𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆

;cuffs

Emma Chamberlain

I head towards the library after school, taking off my irritating tie and pushing it further into my bag.

As I pass the Philz I make eye contact with an employee there and I give her a small wave.

"Good afternoon" Dorothy smiles asking about my weekend, which I realise now was EXTREMELY boring.

I had stayed in bed and not spoken to anyone which came as a surprise to Dorothy because she honestly thought I was a social butterfly.

"Will your boyfriend be visiting today? I'd love a coffee from Philz" she giggles.

"I don't think he'll be coming, mainly because he's not my boyfriend" I laugh back squinting to read the code on the back of a book. I really needed to wear my glasses I thought before refusing myself of good eyesight like usual.

"whAt? He isn't?" She gasps pushing her glasses further onto her face to inspect me.

I look at her glasses and groan deciding that if Ethan was going to be staying away I may as well try to help my eyesight while I was in the library. I couldn't be teased in here.

"No, he never has been. Just a friend" I pause wanting to mention that he was a criminal and bad boy but I couldn't bring myself to speak negatively about him even after his bad thoughts.

I find my glasses in my bag and place them on my face welcoming a complement from Dorothy who mentions that they are the frames she was hoping to upgrade to.

I busy myself hoping that Dorothy won't begin to talk about Ethan again because I wanted to take a break from him.

And like the gods were laughing at me,

"Emma someone's here to see you" Dorothy whispers as she peers round the book shelf. I automatically guess that it's Ethan.

"Emma? Is that your name?" asks a police officer as I come face to face with him.

I recognise him and then it hits me, he was the one looking for Ethan after the break in.

"Yes sir" I reply.

I instantly begin to panic, knowing he was coming for me to discuss Ethan and the reason I had lied. I wonder if they've caught the wrong person and they want me to identify him? Or maybe they want a face sketch?

"I need you to come down to the station" he states.

I look back at Dorothy and she doesn't seem to stop me from leaving.

I follow the police man closely out the door looking around to see whether anyone was watching because this was a very embarrassing moment for a little-supposedly innocent- library nerd like me.

To my surprise, to my left Ethan is stood in shock. I look at him with wide eyes as if to tell him to get out of here before he gets recognised.

Ethan, in panic turns the corner and stays pressed there while I clamber into the back of the police car.

It's silent all the way to the station and once I arrive the officer opens the door and proceeds to tell me to follow him. I'm lead into the reception where I'm made to write out my details including my full name and date of birth.

After scanning over the details the officer gives me a satisfied smile and brings me into a room where my brother Emre and to my surprise Addison Dolan are sat in cuffs.

"Now boys I'd like you to stay silent while Miss Chamberlain speaks and then we'll talk about the future" the officer states.

My brother looks flustered and annoyed, I scan his face as I try and work out why the hell he was here and why I'd been brought down too.

Addison looks exactly the same as he does every other day- bored, disinterested and somehow cool.

"Can you please tell me this mans details and his relationship with you?" The police officer asks

I reply with Emre's full name and date of birth that I for some reason had memorised. I tell the police officer that he is my older brother and he begins to uncuff him.

"What can I do about Addison?" I ask motioning towards Addison who sprung up to look slightly more interested.

"You know this man too?" The officer asks and I nod looking deeply at Addison who like his younger brother, scared me too.

"Yeah his name is Addison Dolan, I've known him since being in diapers, sir" the man seems satisfied with his identity and allows him to go free.

The station already has my brothers car parked outside it and we all pile in. I ask him to drop me back off at work so that I could at least finish my shift.

"Thanks for bailing us little one" Addison says genuinely but with a little patronising tone to it. I roll my eyes,

"So whatcha do?" I ask more towards my brother who shrugs and says,

"Apparently we were using offensive language" Emre mumbles and I nod my head knowing that it was probably much more serious than that he just felt embarrassed.

"Wasn't our fault that he wanted to start a pub brawl n then threw those shots at us. It wet my hair and embarrassed me in front of that chick" Addison grumbles.

I wasn't going to ask further for any explanation but Addison carries on

"Thank fuck I didn't have to call my dad though, he'd have literally beat me. And the twins would've hated me because you know what it's like when Dads in his mood" he's talking to Emre now but I listen in.

I wonder if what he said about his dad is as serious as his tone of voice hinted.

I remember that I'm wearing my ugly glasses and start to blush but don't bother taking them off because I pull up outside the library.

"Thanks" I mumble getting out the car.

"Thank you, little cutie, I like the glasses by the way" Addison smirks raising an eyebrow and I roll my eyes.

Emre slaps Addisons arm and leans back over his seat to look out the door I was holding open,

"I don't know when I'll next see you, Sis" he gives me a sad smile and I return it.

"Everything's okay back home, just enjoy yourself" I reply with a smile, including suggestive eyes that said not too much fun.

"Your sisters so chill" I hear Addison say just as I shut the door with a bang.

It makes me happy for some reason but also embarrassed because I never wanted any of Emre's friends to acknowledge me and ESPECIALLY not the one with the last name Dolan.

When I enter the library both Dorothy and- to my surprise- Ethan spring forward from sitting on the front desk to check I'm okay.