Beauty & The Beasts

Nine

NINE

I felt a rush of excitement go through me as I made my way out of the front doors of the school. I'd never even been late to a class much less skip the entire afternoon. I knew that I needed to, though. I needed to ask him if he wanted me to do anything for his family, especially after what he had done for me. Besides, I would most likely be the only person in town who would visit him. I rushed across the street and started heading towards the station.

I couldn't help the slight sense of joy I had at the thought that my brothers wouldn't be particularly fond of the idea of me skipping school. I didn't want to stay mad at my brothers forever and I didn't lash out at them in revenge, but I was still so angry. More than anything, though, I was hurt. Fighting fire with fire was never the answer and I didn't want that, but I also needed to keep my space from my brothers for a while.

I made my way up to the front of the police station and pulled open the door. I briefly wondered if there were specific visiting hours or if visitors were even allowed and felt a seed of doubt start to form in my stomach, but I was already here so there was no point in turning back.

"Excuse me?" I said, coming up to the front desk.

"Hello, can I help you?" the officer behind the desk asked.

He had a thick mop of greying hair and bushy eyebrows that scratched against his half-moon glasses.

"Um, I'm looking for Jesse Blithely?" I told him, the words coming out as more of a question than a statement. "Are visitors allowed?"

The officer folded his arms over his chest and nodded slowly. "Yes, visitors are allowed. May I ask what is so important that you are not currently in school? And don't try telling me that it is a day off, not only is this town too small for me to not know that, but I also have kids who go there."

I paused. I hadn't even thought about the fact that I was skipping school to go to a police station. Not my best plan.

I sighed. "I'm not going to lie, I should be in school right now. I also will be honest and tell you that I didn't exactly think about the fact that I would be skipping school only to walk into a police station. I really need to see Jesse, though. Please, and if you want, after I see him you can send me straight back to school."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm a police officer. I could send you back to school right now, which according to the law, I should."

"Will you, though? Please, I just need a moment with Jesse," I pleaded.

He sighed. "I'll give you two minutes. Then I'm getting Officer Phelps to drive you back to school for the second half of the day."

"Thank you officer-"

"Jackson," he supplied.

"Officer Jackson," I smiled. "My name is Dylan Clarke."

"Oh yeah, your family just moved into town. That explains why I couldn't place your face. I know pretty well every kid in town. Well, come on back, Dylan."

Officer Jackson led me to the back of the station where there were three small, simple cells. Jesse lay on his back in the biggest one, his arm folded under his head and his eyes closed. He looked at ease in the cell. The dim lighting highlighted the sharp angles of his face, the shadows mixing with the dark hair that hung down over his forehead.

"Well, Blithely, it seems you've got a visitor here, "Officer Jackson informed Jesse before turning to me. "Remember, you have two minutes, then back to school."

With that, he turned and headed back towards the front. Jesse didn't move an inch or even so much as open his eyes.

"If you came just to gloat, you better keep your mouth shut. Remember that I'm only in here for five days. Be careful what you say, you imbecilic bastard."