Strip

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The police station was one of the most depressing places I had ever been, and that was including Dirty Girls. The walls were dark grey, the floor dull tile. Police officers wandered around, looking like they didn't know where to go.

It felt like school at night. 

The policeman we were with was Officer Dolbin. He was a large man, with a shiny bald head, and a stony face. The first thing he did after getting there was handing James over to a different Officer, who luckily, looked friendlier. I tried to give James a weak smile, but he didn't even look.

Officer Dolbin brought me to a room full of metal tables and chairs, completely empty. 

"Sit down," He said to one of the tables. I quickly took my seat. 

I looked around nervously, wondering if one of the walls was one was a one way mirror or something, despite all of the walls being solid metal.

The officer sat down across from me. He crossed his arms on the tables in front of him, looking down at me, his eyes like ice.

"Do you know why you're hear?" He asked, in a way that reminded me of a principal questioning a elementary school student.

"No," I mumbled. My biggest guess was the under aged stripping thing, but I didn't want to take my chances revealing that.

"You're mother came to us earlier this evening."

Of course, I thought. Of course she's responsible for this.

"She said that you and your brother have been living alone for over a year."

"Less than a year."

"Do you really think that matters?"

I looked down at my hands.

"You are both minors, so that's illegal on it's own. She also said something about drugs."

"That's a lie," I said, my head whipping up. Other than the few bears I had with Drew and Toby a couple weeks ago, I was completely clean.

"Well, honestly, your mother doesn't seem to be in her right mind," He said. "But we still thought it best to investigate."

"What are you going to do with us?" I asked.

"Well, we can't very well have you go back with your mother," He said. "She's very unstable. She's going to be staying with us for a while until we can get her a stop in a rehabilitation center..." He paused. "Possibly a mental institution."

"That sounds about right for her," I muttered.

"As for you and your brother, you'll be staying here for the night. In the morning we'll see about an available orphanage-"

"Orphanage?" I tried to wrap my mind around the idea. "But, we aren't orphans!"

"No father, no available mother." He looked at me, almost sympathetic. "We call that an orphan."

"But, we do fine living on our own. And I'll be 18, in 4 months! Can't we just live alone for a couple months, then can I be his guardian?"

"You're going to have to stay in the orphanage for that time. After that, you'll have to appeal to a judge, but honestly, after all of this... I doubt he'll let you be his guardian."

"But I take care of him! And I do a good job!"

"The fact that you didn't report you're missing mother is more than enough of a reason against that."

"But..." I couldn't see past the tears welling up in my eyes. "He's all I have."

"And hopefully, you won't have to loose him." He stood up. "Though you have almost no chance of being adopted, a good kid like James does. And I'm sure you'd at least be able to visit him every month."

"I don't want to see him every month, I want to be able to take care of him! I want to be his sister."

"That isn't you're job." He turned towards the door. "If you come with me, we're going to take you to your holding cell for the night."

I stood up, and followed him out of the room. We reached a holding cell, dank and dark, James already waiting inside, sitting on one of the beds.

"James," I said, relief washing over me. 

The officer opened the cell, pushed me in, and slammed it shut. I rushed to James side, sitting on the bed besides him.

"Oh thank god you're ok," I said, wrapping him up in a big hug. "Was the officer ok? Were you scared?"

"She said we need to go to an orphanage," James said, not looking up at me.

"I know," I said. "But it's only for a couple months. And then, I'll turn 18, and hopefully, we can go back to our lives." I paused. "But it'll be better this time James. I promise."

"I don't want to be an orphan."

"You aren't an orphan James." I took his chin in my hand, and gently pulled it up so I could look at him. "You have me. You're always going to have me. Ok?"

"Ok," James said.

"Everything's going to be fine, James." I rested my chin on his hair. "I'm going to make sure of it."

---

Wow, this update took a couple years.

Hi! Thank you so much for reading! Sorry that it took so long for me to update, I usually update every week or two, and this one took over a month... I know I'm usually more on top of it, but I've been having a bit of writers block lately.

I really hoped you liked this chapter! If you did, please vote, comment, you know the deal.

Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes.

OH MY GOD I ALMOST FORGOT!!!

REMEMBER BACK LAST CHAPTER I WAS ALL THANKS FOR 50,000 READS????

WE'RE NOW AT 100,000 READS!!!!!

HOW IS THIS EVEN PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE!!!!

No, but guys, I cried when I saw how many reads Strip has. I never imagined this book would get anywhere as big as it is.

PLUS about a week ago, strip hit #90 in teen fiction.

I love you all sososososososososo much.

Ok, I'm done now (sorry for how long my authors notes always are :/)

XOX