Perverse Riches

Chapter 2

Soundtrack: Fake Divine - HYDE / By Myself - Linkin Park

What was I doing here? I could be at Angie's house saying goodbye, but instead I was in the park, looking at the koi fish the mayor was so fucking proud of. Thing is... would she welcome me? I didn't think she would, and that certainty kept me rooted to the spot, unable to go forward or backwards.

Fuck. Everything hurt. My body, my heart, my soul. The body was easy. I took and gave a beating yesterday, my body was black and blue in several places. The heart and soul though... fuck. The wandering salesman came by and I bought a six-pack of beer to drown my sorrows. Somehow, I was convinced I was his only customer, I'd never seen anyone else actually buying from him.

At the park, I climbed to the top of the jungle gym again and laid down full length on the metal railing, cigarette in one hand and open beer can in the other, hanging over the edge. My smoking habit was one cigarette a day, if that much but why not break the record, right?

Feet tapped on the concrete, closing in as I finished the third beer. I didn't feel like company, but my luck had been so good so far in my life, I guess I was going to have some whether I wanted to or not. Isn't life wonderful?

"Fuck off." I threw without looking.

"I'll let that one go since you're not aware of what you're doing." This voice was new. It wasn't in my memory bank. It was gruff and raspy. At first sound I'd say the person had a sore throat. Still, the words were annoying. I turned around to say, yes, I fucking knew what I was doing, but swallowed my tongue instead. It was a police officer. Wait... my mind went back to Catherine's gossip. The new guy! I made myself comfortable sitting on the rail with my legs hooked over the posts for balance. A precarious hold, but then, I always loved danger.

"So you're the new dude making all the high school women's hearts flutter." I scoffed. He looked at me, taking in my black spaghetti strap top and black shorts, the "undergarments" I kept under my uniform which was hazardously thrown over the other railing. I straightened, climbing back inside. "I don't care." Just in case he thought I did. He was very nice looking. Strong shoulders that tapered to a narrow waist, subtle muscles that even the uniform couldn't hide, and a sharp, chiselled, oval face with thin lips and strong brows. Yum. Too bad he was a cop. He seemed about twenty-five years old. His hat was off, so his faded up to top haircut with slightly above the ear bangs was visible. Sharp, strong. He looked like he could protect anyone and anything if he liked them enough. Good for him. I did see what all the fuss was about.

"I'm Leopold Rennard. New in the town." He confirmed. Nope, he didn't seem ill, so his voice was really like that. If I had to define it, I'd say appealing, though I was hurting too much to really feel it. Did I really need to be nice? I didn't want to.

"Hello there Leo. You're interrupting my efforts to get shit faced drunk." Please go away was implied.

"Officer. And I'm afraid I can't do that. You're a high school student and I need to do my job and check if you are breaking the law here or not." He answered all prim and proper, looking pointedly at the beer then to me. I dug into my backpack until I got my wallet and took out my ID.

"Entirely legal, Leo." I delivered my ID with a patently false smile. He took it with raised eyebrows. Yeah, not gonna add "officer", sorry mate. He looked at my card closely and even took out a pen and pencil to write down the numbers, which he then handed over through radio. He got confirmation that yes, I was nineteen, legal age to drink, and handed back the card.

"Happy?" I asked snidely, lighting another cigarette. He looked at the stick of tobacco with disgust.

"No. How are you getting home? I presume the bike in the parking lot is yours." He asked brusquely. What bug crawled up his ass and died man? I was fast getting sober and I didn't like it.