Californication

17. Goodbye Eleven

"Uh, hello." You spoke, a little shocked.

First the fight, now this. What was going on? Why was everything in your face all of a sudden?

"I'm sorry mam, but I have to know, does Jane Hopper live here?" The officer repeated.

"Why, what's going on?" You asked, but in fairness, you sort of knew what it was going to be about.

"You may or may not be aware of the incident involving Jane at Rink-O-Mania." The officer continued.

"That was an accident." Will was eerily close behind you, his head was practically over your shoulder. Had he been there the whole time?

"This warrant here says otherwise." The officer was certainly grumpy.

"Warrant?" You asked, a little shocked, "A warrant for what was essentially banter?"

The officer just ignored you, looking past both you and Will and into the hallway. You spun around to see what he was looking at.

El was stood in the middle of the hallway looking oblivious.

"Are you Jane Hopper?"

She nodded. The officers immediately began to walk in, towards her.

"What are you doing?" You asked, suddenly protective of your friend, but again, no answer.

The man cuffed her just where her 011 tattoo was and started reading out her rights.

You knew that the 011 tattoo must be why they called her El, it had to be. El was short for Eleven. You weren't top set for nothing.

Jonathan stood up and began pacing around, you didn't blame him, he was supposed to be in charge and look what he'd gotten into.

Tears had started to form in El's eyes as she stared at the floor, ashamed.

Mike stared at her in awe, then at the police officers, then at everything. Things clearly hadn't been this serious in a while.

The men started to lead El outside, Jonathan followed so naturally, so did you.

"Can you at least just tell us where she's going?" Jonathan asked, urgently.

"Are the cuffs really necessary?" Mike asked.

"Officers, why aren't you answering?" You asked.

It was embarrassing. You had no replies and the whole street were out watching you all. Maybe your parents would even see you, that'd be awful, they might not let you hang out with criminals anymore.

El was forced into the car, looking pretty grim. However, Mike still tried his best to communicate with her, banging on the windows and saying he'd be better.

You didn't get what Mike had done but it can't have been good. El was ignoring him. And the car simply just sped away, leaving Mike alone on the roadside.

You rushed towards him with Will and Jonathan, comforting him.

"Has moms flight left yet?" Will asked Jonathan as you watched the car get further and further away from you.

"Oh shit." Jonathan ran back into the house just as the police car, with El inside, disappeared into the horizon.

That left you, Will and Mike standing on the middle of the road, leaving shadows almost as haunting as monsters across the tarmac.