sparkle. "Did you really think our idiot friend would be able to smuggle this past me? If so, then you must be breathing in too many paint fumes."

"I--"

"And I thought we were past vandalism from what happened last time," Shelby continues, slapping her hands down by her sides and shaking her head. Their matching ashy blonde hair swaying on her head as she looks up at the ceiling, hands tightly clasped together like she's begging for strength. "Really Wallace, you can't keep doing this."

Wallace tenses his jaw, and tries not to look at Shelby. Looking at his sister whenever he disappoints her always makes him sick. Shelby has such low expectations for him that when he doesn't meet them, he feels like he's failing her. Wallace has been failing her for a long time - even though she'd vehemently deny it if he were to voice the thought.

Out of himself and his older brother, Daniel, Shelby got their mother's sainthood.

Shelby would do anything for anyone, no questions asked. She'd work more hours for free, dog-sit your dogs even though she was allergic, and she'd help your grandma cross the street even if they lived in different neighborhoods.

Wallace and Daniel had too much of their father in them - hence, why they took advantage of her patience so easily.

"I'm sorry," Wallace says softly, staring at the toes of his Van's. "I just got caught up in the hype of it. Didn't think of the consequences."

Shelby is silent for a moment, and then she's letting out a loud sigh. Wallace peeks a look at her and see's his sister rubbing at her temples with work-worn fingers. Then Shelby is lifting her eyes towards him, chin resting on her knuckles and she gives him a tiny smile.

"I'll go get Jackson," Shelby states, and then she's heading out into the main office of the police station. Wallace watches her go, and grinds his teeth together.

Jackson is his sister's on-again-off-again police rookie boyfriend. A dick who also takes advantage of Shelby's kindness. He's also the main officer who just happens to always "find" Wallace whenever he's doing something illegal so he can get praise from Shelby.

Footsteps near and Wallace stands up from the sticky black bench in the detainment cell and instead of hearing Jackson's obnoxious voice flirting with his sister, it's the voice of an older man. Frowning, Wallace watches as Shelby steps into the space beside the cell, while beside her stands the familiar figure of Chief Swan.

"Wallace McAtee?" Chief Swan asks, as if he expects Wallace to be anyone else.

"Yes sir," Wallace states eventually after Shelby gives him a pointed stare from beside the chief. What? It's not like he can help but be a bit stiff with the cops, especially the head honcho who arrested him to begin with.

"I think it's time your actions have consequences," Chief states, and Wallace feels his face tighten slightly. Chief Swan continues, dark eyes watching his face with an unimpressed stare. "Probation, I'm thinking."

"Wait," Wallace speaks, ignoring Shelby's miming of slitting his throat beside Chief Swan, and curls his hands around the bars of the detainment cell to get closer to where Chief Swan stands. "I promise I won't do it again. I learned my lesson, but please no probation. I can't--"

"Learned you lesson many, many times over it seems," Chief Swan hums, flicking a brief finger down all the charge sheets Wallace as accumulated over the past few years. Really, it's a wonder Wallace isn't in prison right now -- and he's aware of this, which makes it even more aggravating because he can't defend himself.

"Now, your sister here was very adamant about the qualities of your character," Chief Swan continues, and Wallace flicks his eyes towards Shelby and she doesn't meet his gaze. Wallace looks back at Chief Swan, who continues speaking. "So, your probation will be a bit different than the standard."

"Different?" Wallace asks, hands tightening on the bars. He was thinking some stupid community service. Cleaning the cop cars after school, picking up trash so it doesn't go into the forest, that kind of thing.

"I believe you know my daughter Bella," Charlie states, and his voice goes a bit awkward. Wallace watches him with a flat expression, and Charlie continues. "Well, I think you'd both benefit from spending some time together, being polar opposites like you are."

"You want me to be your daughter's friend for my probation?" Wallace asks, cocking an eyebrow because when he says Chief Swan's statement aloud it sounds...pathetic. At least, for his daughter. Last Wallace heard, Bella Swan was the it girl of Forks high school, given her romance with Edward Cullen. Bella didn't seem like she needed friends, much less friends like Wallace.

"My daughter has been going through a tough time and I want her to know that life goes on after a break-up," Charlie spoke, and his eyes grew soft at the mention of his daughter. "Judging by your rap-sheet, you seem like a lively boy. But it's your previous past life before this proclivity towards crime that interests me the most."

Wallace knew exactly what Chief Swan was talking about. It was the days in Wallace's past whenever he'd be on the honor roll without fail, when he had participated on the basketball team after school -- and when Wallace's mom had still been alive.

"I'm not him anymore," Wallace spoke, stepping away from the cell bars. Ice water feeling like it had been splashed onto his face. He hated that past version of himself. Detested everything about it deep down to his core.

"Well, you're going to have to be if you don't want to go to juvenile detention," Chief Swan spoke, and beside him Shelby's entire face crumbled with worry. "There's only so much freebies and favors you can get with the law, son. You've ran out of yours. So take this last hand-out or try to find a hairstyle that looks good with an orange jumpsuit."

Wallace looked at Shelby, seeing her eyes already filling with tears. Her eyes, were their mother's eyes in that moment, and Wallace closed his own eyes in order to let himself think.

It wasn't as though Wallace would have to spend every minute with Bella Swan, right? Just enough time that Chief Swan thought his daughter was spending good ole' time out of the house. Which wouldn't be hard, since Wallace was almost to never home anyways.

Lugging a sad girl behind him would maybe damage a bit of his ego but it wouldn't kill him. And really, forced friendship or jail? Even he was smart enough to know which offer to accept.

Opening his eyes, Wallace met Chief Swan's eyes. "I don't look good in orange."

Chief Swan gave nothing but a tiny smirk in reply. "I thought so."