Are You Locked Up in a World That's Been Planned Out for You?
Chapter five
Jessica and I took the last two seats at the end of the big table our group had occupied, I sat down and dropped my book bag heavily with a thud, and the attention turned onto Jessica and myself.
“Finally graced us with your presence, eh?” Jason, one of the boys of the group joked, nudging my sides to show he was joking.
“We had more important issues to discuss than who’s getting drunk, who’s sleeping with who and the alike.” Jessica joked back, giving him the middle finger.
Jason was a joker, and was well known by our entire year level for being the class clown and was quite admired by the entire student body. Jessica on the other hand was known for being outgoing and lots of fun, but at the same time didn’t take crap from anybody. Because of Jason’s reputation of being class clown, Jessica knew he was genuinely joking. He, and perhaps I would be the only ones who’d get away with making a comment like that. If it were anyone else, they would have received a passive aggressive bitchy comment that would have escalated based on their response.
“Speaking of which, my parents have allowed me to use the apartment next week for a party. They’re having some gross romantic night, and are hiring a hotel room for the night. They’re not going to be home and have given permission for me to hold an awesome party. We’ve all been discussing it whilst you two went to the police station, are you both in?” Millie asked both Jessica and I.
Millie was your typical private school girl. Her parents owned a big penthouse in the best part of town. Her mother was one of those ‘cool moms’ a typical trophy wife who did everything she could to stay young and hip, and almost let Millie do whatever she wanted. Her father was a merchant banker who was never home. It was almost stereotypical.
Luckily our group recruited people based on how outgoing they were, how friendly, and what they contributed to the group. Jessica and I weren’t the richest kids at the school, but no one had ever bought that up and it didn’t matter. Jessica’s parents were a little better off than mine – her mother was an interior designer who made a moderate amount of money. Her father was obviously on a detective’s pay. Her mother insisted on sending her to our private school, as her mother is heavily catholic. Her dad didn’t have any qualms about it, so they sent her there.
My father on the other hand was a single dad, so he only had his detective’s pay coming in. Whilst it wasn’t as big as someone who worked in the private sector, we made enough to survive and at the same time did not miss out on too much. Dad was also catholic as his roots were from Ireland, but the main reason he sent me to a private school is because he said he wanted me to have the best life possible. It made sense to send me to the same school as Jessica as we had been best friends since we were kids.
“Of course we are.” I smiled, and Jessica agreed shortly after me.
***
“Bye guys. We’ll see you on Monday.” Millie said to Jessica and I, giving us a hug on the cheek, the last to say goodbye to us as she got into her mother’s car.
Everyone had now departed except for Jessica and I, who were now outside the McDonalds in the freezing air.
“I’ll call you over the weekend, maybe we should catch up at some point?” I asked Jessica, waving to Millie as her mum continued down the street.
“Aren’t you going to the precinct? You usually go there Friday nights to bring your dad food don’t you? Or do you use that as an excuse to not do something with me?” Jessica asked, narrowing her eyes at me, but poked her tongue out to show she was mostly joking.
“Hey, you’ve gone with me sometimes, and I always catch up with you before and after. But no, he’s with his partner Hawthorne today doing some questioning in Hoboken, the murder victim had only just moved to Manhattan.” I explained to Jessica.
“That’s pretty interesting, that’s where you were born.” Jessica weakly smiled.
“Yeah, I guess because dad knows the area well it gives him an advantage in the case. But in answer to your question, I’m not stopping by the precinct tonight. Why?” I asked Jessica.
“Mum has some presentation for work she’s holding in our house tonight, so I switched weekends with dad and I’m seeing him this weekend. Was going to suggest walking to the precinct together, but it’s probably easier for you to just walk home from here rather than walk to the precinct and get a ride from my dad.” Jessica stated, shrugging her shoulders.
“I’ll come. I actually only have a bit of homework this weekend, I had a few tests this week so I’m going through a quiet period for once, this will probably be the last one until the end of the year though, so I have to make the most of it.” I explained to Jessica, as we both started walking to the precinct together.
“Nerd. You better be coming to Millie’s party though, I’ll kick your ass and drag you there if I have to.” Jessica said to me, narrowing her eyes and I could tell she was only semi-joking.
“Oh shit I just realised…dad’s flying to Miami this weekend to see Uncle Raymond, Aunty Yelina and my cousin Ray junior. I’m not going because I need to study apparently and I’m going with him spring break. So I totally think we should have pre drinks at mine, and rock up to Millie’s party already trashed and fashionably later.” I grinned at Jessica.
“You’re going to Miami for spring break? I am so jealous right now, not going to lie. But in the short term, next Saturday afternoon we’ll drink a bottle of champagne because we’re classy bitches, maybe start on the vodka or a bottle of jack and then haul the rest to Millie’s party. You better hire some good video tapes!” Jessica stated to me.
“Only Jessica Briscoe would make the host have good video tapes. But you’re supplying the champagne, I only have half a bottle of Jack left, and that’s barely enough for just me let alone both of us.” I explained to her.
“Don’t you know anything about hosting? It’s up to the host to provide entertainment. But it is up to the guest to provide drinks. So I’ll be getting one of my connections to buy us a bottle of champagne and a bottle of vodka. It shall be grand.” Jessica smiled at me, as we began to walk up the steps of the precinct.
I began to blush for a small second. Jessica’s mother had re married since her and Lennie divorced, to a defence attorney (Yep, that’s how much she wanted to spite Lennie. Let me just say their divorce was less than amicable) who was raking in big bucks and had no children to spend it on. Jessica’s mother was an interior designer as stated before, and was on a more than adequate wage. Therefore although Jessica wasn’t filthy rich like most of the students at our school, her allowance was much higher than the one I received from my single father. I was grateful she’d be supplying most of the alcohol next weekend.
“Speaking about underage drinking transactions outside a police station where both our fathers are detectives. Love it.” I grinned to Jessica, who sent me a small grin back, knowing that it was now time to drop it as we stepped inside.
I stayed at the back whist Jessica asked the officer on duty of the counter to get her dad for her. Not too long later both Lennie and Mike stepped out, Mike was still buttoning up his long brown coat.
Only Mike seemed to notice my presence, as Lennie immediately went to hug his daughter. He sent me a small smile, to which I replied with a wave.
“Finally graced us with your presence, eh?” Jason, one of the boys of the group joked, nudging my sides to show he was joking.
“We had more important issues to discuss than who’s getting drunk, who’s sleeping with who and the alike.” Jessica joked back, giving him the middle finger.
Jason was a joker, and was well known by our entire year level for being the class clown and was quite admired by the entire student body. Jessica on the other hand was known for being outgoing and lots of fun, but at the same time didn’t take crap from anybody. Because of Jason’s reputation of being class clown, Jessica knew he was genuinely joking. He, and perhaps I would be the only ones who’d get away with making a comment like that. If it were anyone else, they would have received a passive aggressive bitchy comment that would have escalated based on their response.
“Speaking of which, my parents have allowed me to use the apartment next week for a party. They’re having some gross romantic night, and are hiring a hotel room for the night. They’re not going to be home and have given permission for me to hold an awesome party. We’ve all been discussing it whilst you two went to the police station, are you both in?” Millie asked both Jessica and I.
Millie was your typical private school girl. Her parents owned a big penthouse in the best part of town. Her mother was one of those ‘cool moms’ a typical trophy wife who did everything she could to stay young and hip, and almost let Millie do whatever she wanted. Her father was a merchant banker who was never home. It was almost stereotypical.
Luckily our group recruited people based on how outgoing they were, how friendly, and what they contributed to the group. Jessica and I weren’t the richest kids at the school, but no one had ever bought that up and it didn’t matter. Jessica’s parents were a little better off than mine – her mother was an interior designer who made a moderate amount of money. Her father was obviously on a detective’s pay. Her mother insisted on sending her to our private school, as her mother is heavily catholic. Her dad didn’t have any qualms about it, so they sent her there.
My father on the other hand was a single dad, so he only had his detective’s pay coming in. Whilst it wasn’t as big as someone who worked in the private sector, we made enough to survive and at the same time did not miss out on too much. Dad was also catholic as his roots were from Ireland, but the main reason he sent me to a private school is because he said he wanted me to have the best life possible. It made sense to send me to the same school as Jessica as we had been best friends since we were kids.
“Of course we are.” I smiled, and Jessica agreed shortly after me.
***
“Bye guys. We’ll see you on Monday.” Millie said to Jessica and I, giving us a hug on the cheek, the last to say goodbye to us as she got into her mother’s car.
Everyone had now departed except for Jessica and I, who were now outside the McDonalds in the freezing air.
“I’ll call you over the weekend, maybe we should catch up at some point?” I asked Jessica, waving to Millie as her mum continued down the street.
“Aren’t you going to the precinct? You usually go there Friday nights to bring your dad food don’t you? Or do you use that as an excuse to not do something with me?” Jessica asked, narrowing her eyes at me, but poked her tongue out to show she was mostly joking.
“Hey, you’ve gone with me sometimes, and I always catch up with you before and after. But no, he’s with his partner Hawthorne today doing some questioning in Hoboken, the murder victim had only just moved to Manhattan.” I explained to Jessica.
“That’s pretty interesting, that’s where you were born.” Jessica weakly smiled.
“Yeah, I guess because dad knows the area well it gives him an advantage in the case. But in answer to your question, I’m not stopping by the precinct tonight. Why?” I asked Jessica.
“Mum has some presentation for work she’s holding in our house tonight, so I switched weekends with dad and I’m seeing him this weekend. Was going to suggest walking to the precinct together, but it’s probably easier for you to just walk home from here rather than walk to the precinct and get a ride from my dad.” Jessica stated, shrugging her shoulders.
“I’ll come. I actually only have a bit of homework this weekend, I had a few tests this week so I’m going through a quiet period for once, this will probably be the last one until the end of the year though, so I have to make the most of it.” I explained to Jessica, as we both started walking to the precinct together.
“Nerd. You better be coming to Millie’s party though, I’ll kick your ass and drag you there if I have to.” Jessica said to me, narrowing her eyes and I could tell she was only semi-joking.
“Oh shit I just realised…dad’s flying to Miami this weekend to see Uncle Raymond, Aunty Yelina and my cousin Ray junior. I’m not going because I need to study apparently and I’m going with him spring break. So I totally think we should have pre drinks at mine, and rock up to Millie’s party already trashed and fashionably later.” I grinned at Jessica.
“You’re going to Miami for spring break? I am so jealous right now, not going to lie. But in the short term, next Saturday afternoon we’ll drink a bottle of champagne because we’re classy bitches, maybe start on the vodka or a bottle of jack and then haul the rest to Millie’s party. You better hire some good video tapes!” Jessica stated to me.
“Only Jessica Briscoe would make the host have good video tapes. But you’re supplying the champagne, I only have half a bottle of Jack left, and that’s barely enough for just me let alone both of us.” I explained to her.
“Don’t you know anything about hosting? It’s up to the host to provide entertainment. But it is up to the guest to provide drinks. So I’ll be getting one of my connections to buy us a bottle of champagne and a bottle of vodka. It shall be grand.” Jessica smiled at me, as we began to walk up the steps of the precinct.
I began to blush for a small second. Jessica’s mother had re married since her and Lennie divorced, to a defence attorney (Yep, that’s how much she wanted to spite Lennie. Let me just say their divorce was less than amicable) who was raking in big bucks and had no children to spend it on. Jessica’s mother was an interior designer as stated before, and was on a more than adequate wage. Therefore although Jessica wasn’t filthy rich like most of the students at our school, her allowance was much higher than the one I received from my single father. I was grateful she’d be supplying most of the alcohol next weekend.
“Speaking about underage drinking transactions outside a police station where both our fathers are detectives. Love it.” I grinned to Jessica, who sent me a small grin back, knowing that it was now time to drop it as we stepped inside.
I stayed at the back whist Jessica asked the officer on duty of the counter to get her dad for her. Not too long later both Lennie and Mike stepped out, Mike was still buttoning up his long brown coat.
Only Mike seemed to notice my presence, as Lennie immediately went to hug his daughter. He sent me a small smile, to which I replied with a wave.