22 days

Groaning, I rolled over.

I hadn't set an alarm, why was my phone going off? Why was God punishing me?!

It took me another moment to realize that my phone was actually ringing. Before answering the unknown caller, I read the time 3:40am.

If someone was willing to disturb my beauty sleep, it had better be good.

"Hello?" I asked.

Who could be calling at this time?

"Good morning chica." His voice was the usual; deep and lust-filled .

"Grayson? why are you calling, it's almost 4am! Who's phone are you calling from?" I erupted into a yawn, rubbing my eyes so hard it was like entering another universe of swirling patterns.

"Well Violet, It seems I've gotten myself into a bit of  a pickle...congratulations, you're my one phone call." He put on a playful voice, I could picture him standing by the phone booth, relaxing against the wall with no feeling other than amusement at his current situation.

No worry, no regret. Fuckin' psycho.

"You're at the police station?!" I whisper-yelled so not to wake my parents.

"You are correct. I'm being held here, I need you to pick me up." He was joking right?

"Goodnight dumbass." I rolled my eyes and when Grayson's voice returned down the line, it had a hint of panic to it.

"Vi please! I don't get to call anyone else and the longer I'm here the more chance they're going to take one look at my record and keep me here a while longer." He practically begged.

Huffing and puffing, I crawled out of bed and attempted to fix my appearance, combing through my hair and throwing on leggings and a jumper over my vest.

"I'm on my way - If I get caught for this you're so dead." I hung up and quietly made my way downstairs, grabbing my parents car keys and praying to god the engine wouldn't wake them.

Within fifteen minutes, I was in the car park and walking into the station. Inside, I walked straight up to the desk. "I'm here for Grayson Ledger". I told the woman who was wearing foundation two shades too dark and uneven pink lipstick. She squinted her eyes at me.

"You don't look old enough to be picking up?" She studied me inquisitively, shrugged and gestured for me to take a seat.

"Violet?" Turning as I heard the familiar voice, I spotted Max.

I should've known the others were involved.

"What're you doing here?" She asked, though she looked relieved to see a friendly face.

"Grayson called me." I answered, she looked at me surprised. "What did they do?" 

She sighed. "They-" She stopped and turned as the door opened and in came a curly, fire-like, red headed girl.

"Tara!" Max exclaimed, rushing to hug her tightly. "It's been too long! ...You're here for Jace?"

"Kyle actually, He had nobody to call, though I suppose yes I'm here for him too." Tara avoided eye contact for a few moments before smiling brightly and asking. "You're here for Alex I take it? You have no idea how happy I am the two of you are finally together! Is Grayson here?"

"I am." Max replied. "Yes, but Grayson didn't call me, he called Violet - Tara, Violet. Violet, Tara"

Ah, the famous Tara Morris, the one who seemingly Jace was forever in love with. I had to say, she was stunning and everything I pictured her to be. She was exactly Jace's type, rocking the leather jacket, the black jeans, sharp eyeliner and a halo of fire.

Which led me to my next question; Was she an angel or the devil?

Perhaps that was what Jace found alluring, she seemed to be both.

"Girlfriend?.." Tara asked to which I widened my eyes, shaking my head, purely horrified.

"Not in a million years! Actually, the asshole got me expelled and I'm currently being forced into hanging out with him." I explained and just as she opened her mouth to ask another question, Alex Parker, smirk plastered along his face, was released from the holding cell and walked around the corner.

Max rushed over to him, whispering something passive aggressively to him, a stern face showing. He only grinned and engulfed Tara into a hug.

Max and Alex left, Alex more unwillingly to be left alone with his clearly pissed off girlfriend. Next to be let out was Kyle, who gave me a small smile and followed suit, hugging Tara and engaging in conversation. Seconds later, Jace appeared from around the corner.

"Did you-" He stopped, his eyes fixating on Tara. She held a fairly concrete expression, though it would take an idiot not to realize their were cracks in her facade. Jace hung his head low.

"I'm sorry Jace, you were refusing to call anyone and she was all I could think of." Kyle's expression was genuine and apologetic to his hurting friend. He nodded and without another word, the two followed a suddenly silent Tara out the door.

I waited another ten minutes for Grayson to be released before I got completely impatient and reproached the desk lady. "Excuse me, when will Grayson Ledger be out?" I asked as politely as I could at gone 4am.

"Oh, Mr. Ledger can't leave yet, he will soon be held for further questioning on another investigation. You're free to go see him in the holding cell." Confused, I nodded and walked toward the way the others came out. I found myself in a corridor to which I was shown to the cell Grayson was being held in.

"What is going on?!" I demanded the moment I saw him. It was weird speaking to him through bars.

"You tell me." He shrugged. "All we did was break into the little abandoned house about a mile away...and accidentally start a small fire." He grinned, clearly not having learnt his lesson.

"Bad influence." I shook my head.

The door opened and we were interrupted by an officer. "Mr. Ledger, we would like to ask you some questions regarding a break in at your mothers, Ms Ledger's house."

"I already told her I had nothing to do with it!" My heart raced, his right brow twitched and I hoped the officer wouldn't pick up his tell, though it was merely impossible since this officer had no no idea who Grayson was.

"Mr. Ledger, did you or did you not violate the restraining order your mother and step father requested?" The officer calmly asked.

"I did not." He smiled and it twitched ever so slightly again. The officer, who's name badge read Davis, raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

"Sir, we're going to have to take you into questioning." Officer Davis unlocked the cell and asked me to wait in the waiting room. However, Grayson managed to convince the officer I needed to be in the room too, though I was not sure what good that would do.

~~~

A half hour into the questions, I was about ready to crack, which was stupid because I wasn't the one being interrogated.

"I already told you, I was at home when my mothers house was broken into." He lied again, my face felt flushed. I hoped it wasn't, that could be a serious giveaway.

"Mr. Ledger, are you aware that lying to an officer is a serious offence?" There were a total of three cops present.

"Are you aware that I've been here enough times to absolutely know that?" He grinned proudly.

"Mr Ledger, your room in the household was completely trashed and your mother has reported that a photograph has gone missing since - a photograph of you and your little sister."

I hadn't even notice he took anything other than the hat. We didn't break in for the hat... did we...?

Grayson remained silent, his facial features set in stone. He looked bored.

"Let's shed some light on this Mr. Ledger, four months ago your mother moved in with the father of your sister. Here in the records it says you and your step father weren't getting along, correct?"

Grayson didn't say anything.

The officer continued. "Following the situation with your mother and father, you weren't on great terms with your mother either. It angered you when your step father wanted you out of the picture and your mother was happy in her new family. You were jealous." The officer read from the file. "You stayed with you mother multiple nights within the first month, but often it ended up you getting aggressive with your step father."

Grayson didn't look at me . "Stop it." He told the cop.

"One night it got too aggressive and both you and your step father had to take a trip to the hospital."

"Stop reading that." He raised his voice. "I know how it goes, She doesn't need to know!"

"When you found out your mother felt she had no choice but to agree that you shouldn't be in the picture, you resorted to child abduction."

Grayson stood up quick, sending the chair flying backward and causing the table to shake.

"Well, this seems to be correct. Due to the abduction of your little sister, a restraining order was put in place. I believe I'm correct when I say you broke into the house in hopes of reaching out to your sister." The officer closed the file.

"You have no proof though right?" I asked, the investigator averted his attention to me

"Not yet, but I will."

"We'll see about that, but for now, I believe you have no reason to keep my friend and we're free to go." The officer nodded hesitantly and Grayson was quick to leave the room, heading toward the exit.