Chapter 1: Suspended

Officer Chyler Lee walked into the Captain's office, arms stiff at her sides and jaw clenched so hard that she felt the tension in her temples. The Captain's sharp gaze moved with her every step as she walked into the room, anger radiating off him like a radioactive chemical. This wasn't going to be good.

"You can't keep pulling this lone wolf crap, Lee!" Captain Navarro barked, throwing a file down hard enough to make it slide halfway across the desk.

"I got the guy, didn't I?" Chyler snapped before she could stop herself.

"And at what cost? Your partner is in the hospital with a severed spinal cord. The doctors say that he might never walk again, all because you couldn't follow one goddamn order!"

"What!" Chyler exclaimed, realizing the consequences of her actions just then. Heat rushed to her head and face, forcing her to take the seat she had first ignored. "Beck is not going to..." her voice trailed of shakily. "What happened? He was—"

"What happened is that you got yourself suspended, Lee," he cut her off. "Two months, no pay. Turn in your badge and gun on your way out."

"No," she found herself saying as she stood up quickly. "You can't just suspend me, Captain. I can't go home. Put me to desk duty even, just let me do something— anything but suspension!" she begged. "Please sir, you know how good I am."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I know how good you are, Lee. How good you are at throwing orders to the wind, rushing into action when you absolutely shouldn't, endangering your partners to the point that no one is willing to work with you—" he stopped abruptly. "Badge and gun, now!" he ordered.

Chyler pressed her jaw tight and released a fiery breath, staring dead into the Captain's eyes. She produced her badge then released her gun from the holster, dropping both items on his desk with a clang.

"Go home and reflect on your actions, Lee. And maybe try to feel a little bit guilty for ruining a person's career because of your recklessness," he said as he put them away in a drawer behind him.

Chyler didn't even try to argue again. It was done. Whether she had been in the wrong or not, her reputation wasn't going to save her here and Beck was in no position to defend her. It was her word against her history of going rogue. She had learned long ago that justice came at a price and more often than not, she was the one paying it. She walked out of the office then out of the precinct to face her punishment.

★★★

The city sun had already dipped behind the tall buildings by the time Chyler dragged herself into the Mall's parking lot. She hated the place— shiny, bright, overcrowded with overpriced everything, but her sister Juneau had asked her for some organic pregnancy-safe hand lotion and several other items. She was mainly here for the lotion because it was the only place she could find it.

The moment she stepped inside, the scent of Cinammon rolls mixed with other foodstuffs from the kitchen on the ground floor slapped her in the face, making her feel nauseous. She was hungry but after the day she had, it was hard to think about food as anything but horrid. She kept her head down moving fast, dodging perfume spritzers and slow walkers. She wanted to be in and out of that hell-awful place.

She hurriedly grabbed everything she could remember then went over to the counter to pay out. She was too focused on her shopping to take notice of anyone around her but the cashier and honestly, she didn't care.

"Chy?" A voice came from behind her. She froze, holding a carton of skimmed milk. "Chyler Lee?"

That voice. Like a memory dipped in velvet and laced with sugar... She turned slowly and there she was. Capri Nolan. Blonde, tall, and painfully gorgeous in a designer dress that looked casual but definitely wasn't. Her heart froze for a moment staring at the woman. Her dashing smile straight out of the screens, her blue eyes that were a massive sky she could never glide through, her physique and perfect body that now appeared even more attractive than she remembered...

"Capri?" she caught herself, pushing the thoughts away.

Capri's eyes lit up, stunned with recognition. "It is you! Oh my God, I never would have guessed you would be the first person I ran into!"

Chyler offered a halfhearted nod, wishing she could melt into the floor. "Hey, what brings you here?"

Capri chuckled as if Chyler had just asked the wrong question. "The reunion? Sycamore High class of '010?"

"Oh, right. The reunion," Chyler's face fell. She had completely forgotten about that. Fifteen years had passed since they graduated highschool and there was no time she wished they were more like she did in that moment.

Capri remained cool, not bothered at all by her unenthusiastic character. She was still smiling and scaling her. Looking at the full cart filled with items in front of Capri, Chy wanted to disappear with her small basket with countable goods. She couldn't.

"What have you been up to? You look really great!" Capri went on.

Was she mocking her? She wouldn't be surprised. After all, this was the same cheerleader who walked around their school teasing, demeaning, mocking, and making fun of anyone she considered lesser than her.

"Oh nothing much" she chuckled deciding to answer truthfully. "I um..."

"Babe, what's taking so long?"

A male voice interrupted before she could finish. Chyler looked up just as the familiar sight of Caden Channing, all smug smile and Ivy league tan stopped next to Capri. He draped his arm loosely around Capri's waist like he was staking claim, then kissed her before he lifted his eyes to her.

Of course, it had to be him.

"Oh, smokes! Charissa Lee?" he laughed, scanning her full length.

Chyler's stomach tightened, the arrogance dripping off him making her feel sick. After all those years, he still got her name wrong.

"Chyler," she corrected him, her voice and gaze firm.

"Oh, right, right," he nodded, pretending like he cared. He wasn't changed at all. "You look... different. Tougher."

"I'm a cop," she said, her voice controlled. The word 'suspended' lingered on her subconscious but they didn't need to know that so she dismissed it easily.

Capri's lips parted slightly. She hadn't stopped staring from the moment they met, like she couldn't stop herself. Her smile lingered on. "God, it's been what— fifteen years?"

"Yeah, fifteen," Chyler nodded. Her gaze darted to the glint of a wedding ring on Capri's finger. A brow shot up involuntarily, pointing it out. "And a lot has changed since then I see?"

Capri caught her glance and lifted her hand almost sheepishly. "Yeah. I'm married to this one." She nudged Caden who was already checking his phone, his mind completely out of the interaction. "Seven years now," she added but Chyler couldn't tell if it was pride or something else in her voice.

"Highschool sweethearts and all that," Caden chirped in proudly. "You know, I actually think we are the only couple that survived beyond," he said, squinting his eyes. "It's like a fairytale."

Fairytale, of course. The quarterback and the all round cheerleader and prom queen. Chyler's chest burned but she didn't let it show. "Nice." She sucked in air through her teeth. "Anyway, guys, I have to go. Nice... seeing you."

Her voice was flat as she said that. Nothing was nice about this, it was so clear in her heart. Capri's smile faltered for a split second, just long enough for Chyler to notice.

"Are you going to the reunion?" Capri said quickly. She tilted her head slightly. "It would be nice to... catch up."

"Not sure," Chyler replied, already backing up. "I have a busy week. Might not be possible," she lied.

"They make you work on weekends too?" This time it was from Caden, his voice laced with mockery.

"Crime doesn't take a break on weekends, Caden. You know?" she shot back at him then turned to Capri.

There was something in her gaze— something unspoken that made Chyler pause. For a moment, she remained trapped in the silent exchange before she walked away, without saying another word.