The Boot: A Tim Bradford love story

Chapter 1 ~ Pilot

Elsie Densco hasn't always be the perfect person. Struggling with severe anxiety ever since the 5th grade. She soon found comfort in the ocean when she moved to Florida in 6th grade. throughout middle school and high school she studied marine sciences, so when she was given the chance to go to the Florida Keys she of course took it. Six months into her classes she was expelled due to not showing up to her classes. She then made the decison to move to L.A. and become a police officer.

Elsie look in front of the mirror couldn't help but smile. For her entire life it had felt like a nightmare and now something good is finaly happening.

She couldn't help but laugh at herself as she fed her pet goldfish "Mr. Chomps" and grabed her bag to head out to her first shift as an officer.

She wasn't feeling nervous. Elsie was way more than nervous. All she wanted to do was make a good impression on both co-workers and her boss. As a teenager she wasn't really good at keeping a job, She would often either quit after 2-3 weeks due to not finding it exciting anymore or get fired for not showing up for any of shifts. But this time She keeps swearing to herself it's gonna be different. Elsie never stuck with anything this long and she got a really good feeling about it.

as she driving down the street all she saw was all the local kids playing in the alleyways and the teenagers playing basketball at the courts or playing on their phones at a bus stop. The girl couldn't help but wonder what life would've been like had she stayed home to help her mother as her illness grew worse? What would it have been like if she didn't move to L.A.? Would she still be a police officer just in a different state? her head started racing of thoughts and she felt herself loosing a sense of focus.

Elsie given a hard snap back to reality as the car behind hers honked it's horn signaling to the green traffic light. she took a deep breath before stepping on the gas pedal with an even pace and continuing the short distance she had left till she would reach the police station.

-

Elsie parked her old volkswagen car in the lot before heading inside only to see Lucy Chen. One of her friends from the academy smiling as her eyes landed on her . "Hey Luce" Elsie says as she pulled her into a hug. Once they let go they both begin to walk to the locker rooms to get changed for the day.

"Hey Els" she responds and begins to rant about how excited she is to start. As she is talking, Elsie turns her head just to look around station when a pair of beautiful brown eyes meet hers from across the station. They belonged to an even more beautiful man inside the sergeant's office. the two of them would maintain eye contact even as Elsie continued to walk blankly following Lucy.

"Earth to Elsie" Jackson west, one of her other friends from the academy snaps her out of the beautiful world the girl was in

"Oh sorry, what did you say?" she spoke in a soft tone.

"I was just telling you guys about my crazy drive in" he says looking at elsie then at the man who she was staring at then back at her

"Oh my gosh, Elsie has a crush!" Jackson says rather loud and her would checks go a bright red as she swated him in the chest

"Oh-oh my god she totally does!" Lucy laughs just as John Nolan appears. The oldest rookie in their class, somehow for some weird reason he picked out the little trio to hang out with. It's honestly a miracle that they all got placed together.

"What does Elsie have?" He asks his voice genuinely curious and obviously to what is happening.

"Little miss Elsie here has a crush on a fellow officer" Lucy says holding in her laugh. John's face displaying a smile while he also tries not to laugh

"No I don't guys go away" She says with a bright red face as she gently pushed them away and they all go mingle somewhere else.

Just then her phone starts to buzz, when she picks it up she sees a text from John in the group chat we have of the four of us. It's a gif of a male police offer with a big red heart around him. Elsie lets out a deep sigh and looks up from the phone to see John staring at her with a big goofy smile. She rolls my eyes and begins to walk towards the locker room to Change when she collides with someone causing her to drop the phone and her bag on the floor. Also causing her supposed friends to gag and turn around to laugh quietly.

"sorry" A man's voice says as she bends down to pick up her stuff up off the floor.

"It's okay, I wasn't looking where I was going" she says as she stands back up only to be met with the same pair of brown eyes from before and like before they stare at each other for a second.

This time it being cut way shorter by him saying "try to be more careful next time" and walking off. Elsie sees that Lucy, John, and Jackson all still chuckling amongst themselves. she rolls my eyes again and walks to the locker room. This time making sure she doesn't run into anyone.

-

She follows Lucy into the briefing room and sits down next to her with Jackson on her right, mind still cringing at the interaction she'd had with that man. Just then a man who she guessed is the sergeant walks up to the dry erase board and erases something before turning back to the room and asks Elsie, Lucy, Jackson, and John to all stand up.

He introduces himself as Sergeant Wade Grey. He also gives the group a little speech about how they had all earned a spot here but would have to prove they can keep it, then tells them to sit back down. "Time to play the training officer match game" Srg. Grey says turning back to the white board.

"Our contestants are.." he pauses to grab a marker

"Lucy Chen, hotshot who made her first arrest before clocking for work he adds

"Legacy Jackson West, who broke all his dads record at the academy"

"John Nolan, who was born before disco died"

"And last but surely not least" Elsie tenses up as her mind races about what he will say about her character

"Elsie Densco, ocean conservationist from Florida" her breathing returns to normal hearing the brief description he gave her.

"Our winners are" he pauses once more to look down at a piece if paper

"Officer Lopez, you get our legacy"

"Officer Brooks, you get our hotshot"

"Officer bishop, to ride with the 40 year old rookie"

"Leaving Bradford with our conservationist" he says after assigning each rookie with a training officer.

The four of them stand up and as Jackson walks past he pats elsie on the shoulder and whispers "It's your lucky day Els" Elsie groans and walks towards Bradford.

"Follow me" he says coldly as they begin to walk.

she couldn't help but wonder of all the of training officers she had get stuck with the one who made confusing eye contact with her? She chuckles to herself at that last comment.

"Something funny boot?" Bradford asks as they reach the destination.

"No sir" she responds straightening herself up as she grabs two bags of gear and two shotguns. she then picks up a body cam from the charger and struggles to place it on her uniform due to the lack of free hands she has

Officer Bradford scoffs as he takes it from her hands and attaches it for her. "Would be a lot less hard if I had a free hand" Elsie says to herself as she turns it on, and her and Bradford begin to walk to a police car

"Sick car" Elsie whistles as she walks to the trunk to load up all the gear.

"theres your first mistake boot" Bradford starts "This is a shop. It's where you work, so do not call it a car." He adds as he opens the driver side door and getting in. Elsie sighs already knowing today is going to be a very long day.

hey guys little word from the author here. Sorry if this chapter is a little short and confusing, this is my first book in third person. I already have a ton planned for this book and I can't wait to write the next chapter of this story!!! I'm going to try to upload a new chapter every other day but please don't get angry if I miss a couple days. Thats all I wanted to say bye luvs! Xx