5. Phone Number

Damian Reid

River... Lockhart. What more am I supposed to expect from a brat who sped up to 100 miles on the road? And a brat who used his father's identity to escape the law? A brat who tried to throw his money at me, and finally, who was at a crime scene.

But looking at the CCTV footage in front of me. It's a whole other incident.

River comes in with another guy, but he only remains by the door while the other one acts aggressively. He even tries to stop the other guy from ruining the goods and harassing the store worker.

The girl, now wearing a thick jacket around her body, replays the scene with a shaky hand. She looks dishevelled and scared after being harassed by a pervert.

Before anything, I asked the girl to call the store owner as she required someone to take care of her. After asking her to kindly show the footage, she claimed that this brat right here was not responsible for anything.

I didn't want to believe it, but here it is...

I step back and fold my arms on my chest. Then I look at the brat who's in the corner of the room where I asked him to stay. I sigh and walk up to him. Then I take out the key and uncuff him. He really is innocent.

And I will be lying if I say that I didn't want him to be innocent.

I actually didn't want him to be any part of this whole thing because, in a certain way, he reminds me of my old version, stubborn and always getting into trouble. But he's not exactly like me. I actually used to do a lot of bad things. He looks innocent although getting into a lot of trouble.

"Give your statement to the police station regarding the man you met in the bar. This is a serious thing. We can't have a pervert on lose." I tell him.

He caresses his wrists where they have turned a bit red due to his pale skin. He doesn't reply but looks away. Then he sighs, "An apology will be good, you know." he mumbles.

"   "

"You literally handcuffed an innocent guy."

I roll my eyes at his words, "So you met this guy at a bar?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Which bar?"

"Night Shade-" he gasps and looks at me with wide eyes.

"Thought so. After going to an illegal bar when you are not yet twenty-one, are you trying to teach me the law? I admit I cuffed the wrong guy."

The doors open and the storeowner walks inside. I let him know what has happened and River tells him about the other guy and how everything exactly happened. I take the CCTV footage evidence to a pen drive and walk out of the doors to my car.

I look back at River whose face looks flushed as he's drunk.

"I want you to be present at the police station tomorrow morning," I say with my hand on the door handle.

"I can't be there. I have to attend a gender reveal party and murder someone," he mumbles.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"How about the evening?"

"Fine. I'll be there," he says with a little bit of arrogance in his voice. I turn back to the car only for him to hold my arm. When I look at him, he quickly loses the grip on my arm and nervously looks down.

"Your phone number?" he asks.

"What?"

He clears his throat, "I mean- there might be like- Um... you know. I want to know when you catch that man. Also to confirm when I will be coming to the police station and stuff." he clumsily gives me his phone.

I take his phone and type my phone number away. When I hand his phone to him, his eyes light up and I notice that his ears have turned a bit red. He's really drunk.

"Stay away from trouble. You can't expect to escape the consequences every time you do something illegal." I remind him as I get into the driver's seat.

"Oh, yes!" he quickly says. "Aren't you going to do anything about- about me going to the bar?" he asks with his eyes widening in confusion.

"Last chance."