8 The Police

I wake up the next day and realize I slept with Stefan’s jacket on. It’s all wrinkled now, but I don’t care, it’s smells like him and it’s comforting. I lay in bed for a while thinking about him, about how he saved me from the drunken jerk and how I felt with his hand over my thigh. A sudden knock on my door takes me out of my thoughts. 

“Olivia, Miranda is on the phone.” My mom says on the other side of the door. 

I stand up and walk to the door. 

“Thank you” I say when she hands me the phone. 

“Why is she calling you home? Where’s your cellphone?” My mom whispers. 

“Battery is death... I forgot to charge it last night.” I lie. 

“You abandoned me yesterday!” Miranda complains the moment I pick up the phone. 

“I left you in good company.” I reply not in a mood to talk about last night. 

“Well, that’s true.” Miranda says cheerful. “Oh, he was cute. Wasn’t he?”

“What happened to Barney? I thought you were into him.” I reply distracted. 

“Oh, who cares about Barney! He hasn’t asked me out yet. I’m not going to wait for him forever.” Miranda replies. “Anyway... Oli, I called you because I think there’s something you need to know.”

“What?” I ask as I file my nails.

“I saw some posts online... this thing with your dad is still making noise...”

“Ugh... Yeah, I kind of figured that out...” I say thinking about the incident last night. 

“No, but like... bad. People want to see your dad behind bars, they are pressuring the police department to take him... maybe you and your family should be prepared.” Miranda says with a sad voice. 

I get goosebumps just thinking about my dad in prison. I press the nail file so hard it hurts my hand and leaves a red mark. I open my fingers and let it fall to the floor.

“Oli... are you there?” Miranda asks as I say nothing. 

“Yeah...” I mumble after a while. “Hey... I have to go... talk to you later.” 

I hang up and drop onto the bed. I take deep breaths to calm myself down. My dad can’t go to prison, that would be awful. 

I’m unable to relax, I need to go out and get some fresh air. I lie to my mother and tell her I’m going for a spin in the park. As I no longer have a bike the only option I have left is to run. I go out, put my AirPods on and start running. I use all my anger and frustration to fuel me up. After a few miles I feel better, but I keep running anyway until my legs feel like they are on fire. I’m all sweaty and, as I look at my reflexion in a store window, my face is all red. I slowly walk back home, I’m exhausted. 

As I enter my street, I bump into Miranda who seems very upset and agitated.

“I was on my way to your house. You really need a new phone! Are you ok?” She is frantic.

“Yes... I’m fine... what happened to you?” I ask, confused. 

“Me? I came as soon as I heard... I thought you’ll be inconsolable. Whatever you need, I’m here for you.” Miranda is looking at me with pity. 

“Why?” 

“Because of your dad... I saw it online... the police detained your dad an hour ago. Haven’t you heard?” Miranda asks nervous.

“What?! I went out for a run... I... I have to go!” 

It takes me a few seconds to run the remaining distance to my house, in spite my previous exhaustion I’ve never run so fast in my life. My hands are shaking so it takes me several tries to get the keys in the lock. I enter the house all worked up. 

“Mom! Mom!” I shout in the hall. “Mom!”

“She went out! What do you need? Stop with the shouting!” I hear my dad’s voice in the dining room. 

I rush myself in there and find him sitting at the head of the table surrounded by a bunch of intruders. They all look at me as if I had lost my mind. I must seem strange, shouting covered in sweat with a messy ponytail and breathing as if I had run a marathon. 

“What do you need?” My dad asks again. 

“Nothing.” I say out of breath. 

I go back to the hall, mortified to have seen Stefan among the intruders. This is not how I want him to see me. 

“Doll, are you ok?” Stefan asks behind me concerned.

His voice startles me more than I already am. Of course he came to check on me. 

“Yes.” I say, painfully aware of how ugly I must look. 

“What happened? Can I help you?” He asks concerned.

“No... It’s just something Miranda said. She... saw a post online that claimed my dad had been taken by the police... I... worried.” I explain. 

Stefan laughs as if I’d said something ridiculous. 

“It wouldn’t be so funny if it was your dad.” I say frowning. 

“You are right. I’m sorry. If this is about that loser you went out with, you shouldn’t worry about that. We’ve taken care of it. It won’t be a problem anymore.” He says with a smirk. 

“How? People is really upset, Miranda said they want to see my dad behind bars.” 

“And they have. Today. We paid an actor to pretend to be your dad. It’s all taken care of, I told you.” Stefan speaks as if he was describing the most ordinary event. 

“What?! Are you crazy? That’s sooo illegal! If the police finds out...”

“What makes you think the police doesn't know?” Stefan asks looking amused by my innocence. “Who do you think got the actor? Seriously, doll, don’t worry about it. It’s all in the past now.” 

“I don’t understand... the police helped you?” I try to make sense of it, but I can’t. “Why would the police do that? This is wrong.”

“Would you rather see your dad in jail?” He asks surprised. 

“No, of course not.” 

“Then what’s the problem? Let it go.”

I’m out of words. Stefan is right, what kind of daughter complains about her father not going to jail? But still, I find it hard to believe the police would agree to a sham like that. Is this because of the contacts my mom said he had? They must be some pretty important people if they can get away with something so shady. How did my dad got to meet people so powerful by owning flower shops? I have a million questions for Stefan, who seems to have all the answers, but looks reluctant to share his knowledge with me. 

The doorbell rings. 

“It’s probably Miranda... she was right outside...” I say as I walk to the door. 

Stefan grabs my arm and stops me. 

“Not a word of what I just told you, doll. Understood?” He says and I can feel an unspoken  threat in the air. I nod, intimidated. 

Stefan goes back to the dining room and I go to get the door. I was right, Miranda it’s outside, looking worried.

“I’m sorry I left you in the middle of the sidewalk. I was upset.” I apologize as soon as I see her.

“Don’t worry. I understand. Whatever you need, Oli, I’m here.” Miranda says in the sweetest tone.

“Thank you, but everything is fine... My dad is here... my mom bailed him out.” I lie.

“So soon? Oh! I’m glad!” She exclaims surprised. 

“Yes, me too. Please don’t mention this to anyone... I don’t want to fuel gossip and upset the internet trolls. Let them believe my dad is still detained.”

Miranda stays for a little while, we eat lunch together and then she invites me to a party. We both know it’s a bad idea for me to go to places where I can run into Sam, his brother or his friends, so she doesn’t insist when I say no. I guess she only invited me to be polite. This is me now: the girl with no social life