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A strange, loud noise wakes me. I turn to Nate, who’s already sat up.
"What's that noise?" I ask sleepily.
"That's Harper, baby. You go back to sleep; I'll go check on her," he replies, kissing my forehead and tucking me back into bed.
I must drift off almost immediately because the next thing I know, I wake up to the vibration of Nate's cell phone on the table. Exhausted, I sit up and look around, but I can't see anyone. I reach for his phone, but it has already stopped ringing. I flick on the lamp to get a better look around the room when I hear his phone start to ring again. I decide to answer it because if someone is calling him twice in the middle of the night, it must be about something important.
"Hello?"
"Hello ma'am, this is the Avery Hill Police Department. I have a Gabriel Scott here," the officer informs me.
"Gabe? What happened?" I gasp, still half asleep.
"Mr. Scott was arrested for assault. Do you want to post bail? Otherwise, he will stay here until Monday," the officer asks almost monotonously.
Startled, I sit up and slowly slide out of bed, so I can speak more clearly to the officer.
"Can I speak to him?" I ask, panicking.
"Unfortunately, he’s currently in processing. If bail isn’t posted, he will be spending the night."
"How much is his bail? How soon can I collect him?" I question, still in shock.
"$800, he can leave once bail is paid and the paperwork is completed. It takes about an hour to file."
"I'll be right there. Please start the paperwork." I hang up the phone and go to find Nate. When I do, he's sitting in the bathtub, asleep. Harper is lying on the floor next to the toilet. Obviously, she's been throwing up most of the night. I decide not to wake either of them. Instead, I call an Uber. I quickly put on my shoes and coat, not even bothering to change out of my pajamas, and head straight to the police station. I arrive less than half an hour later, and after giving them my ID, address, and maxing out the credit card I got from my parents for emergencies, I sit there waiting for Gabe to be released.
"Oh, for fuck's sake, why is she here?" snarls Gabe angrily to the officer escorting him through the station.
"I assume she's here to get your sorry ass out of here," the officer remarks.
"I don't fucking want her here. Just take me back!"
"Well, it's 4 a.m., I've already maxed out my card to save you. So you might as well come with me."Why is he even questioning me? Doesn’t he want to come home?I should probably cut him some slack since he’s obviously had a tough night, but I get grumpy when I haven't gotten enough sleep.
"Who says I need to be rescued by YOU?" spits Gabe, with a face like thunder. Honestly, I’m tempted to leave him behind and go back to bed, but I know Nate would want me to help his brother.
"Well, no one, I guess," I stammer, feeling a little intimidated by the way Gabe glares at me like he's about to kill me. "But I can't just leave you here," I say, giving him a small smile, hoping to lighten the mood.
"I suggest you leave now before I book you back in," the officer states coldly. "Are you sure you're okay with him, ma'am? It's not too late to change your mind," the officer proposes, this time looking directly at me.
"Yes, I'm fine. He's family," I explain, smiling kindly at him, even though inwardly I'm kind of terrified of leaving this station alone with Gabe.
"Fuck it, let's go," Gabe grunts, storming off ahead of me.
I run after him and almost collide with his back when he stops just outside the station. "Should I call us an Uber?" I offer and turn to Gabe, who stands stunned at the bottom of the stairs.
"Where's Nate?" Gabe demands, looking around
"Well, he's taking care of my friend Harper, who's pretty sick. I got the call and came straight here in an Uber," I explain.
Gabe doesn't even speak. Instead, he just walks in the opposite direction, leaving me standing at the bottom of the stairs with my mouth open. "Wait! Do you want me to call us an Uber or not?" I call after him.
"No, I'll walk!" he shouts back, without even bothering to turn around to look at me or at least make sure I'm following.Honestly, this boy has no manners or respect. I wasn’t expecting to become best friends with him, but a simple thanks would have been nice.
I just stare at him in bewilderment. It's already 4 a.m., it’s pitch-black outside, and I'm standing there in nothing but my pajamas and a jacket, and I'm about to chase after a fucking psychopath.That's the way so many horror movies start. I briefly contemplate leaving his ass. After all, I’ve done my part by bailing him out. The rest is on him.
I’m about to pull out my phone to call an Uber to head back to Tucker’s alone, until I hear Gabe speak, "So, you coming or what?"
