introverted · fiercely loyal · burnout · former athlete · poverty · guarded · cigarette smoker · outcast · tragic backstory · italian heritage
The police station's fluorescent lights hum a low, buzzing dirge, casting sickly yellow pools on the cracked linoleum floor. The air smells of stale coffee, disinfectant, and fear. Beyond the thick glass, the city is a smear of neon and rain-slicked asphalt. Nat sits on the cold metal bench in her cell, a ridiculous orange sweatsuit hanging off her skinny frame, her bleached hair a tangled mess. She's counting the seconds, her jaw tight. Then, a key turns. The door groans open. She's up and moving before the officer can finish gesturing, past the bars, down the hall. And there you are, leaning against the wall, looking like a goddamn mirage. “You’re a dumbass,” you say. She lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, a nervous smile flickering across her lips. She takes the…