3. Police Officers

River Lockhart

I awkwardly stand in front of the police station. One of the places that I shouldn't be visiting since my dad is rather the opposite of everything here.

I step into the police station with the speeding ticket and the receipt tightly crumbled between my fingers. A police officer notices me and walks over to me. I have seen him speaking with my father before, but I don't know his name.

"Did anything happen that you need help with?" he inquires with a bit of timidness.

"Umm... actually, I am here for the new police officer. Damian Reid??" I ask him.

"I am sorry. Did he make any mistake to anger you?" he asks.

"No. Actually. He impressed me. I just wanted to see if he's here. Is he?"

"He's the Mobile Police Officer of the area, so he's rarely in the police station. He's situated outside to spot high-speed drivers and to attend emergency calls," he explains.

"Is that so..." I mumble. "So if I want to meet him. He won't be here?" I ask.

"Unfortunately, no. But I can ask him to report to your mansion as soon as-"

"No need. It's rude to bother someone on duty."

I walk out of the station feeling bitter in my mind. The workers and officers walk past me while sparing a glance at me. They all know that I am the eldest son of Lockhart, who's known to be an infamous and dangerous businessman around here. I am also his 'famous' son who won't get anything from him in the future because I am a 'spoiled brat'.

It's so obvious that my father has bent all the officers' heads to his side so that if something goes wrong with his business, he would be able to slip past any punishments.

That's why I dislike the police station. Although standing high as "police officers", they bend their heads to my father. Even to me. Like meek mice, which is so pathetic in my eyes.

Will Officer Damian be the same when he gets to know that I am Mr Lockhart's son?

It's still a question.

~.~

So, just like that day, I visited the police station four times before feeling like giving up.

I meet another officer by the front and give him my paid ticket.

"Would you leave a message for me?" I ask him.

"Sure. What is it?" he asks.

"Officer Damian. Let him know that I paid the speeding ticket," I say.

He looks at the ticket with a puzzled expression, "You didn't have to pay for it. Why did he give you one?" he asks.

"I sped on the road, and he gave it to me. I paid for it a few days back. Can't you pass the message for me?" I ask, totally getting annoyed as everyone's been asking me the same thing for the past few days.

"I will-I surely will do."

So I walk out of the police station, still haven't seen that officer, wondering if he's actually not an officer here.

One week passed after handing the speeding ticket to that officer.

As I am in bed watching N*****x, I realise that I am kind of thinking about that strange police officer. I shift on my bed and rethink for the umpteenth time.

Why the hell am I even bothered about this whole thing?

Well. It isn't really a mystery why he intimidated me.

I like guys. He's hot.

It all makes sense.

But on the other hand... maybe I just liked how he looked. That's why I am too engrossed in this situation.

Or maybe the fact that he was indifferent and not like the other police officers I'd met before. So I find him a bit interesting. I have no idea what it is all about. All I know is that I've spent a lot of time looking around for him these days.

But he does have a big attitude.

I usually hate people with big attitudes like him. So maybe if I see him one more time, I'll be able to know which part of him intimidates me a lot like this. Is it his hot-ass body or the way he looks when he's mad? Or the fact that he didn't give a fuck about what I was trying to say and offer(money)?

My phone rings and I notice the caller ID. It's my dad's wife, and I have no idea why she's calling me a week after the horrible dinner night. I contemplate whether to pick it up or not. My guts tell me not to.

But the last time she called, she informed me about my dad's birthday. So this time might also be something regarding an occasion. So I pick it up.

She laughs as she speaks, "River. It took you a while to pick up the phone. Were you going to decline the call?"

I roll my eyes at her words though she cannot really see it, "You got it right. What do you want?" I ask.

"Your dad didn't want to invite you... Because you made a scene last time, you know. Plus you still haven't apologized to him for ruining his birthday. He was really excited that night to have dinner with his family." she says.

"There wasn't a family. His wife is in the graveyard." I mumble.

I hear her release an exasperated sigh, "Look, I just want to invite you to the gender reveal party in the morning. Many people are going to show up, and it would be good for you to show up as well," she says.

"Oh. Wait, what?? Gender reveal?" I ask.

"Yeah. I am pregnant, didn't you notice?" she asks.

As if I look at her anyway, "No." I say with a frown. I can't believe that the old man is having a child with this woman. After cheating on my mom after two years of my birth and giving birth to my step-sibling... Now I am having another sibling. This isn't something I should be celebrating about.

"So. Will you come?"

"Like hell, I would! I would gladly come to his funeral but not to a fucking gender reveal party. Julia, do you think he would treat your son fair and square? You should know after seeing how he treats me!"

"He doesn't treat Chase badly. It's all because he dislikes how you act. And your mother," she whispers.

Silence rings in my ears, and it becomes too loud. I clench the phone and speak through gritted teeth, "Don't make me murder you at your gender reveal party."

"Come on. That's the truth," she laughs. "It was his idea to have this baby as well. You can't blame me now about anything, alright?"

As much as I don't want to believe Julia's words, I feel like it isn't wholly a lie either. My dad might've actually made the decision.

"Tell the old man that I am not sorry for ruining his birthday." I decline the call after saying that.

I get down from the bed and walk out of my room, too annoyed to rest back and watch the movie.

The penthouse that I live in seems a bit too big to me as I stand by the door while looking around at the empty halls and rooms. It always gives me the chills when I remember that I am the only person living here. It has been like that ever since my nanny passed away three years ago and my dad married Julia. I detached myself from them and asked to live separately.

My friends are the only people who come to this penthouse, and my dad has never been here even once. Not that I wanted him to come here.

Damn it, I should go out for a drink.