No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

I never thought I'd end up in the police station for indecency.

The kid I supposedly wronged was only seventeen, still a minor. He was adamant, claiming I made indecent advances toward him. Even though I denied it, he insisted I had touched him.-

"Where did she touch you?" The officer's interrogation was thorough.

The kid, Jimmy Perez, glared at me, pointing first to his chest, then lower. "Here, and here... they touched me."

Bullshit! I almost cursed out loud. I hadn't even laid a hand on Conrad, the heartthrob of our town, and what made this kid think I'd go after him? The officer turned to me, but before he could ask, I immediately denied, "I didn't touch him on purpose. It was just an accidental bump. "Have you been drinking?" The officer's gaze was with implication.

In this society, a man could drown his sorrows in alcohol, and it was business as usual, but let a woman sip a little, and suddenly she was labeled loose.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I nodded. "Yes, I had a drink."

"How much?" The relevance of this question to the matter at hand was beyond me, but I answered truthfully, "A glass of beer."

The officer looked at me doubtfully, making me wish Fanny was there to confirm my words. But, just my luck, she had texted me when I was tangled up with the kid on the ground and called back to the hospital for an emergency.

I clarified again, "I wasn't drunk, and I certainly didn't take advantage of the kid in any state."

The officer noted my statement before turning to Jimmy. "Are you sure she touched you? Lying and false accusations carry legal consequences."

"Of course, I'm sure," Jimmy was stubborn as a mule, and I was so close to losing my temper and teaching him a lesson immediately.

Before I could act on that impulse, Jimmy's eyes lit up. "Haley, you're here?"

Being a minor, they'd called Jimmy's guardian. I turned, intending to explain myself to his family, but froze upon seeing who it was.

A man and a young woman

approached. The woman had long, straight blonde hair, an epitome of grace, in her white dress. She introduced herself as Haley Perez, and right beside her was Conrad.

"Jimmy, what happened?" Haley asked, concern written all over her face.

Jimmy didn't respond but pouted at Conrad. "Haley, is this your new boyfriend?"

Conrad's expression hardened, and his gaze went from surprised to cold as he looked at me.

"Felicia, what's going on?"

"Sir, you know this woman?" Unfazed, Jimmy continued his charade. "She's a total thug, touched me here, and here..." demonstrating with exaggerated motions.

At that moment, I had no desire to explain myself anymore. My only focus was on Conrad, who had quickly moved on to some other woman after our separation.

Looking at me softly, Haley introduced herself, "Felicia, I'm Haley, Jimmy's sister."

I was stunned that she knew me. Of course, being Conrad's shadow, it wasn't surprising that those close to him knew of me.

I had never interacted with Haley

before. I knew of her because her

husband had died in a tragic

accident not long ago, and being a

close friend of the deceased, Conrad

was deeply involved in the

aftermath.

Swallowing the bitterness in my throat, I clarified, "It was an accidental collision. I didn't do what this young man is accusing me of."

Haley offered an apologetic smile. "I know. He's always been a handful."

After explaining to the officer, who reviewed the surveillance footage proving my innocence, the officer suggested, "Since you all know each other, why not discuss a resolution? Or, this young man's false accusation and misuse of emergency services could lead to detention for reeducation."

Λου

Haley subtly pulled Conrad closer, a small gesture that implied intimacy.

Always distant and unapproachable, Conrad didn't seem to mind Haley's touch, indicating the familiarity between them. I didn't want to delve deeper into their relationship.

As for settling the matter, I was about to speak when Conrad decided for us, "It was all a misunderstanding. Let's leave it at that."

Then, he took my hand and led me away from the chaos.