Low: m.c

x.1.x

I pulled my jacket tighter around my trembling body. The wind alone making me shiver. It was a dark, cold night but here I was yet again. Deciding my pace wasn't fast enough I sprinted across the parking lot and through the door of the police station

"Hey it's Hood's kid!" I mentally rolled my eyes and turned to face all of my mums coworkers. "Hi Detective Morris" I said through a fake smile. Don't get me wrong! I love coming here and talking to all the cops. Just not at 3:09 in the morning. But of course mum was working nights and I was responsible for bringing her something to eat.

"I'll go fetch your mum for you. Have a seat dear" and I did gladly. A minute later I felt a presence being sat next to me on the bench.

"Alright Clifford I'm going to go process your fingerprints. I don't want to hear a peep out of your mouth, am I clear." I glanced at the 'Clifford' boy out of the corner of my eye. He had jet black hair and was wearing black jeans with holes at the knee, a muscle tank, and black vans. I noticed his wrist was cuffed to the bench. "I said am I clear boy!"

"I would answer you sir but I believe you didn't want to hear a peep out of me" the boy said with a sinister smirk. I had to suppress a chuckle. The cop walked away, smoke nearly spewing out of his ears.

I could feel Clifford's eyes moving up and down on my body and I began to feel anxious. I was getting ready to get up when he spoke, "So what's a pretty girl like you in here for so late at night?" I finally dared to look at him. And there was no denying that he was gorgeous. "I'm just here to see my mom" I said, barley above a whisper.

His laughter shook the bench from how hard he was doing it. "Your moms a cop?" I nodded slightly, becoming self-conscious once again. "Well that explains a lot". "Like what" I asked with a bit of an edge in my tone. Somehow I managed to gain my confidence back.

"Well you're pretty uptight. I can already tell. You're probably one of those girls who stays home while she hears her neighbors having wild parties. You're not a loser though. You get invited places, but you always have 'what would mom think if I did this' in the back of your head. Am I pretty spot on?"

And he was. He totally just read my mind. I simply nodded and looked at the floor, feeling ashamed for some reason. "You know what I can also see about you?"

I sighed in frustration. "No what's that Clifford?"

"You're absolutely beautiful. Not like super model beauty. No that's artificial gorgeousness. Yours is something extraordinary. You probably spend your Sundays on the couch reading some Stephen King or something like that with some sweats and reading glasses. I think that's what beauty is. Just being yourself really."

My heart was beating a hundred miles an hour and my face was as red as a tomato. No one ever calls me beautiful. No one. "T-thanks Clifford. And actually. It's a combination of King and Edgar Allen Poe." I said with a smirk. "Babe, my names Michael actually. But I don't know yours? Ooh! Let me guess. It probably ends in a Y. You seem like one of those girls. Hmmm Mady? Tiffany? Katy? Sophy-"

"Oh Ivy! You're here!" Michael just raised his eyebrow at me, indicating his knowledge. I turned to face my mom, who chose the absolute awful time to show up.

"See you around Ivy", Michael said as the cop came to retrieve him.

I trotted towards my mother, the food I brought her in my hands. "Oh thank goodness! I am starving! Thank you honey", she said nearly snatching the food out of my hands. I giggled a bit at her eagerness, ensuring her it was no problem.

"Okay I will be home around 7:45. Do you think you could drive Niko to his football match? I'm going to pick him up afterwords." I sighed at the thought of having to get up early, but nodded. "Thank you so much honey. You have no idea how much you've helped me this month. I am going to have an entire week off coming up so you can take a break."

I nearly jumped with joy as I walked back to the bench to retrieve my phone. However, I noticed a pink sticky note on it.

Ivy,
I will be out by the morning. Meet me here?

-Michael xx