It’s been abnormally slow for a Friday night, but Chris isn’t complaining. He’s only given out two speeding tickets, and he’s been on shift for 6 hours. 6 more hours to go.

His patrol car smells like coffee and weed. The guy he arrested last night smelled like a straight up skunk, and his car still reeks. Chris is surprised he didn’t get contact high from the 30 minute drive to the precinct.

His radio goes off, “officer Roberts, can you 25 to Colonial Boulevard. Just got a call for a noise complaint.”

Finally, something to do. He picks up his radio, “Officer Roberts, 76.”

The drive isn’t long, there’s barely any traffic this late at night. He can see the party going on before he even gets out of the car. Bright colorful lights shine through the windows. People are smoking in the front yard.

He hasn’t seen this big of a party since he was in college.

He gets out of the patrol car and unhooks his radio, “Officer Roberts, 23.”

He clips his radio back on his belt as he approaches the house. As he gets closer, the music blaring through the walls gets louder. There are several people out on the yard, one is passed out in the grass. “Jesus Christ..”

“Pigs! Run!” A boy calls out, and people start to run down the street. Chris resists the urge to pinch his nose. This’ll be easy.

It’s not like he’s here to arrest everyone, he’s just here to tell them to keep it down. He hooks his thumbs in his vest as he approaches the house. He’s about to climb up the porch steps when a young woman exits the house, probably to bolt with the other party goers.

Recognition flickers through Chris, “Hey!”

He hasn’t seen her in a few months, and he definitely wasn’t expecting to see her here. Her and Leyla are usually attached at the hip, but Leyla has been so busy with classes.

If she's here..

Chris grabs her arm before she can slip past him, “is Leyla here?” He prays she’s not here. He can’t imagine his little sister at a party, let alone one this big and loud.