Black Girl at Middletown

Doe sucked in air through her teeth as she made for the gate. One hand in the pocket and a skeptical look in her faceX

Seeing the police man stand , waiting for her seemed to strike a nerve within her chest. She sighed, noting the pale comparison between herself and him.

He was dressed neatly and she was shabbily dressed. In pajamas and flipflops.

Although she had Amber to blame for that, she could not be bothered in anyways. The policeman should have not come to her house if the sight of her being like this made him uncomfortable.

She wished it could all be over in no time. The aromatic air that Amber had conjured in the house was still on her mind. She chided herself mentally for not grabbing a waffle on the way out. Now, she had to endure this upcoming torturous talk with a policeman who couldn't seem to mind his business. For heck sake, the guard had called off the report he made, did he not?

"Compose yourself!" Doe muttered under her breath as she casually strolled to the officer.

She had secrets hidden in her house and one little slip, the officer would be asking to see more. To see more of her house. And that could mean more trouble for her. Amber was enough.

She sighed, she just had to act composed and then it would be over.

This was nothing. She could do it.

The officer did seem strange though, she reasoned.

His partner or whoever it was in the car had driven off the moment she got close. Was that the new procedure in the force now?

A policeman is dropped at the location while his driver goes away and maybe comes back later to pick them? She wondered.

However, just as the thought came into her head, she dismissed it. She was not a fan of the police. And would never be.

Not since all the complications in her life had existed.

So, she simply dismissed the thought, attributing it to the weirdness of the force now.

Forcing a lazy smile on her face, she bent her head a little low in greeting.

"Good day officer. How…" She dragged that word, observing his form. "…may I be of help to you?" She asked now.

"Ah! I am Officer Jonas. And uh…" The policeman said, flashing out his badge to her face.

Doe resisted the urge to roll her eyes now.

Yes, he had already said he was a policeman and she had been informed about his presence. Why the heck did he think he could flash a card in her face? Did she look ignorant of who he was?

However, with a deep sigh and her arms across her chest, she tried to play it cool.

"Oh. Funny I'm just seeing that you are a policeman for the first time since I was informed a police man was here." She said and then faked a smile.

Joans frowned slightly at this. He did not know how to respond to the early dose of sarcasm except to fake a smile to her.

He coughed lightly, his eyebrows wrinkled as he placed his hands behind his back. Trying to adapt all that formal look as the guard observed some distance away.

"I'm sorry if this is of any disturbance tk you. Believe you me, I would not be here if I had my way. But…" he chuckled weakly. "As officers of the law, it is our sworn duty to always be available to protect people under the state" he added.

"I am aware of that, Officer Jonas. What I don't get is that, you guys got called off, why? Why are you here?" Doe asked, frowning. "Feels fishy to me."

"Uh… yes, that is true. I understand that the case was called off shortly after the complaint was lodged." He looked at the guard now before returning to focus on the black lady before him with a faint smile.

"But you see, this is a rich neighborhood. And the department thinks you guys are on special attention span, you know." Jonas said to her. "So when the call was in and then dismissed, I was ordered by my superiors to check the authenticity of it. We don't want a case whereby the people are being coerced to confess to a prank call meanwhile they are actually in danger."

"It was not a prank call." Doe said, tilting her head. "It was an actual thing but it did turn out to be nothing eventually."

"So I was told. I need to know if you are the owner of this apartment." Jonas said, looking past her to the mansion of white colors.

"Uh… who wants to know?" Doe asked.

Jonas simply flashed his card once more, light beams reflecting over the shiny police badge. Doe shook her head and then smiled, faintly.

"You are looking at her."

"Then I need to know if you are making this statement under duress." He moved closer to her to whisper. "Are you being compelled to say that there is absolutely nothing going on here?" He asked again while shooting a glance at the stationary guard. "You can trust. The police will keep you safe."

"Uh…. Officer, this is my house and I assure you. Nothing is going wrong here. My friend just came to visit and the guard doesn't know her soo… you know, little identity case and all." Doe said to him, pulling backwards.

"Identity case, do you look alike?" Jonas asked.

"No, not at all. I mean, she has an amazing personality. Very energetic and she was sorta trouble to him." Doe gestured to the guard now. "But it's no matter. She is my friend and she is welcome to stay in my house. She won't be of any trouble." Doe mentioned.

"Usually, I would like to see who this friend is…"

"I don't think that matters, Officer." Doe cut in sharply.

"My point is…" Officer Jonas emphasized. "I know that I should know her but I get. I believe your words." He said and then turned around.

"But, you wouldn't know about a black girl who goes to Middletown street, with a board of chess, a paper bag of food to play with some guy named Isaac? Would you?" Jonas watched her over his shoulders, his eyes piercingly cold.

Black girl. Doe reasoned, narrowing her eyes. Why was he asking her that?

Middletown street.

Board of chess. Paper bag of food.

"Shit!" Doe cursed under her breath.

Her heart exploded instantly, her knees getting weak. Goosebumps scattered over her skin as she gasped softly.

Middletown street was where she played chess with Isaac.