That’s everything I have in my bank account. I know I will have to pay my sister back for my bail as well. Meeting Ash has me already negative two thousand dollars in my bank account. Leave it to me to find the guy who will drain my bank account on day one.
I turn to see my sister; she smiles, knowing our little gathering has come to an end. No words need to be spoken for her to know that she is no longer needed here. We haven’t been on good terms our whole lives, and usually that’s how every time we meet ends. Awkwardly and quickly.
“Don’t worry about it, Nova. Doyou have enough money to get home?”
She asks, likely knowing that the last of my money went to bail out the handsome guy I met in a cell. Until he gets bored and moves on to the first girl who opens her legs for him.
“Yes, I will ask my friend to give me a ride.” I manage to respond right as Ash appears from behind me.
“Don’t worry, Miss." He says with a charming smile. “I will take Nova home.” He extends a hand, smiling. “Asher Miller. Nice to meet you.”
Isabelle returns the favor and shakes his hand before she offers her name. “Isabelle Lopez.”
Her stubbornness to keep our last name when her husband’s name could open so many doors for her is ridiculous, but I also understand why she wants to retain a sense of self in that marriage. In every other way, he owns her, but that name seemsto be the one thing she owns herself.
“Alright then, it was lovely to meet you, Asher. Nova, please come to dinner on Sunday. Jared would love to see you.”
Yeah, I bet he would. Jared, her husband, has tried to hit on me more than once, which is basically why I won’t be attending Sunday dinner.
“I will try.” I begin to lie, but Ash cuts me off.
The stranger with the green hair, who has only seen me twice, seems to have a better understanding of my feelings than my own sister. He hooks a hand around my waist, pulling me close to him as he lays the excuse for her, getting me out of the mandatory Sunday dinner with ease.
“Babe, you are forgetting that Sunday we have this thing.” He tells me before turning to face my sister. “I am sorry, Isabelle, but we will have to get back to you to reschedule dinner some other time.”
Isabelle smiles back at the charming guy with the green hair. Even with his alternative appearance, he seems to radiate an aura of stability and inferiority. I bet if he asked her, she would trust him with her firstborn. No questions asked.
“That’s okay; I understand. Please feel free to come over whenever you like.”
She responds with that submissive tone and politeness she has when talking to strangers. Maintaining appearances is important to her husband, and my sister has perfected her act down to the smallest detail. She is the perfect specimen of a wife. Trained to be flawless. A true trophy, existing solely to serve one purpose. To make her husband look good.
She fixates her eyes on me, and her look changes from submission to a warning that I alone perceive.
“Both of you.” She says with a melancholic tone and turns on her heels, walking out of the police station. Just like that. She simply leaves, like she always does, leaving me with the random stranger who still has his hand around my waist while he smiles at my sister, waving her goodbye. As if we are a happy couple that accidentally ended up in a jail cell. Even if an hour ago we didn’t even know each other’s names. Situations like this make me feel as if my life is a plot in one of my darkromance books.
Ash
“Bye,Isabelle” I yell as my hand traces the exposed skin on Nova’s back. She smiles next to me, most likely in a futile attempt to hide how awkward this feels for her.
“I figured you didn’t want to attend Sunday dinner.”
I explain, and Nova relaxes in an instant. She responds with a forced smile. I can tell she is still shaken from the interaction with her sister. Which I can understand. Even if I don’t have a family myself, I do understand family dynamics well. The perks of growing up in the system, I guess. I have lived with a good number of families before I turned sixteen and fled the last group home I was living in.On the way out, I took the scared kid who was two years younger than me and who is now my chosen family.Aaron.
“Let’s get you home, Pinkie.” I reach for the evidence bag that the police officer has set for me on the counter and my helmet that is next to it. I wait for her response while she seems to weigh her options. Finally, she releases a frustrated breath full of surrender.
“Only because I used the last of my money to bail you out.”
That was kind of her. I make a mental note to pay her back and add a few more to make her life a little easier. I have been in her shoes more than once, and I would hate for this beautiful woman to starve because she used her money to bail me out. Especially since my bail would have been paid soon anyway. Aaron had it covered. He just needed to dealwith the jerk who tried to rob us first, and more importantly, to torch his house. You know, a normal reaction to someone trying to rob you.
She walks behind me, and I hand her my helmet as we reach my bike. It’s convenient that Aaron has left my bike in front of the police station in case they release me before he finishes his task.
“I am sorry; I only have one with me, but I promise to get an extra one next time you ride with me.”
She blushes, her skin turning the same shade as her hair. Seeing her for the first time under the light of day, I notice how much smaller she is in comparison to me. Her tan skin is decorated with beautiful ink, which almost makes me jealous. Her artist is incredibly talented. She has long pink hair that is clearly roughed up from the fight she had earlier. A small cut underher eye shows me that she probably took a hit or two before the cops arrived. I like that she's a strong girl.
She wears a pair of dark denim shorts with a white tank top, and the same red bandana she used to announce the race is tied to the belt loop of her shorts. She wears some type of crystal attached to a black choker around her neck, but no other jewelry except for a few piercings. A septum ring on her nose, two cheek piercings, and I can clearly see the nipple piercings under her top. She is so damn beautiful that it takes a moment for me to realize we have been standing next to my bike while I drool like a lost puppy staring at her.Damn it.
“Do you like what you see, lover boy?”
