Ch. 10

I've never thought I'll be able to see those brown eyes again. Let alone realize they were real the whole time. Austin. Is it really you or an illusion of you. I don't know what to feel. I don't know how to act. Austin. Where were you?

"H-how are you here?" Chris whispered, hoping Austin wouldn't hear. But he did. He was as shocked to see Chris too. But he responded anyway.

"I...I live here. Um. How you doing? You look pretty well this days." Austin said awkwardly. He tried to avoid eye contact but they always go back to Chris's face.

"Well you know," he tried to make fun of the situation. ", Getting arrested for shit I didn't do. The usual."

"Oh. Well. It happens to everybody here. It just become the usual thing around here." Austin said.

"Haha yeah that- wait what!" Chris said unsure what he heard.

"Getting arrested on things we didn't do. It happens here a lot. By the same person. Which happens to be him." Austin said pointing out the police officer named Tom.

".....WHY!??" Chris exclaimed.

"Well you see it's a long story. It all started with-" Austin was cut off.

"Ok that's enough. Do you know this criminal? If so I'll have to take you in as well." Tom said.

"Take me in?! Again!?" Austin said.

"AGAIN!!" Chris couldn't understand any of this at the moment. Who fucking take this crap???!!! Isn't this not how a cop does!!!

"What is going on here?" A woman said walking to our direction. She was with the doctor. Thank the heavens. I'm saved. "Tom what's going on? Have you find-"

"Chris! Why are you arrested? What happened?" The doctor said.

"Doctor! Thank you! I was supposed to be waiting for someone but they took too damn long! What the hell!"

"Quiet you. Your being arrested." The little girl said. "Bad guys get arrested and weirdos get tested."

"That's my girl!" Tom said proudly.

"TOM!!" The woman exclaimed. Everyone jumped. Tom slowly looked at her and was afraid of her aura. "What have I told you about!" Tom tried to avoid the answer but gave in.

"Sweety?" He kneeled down. "Did you interrigated the suspect in question?"

"Yes I did." She said with a sassy attitude.

"And what did you concluded." Tom replied.

"That he is the person we are looking for.  But he became hostile so I have to take him in."

"That is not what happened!!" Chris yelled from the sidecar.

"Sweety?" Tom gave her the look.

She sighed. "Ok. I was hostile and accused him for something he didn't do. But he was mean to me!"

"Bitch! You were fucking rude to me!" Chris yelled.

"Daddy!" She pointed.

"HEY!! ONE MORE WORD AND I WILL PUT YOU IN JAIL FOR LIFE!" Tom threatened. He turned to his daughter. "Abbygale?"

She pouted. But sighed. "It's true." She looked down. Tom patted her head.

"We'll talk about it later, ok?" Tom said.

"You always say that." She sadly said.

He sighed. "I know."

"Ok I know it's not a good time but can I get off these cuffs?" Chris interrupted.

"I really don't want to." Tom said.

"Tom~." The woman looked at him with eyes of an angry lioness.

"But! As we all witness here, you are falsely accused. So you are free to go." He uncuffed me and was going to help me out of the side car. Then I realized my stomach. The baby. Austin is still here. And he doesn't know. Fuck! What should I say!! I don't want him to see me like this. "Are you enjoying the seat or?" The cop said. I snapped out of it. Austin lives here. Theirs no way I could avoid it. I could feel my body shake. I grabbed the cop's hand and he pulled me out of the side car. And Austin face made me trembled.

"You've....gained weight?" Austin said. Everyone looked at him like 'did you really said that to a man with child??'

"Ah no... I'm..." I took a deep breath. Hoping my fear will go away. But it didn't. "I'm pregnant." I utter out the words. Austin became shocked. He couldn't believe what he heard. He tried to make out the words as if it's just utter nonsense. But the way Chris looks now. It failed him. And that silently made him angry.

"Oh." Austin said. Hiding his anger carefully. "Congratulations."

Chris couldn't see his angry but he felt it. And that made him ashamed of himself.

"Christopher?" The woman stepped in. Chris turned to her. "My name is Julie Flora." She gave a warm welcome that kinda gave Chris some comfort. Chris smiled. "My father talked about you on the phone. I'm sorry that you've experienced the worst part of the village." She gave Tom a look. Tom looked away. Afraid of Julie. "But don't worry. I've prepared you a meal on our way to my home. You'll be driving with me." She took Chris's hand and led him to her car. "Abby dear. You'll be going with the doctor. Aunt Maya is in the car and she brought cookies."

"Yeah!!!" She leaped with joy.

"But only if you behave." She pointed out.

"Aw~" she whined. "What about big bro Oz?"

"He'll be going with the idiot's mobile." She said looking at Austin and Tom.

Chris smiled and then it faded. Austin and Chris looked at each other. Chris looked away and went in the car. Austin felt frustrated. He wanted to run to him but he held himself back. And that made him more angry.

"So!" Tom said. Walking over to Austin. "You going be ok?" Austin didn't reply back. He watched the cars drove away. "Look Mr. Farmhand, I may be a terrible cop but I'm not an idiot. You knew him. And you liked him."

"And?" Austin said. Annoyed. "What's your deal?"

"You need to calm down. I could tell your pissed but it isn't with me. Or with him." Tom said calmly. He placed his hand on Austin's shoulder. "Want to talk about?"

Austin slowly calmed down. "No. No I don't think I will."

"You know I could take you in for questioning." Tom said jokingly. Austin smiled back. Which put him back to a good mood. Tom patted his shoulder. "Come on. Let's go. They'll be waiting for us at her house." He said. "To the idiot's mobile!"

Austin took the helmet off the sidecar. "Tom?" Austin said. Tom got on his bike and looked at Austin. "I'm not ready to talk about it, but when I am. I'll tell you. Your...the only one I could talk to about...this." Tom smiled and put on his helmet.

"Bitch. I'm like the only one that you do. Plus. I'm your secret best friend. Now hurry up and get in the side car. We don't got all day." Tom said.

Austin smiled and put on his helmet.

♦

"Your going to like it here, Christopher. It's a very nice place." Julie said.

"Except for that brat and her asshole father." Chris mentioned.

"Yes well...I have nothing to say about them." She said to Chris. "But please, don't pay no mind to it. Abbygale is going through a hard time. She's just like her father if I'm being honest."

"Oh I see that." Chris said. Julie smiled.

"I don't mean Tom. Her other father. George." She said. Chris looked at her.

"Ah well. The asshole family. Great." Chris said.

"I don't know you well, Mr. Christopher but I do not tolerate such language. Especially if it's true." She said with a strong tone. Chris would've talked back but he could feel her aura frightening. So he kept his mouth shut. How can a woman who appears heartwarming can also be scary. "I'm sorry. I get this way because I know them all. I taught her fathers and Abby herself."

"Oh. I remember the doctor said that your a pre-school teacher." Chris said.

"Yes, I was. Now I'm the principal of the small school."

"Must be hell teaching them." Chris said.

"A challenge, but that doesn't stop me. Abby is complicated in her own way but in the end she's a sweet girl. She looks after her younger classmates and they all look up to her. She's the oldest in the school."

"Did she bullied them to make them look up to her?" He said.

"Because she's an Alpha?" Julie pointed out. Chris felt uncomfortable about the idea of an alpha in the village that he will be staying. Let alone a spoiled little girl. Julie continued. "No. She doesn't. She takes care of her peers because she felt it's her duty to. Abby understands what an Alpha is but not in the way you think." She said. Chris looked away because she knows what kind of alpha gets on Chris's nerves. "She is the way she is because she doesn't understand the way she feels. After all, she is a little girl. A little girl who misses her father but is afraid to act on it."

"Why?" Chris said curiously.

"Ask her yourself. Get to know the little brat. Maybe she isn't what you believe she is. And once you do you'll realize that we're all the same. We're just made with sticks and stones to cover up what we hide inside."

Chris felt happy and relax with Julie. He couldn't believe such a warmth aura can exist. That woman. I could see why she became a teacher. And why her father helped me. Their both. Good nature people. Except the teacher has more spunk.

We arrived at her house. The little girl Abby was with the doctor and some older lady. We got out of the car and the the older lady introduce herself to me. She's the doctor's sister who owns a convenient store. She talked a lot about her two kids. One works at a flower shop and the other is a delivery man. And she wouldn't stop talking. It got to the point where it got annoying. Julie stopped her and led us all inside to eat. Thank you Julie.

"Your about Timothy's age. You'll love him." She continued to talk about him.

"That's enough, Maya. You see he's trying to eat?" Julie said.

"Tim Tim is all she talks about." Abbygale said out loud.

"That's because he's single." She winked at me. "And very attractive." Is she trying to pimp her own son.

"Well I like Geana better. She's so cool and nice." Abbygale said.

"Oh unlike you?" Chris replied. Abbygale sneared at him. Chris smiled. He likes to mess with her. Revenge is sweet.

"Oh no. Not Geana. She already has a boyfriend." Maya continued.

"That boy from the Grilled Squid stand?" Julie asked.

"Yes. That girl. One day she spent at the beach and the next she has a boyfriend. Do not follow her example young lady." She looked at Abbygale.

"Wait. Theirs a beach around here?" Chris asked.

"Oh my father hasn't told you?" Julie said. Chris shook his head. "We're actually close to the ocean around here and their is also a local village that takes about a 30 minutes drive. We go their for festivals and to have fun. This village is small but it's a big community here."

"Huh. I don't care how big this community is. I just wish she dump that boy and find someone better." Maya said. I guess this is another level of gossip.

"Maybe soon we'll take you there. It's a beautiful place." Julie said.

"I already got used to being here." Chris said.

"Good. Make sure you waved goodbye when you leave in the next day." Abbygale said. Chris gave her a stare. She only smiled. Revenge is sweet.

I heard the front door opened and came in the doctor and the two people he was waiting for. Austin and Tom.

"Daddy!" Abbygale ran to him. He picked her up and hugged his little girl.

"Did you leave some food for me?" He asked her.

"Nope!" She said with a smile.

"You little monster. Then I guess I have to eat you instead." He said jokingly. She laughed and tried to get away.

"No no! Don't eat me." She pleaded with joy. Chris couldn't believe that even those people could be a happy family. Austin came behind and saved Abbygale from her father.

"Big bro Oz. You saved me." She said.

"He was going to eat you. You know I wasn't going to stand by and let that happen." He said. Chris smiled. Austin noticed Chris and Chris quickly looked away. Austin smiled faintly.

Julie walked over to them and scolded them for taking too long. Tom said he was running out of gas and had to fill up his bike. Julie didn't believe him. So she kept scolding them. The doctor sat next to Chris.

"How you liking it here? Good?" He asked.

"It's alright. Too nosey and too much gossip." Chris replied.

"That's how a small village is. The home your going to stay in is about done. Just cleaning out some stuff and your ready to move in." The doctor said.

Chris looked at his cup. "You sure about this? I mean it is your home."

"Grandparents home. And they won't need it anymore. It's yours to stay in." He said. "I only wish you could find a happy start. Get used to the place. Walk around. Meet new people."

"Well I've already met one before." Chris looked at Austin being scolded by Julie. The doctor looked at his direction and back to Chris.

"You both met before?" The doctor asked. Chris nodded.

"What a coincidence. He was selling apples with his horse. I never thought we'll actually meet again." Chris said. The doctor looked at the two and noticed something about them. He didn't asked him anything else.

"Get some rest. You've been through a lot. The mayor will come pick you up and take you to your new home." The doctor said.

"Your not staying?" Chris asked.

"Unfortunately no. I've been called back to the city. Don't worry. My daughter and the mayor will look out for you. Until then, my friend." The doctor got up and walked to the guest room.

Austin and Tom finally joined in on the meal. Maya's daughter, Geana came over to eat and greeted herself to me. She was glad to have me around and help out the flower shop when I'm settled in on my new home. Everyone knew each other and talked loud. It felt happy and warm. But it felt uncomfortable for me. Whenever I looked around, Austin and I eyes meet. And every time we do, I look away.

I could feel him staring at me. We haven't spoken to each other. And when we do, it's that awkward hello and goodbye thing. It's so weird. Now. I just wish he would stop staring at me.

Chris kept eating his food silently and Austin stares at him. He first looks at him eat then his eyes wondered below him. The baby he has inside him. It upsets Austin. Then he looked a little lower. Austin quickly looks away. What am I thinking?! Stop thinking that here. Your in Ms. Flora's house. Plus he's pregnant....right... he's pregnant. Austin felt angry again but calmed down.

They both ate their food and tried their best to get through the night. And once everyone started to part ways, Chris quickly went to the other guest room to sleep. Austin walked outside and took a deep breath.

"How are we going to get pass this?" They both said.