𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 4

You Gonna Arrest Me, Officer?

"Come on, slow poke, you're missing the view!" I shout down to my best friend in the whole entire world. Leon sighs, looking tiny as I continue to claw my way up the tree, occasionally a branch cracks under my weight, but I'm still small and light enough for it to withhold. I look down again to check if Leon's following me yet. Despite me being three years older than him, he's way more mature and adult than I would ever act, we're kids and we're supposed to act like it, but I can't deny that Leon's reserved and logical outlook on the world has gotten me out of more trouble than I can even recount. The smells of freshly cut grass and barbecues waft towards me in the wind, now I'm high up I can see the whole neighbourhood and beyond, it makes me feel free in a way nothing else can. I thrive on the adrenaline rush, and on the danger. 

"You're going to fall if you keep looking at me!" Leon shouts up, cupping his hands over his mouth for his voice to carry. I snort at his 'I told you so' and concerned expression, his blonde brows knit together as his teeth gnaw on his lip. A part of me wants to stay up here until he finally caves to come get me, but instead I end up sighing and beginning my descent. Leon hovers at the bottom of the tree, arms outstretched as if he's planning on catching me. He's about the same height as me, but already I know he's been working on his athletic skills in school. "Watch out for that-" Leon's voice cracks as the branch I'm on has the audacity to snap. I yelp, hanging onto the thick branches above me as I sway in the wind. I gulp, letting out a nervous laugh as Leon waves a hand in beckoning "Come on, jump. I promise I've got you." 

I stare at him, my earlier confidence now rocked from the almost fall. There's no other way for me to get down, so I nod but stay clinging onto the branch. "I...Are you sure, Leon?" I call out, a tinge of nervousness evident as he nods sincerely. His blue eyes meet mine, they're so honest and caring, I know that for the rest of our lives I'll always be by his side. 

"I promise, I won't let you get hurt." He says just audibly. I nod, counting down, then I let go with a screech. I expect a heavy landing, but instead I land in Leon's arms as we both go 'oomf'. I open my closed eyes, staring up into Leon's face as he watches me with a mixture of worry and relief. "You okay?" He murmurs, arms still holding me like a princess. I nod, shaking a little as I begin to giggle. Leon just huffs a laugh, setting me on my feet as he helps brush twigs and leaves from my hair. His presence makes me feel safe, and grounded, it's no wonder all the other girls in our class have crushes on him. 

By the time we reach our teenage years Leon and I are still inseparable. I know that our friendship has begun to bloom into something deeper, but neither of us want to mess anything up and ruin what we've got, so we both stay quiet and deny the rumours of our relationship being more than what people think. It's around this time that mine and Leon's contrasting personalities and opinions of the world begin to destroy the bridges of our friendship.

Whilst I sneak out and try coax Leon into coming to parties with me, he chooses to stay at home to watch movies and read books, already prepping for college and the police academy he's desperate to get into. Sometimes he'll come with me- only because he knows he'll have to only come pick me up later anyway, and he'd rather prevent a fight that I'll no doubt find myself in with an ex or two.

I tend to voice my feelings with harsh words and sometimes my fists or acts of revenge, but Leon tries to reason with me. When I'll be keying my ex-best friends car or waiting to confront her about a betrayal, Leon would be by my side, trying to drag me out of the situation or preventing me from even being there in the first place. It became frustrating, knowing that Leon didn't and wouldn't understand my reasoning. I crossed the lines I needed to, but Leon always has his morals high and his goodness higher. Our senses of justice began to crumble our friendship, until the final sledgehammer blasted it all apart.