Tick Tock

His office was chilly, the faint smell of coffee and his gardenia scented candle wafted gently in the air, the cheap wall clock above you ticking every other moment. A gift from my daughter, he once told you.

“We can stare at each other all day but you ain’t leaving until you tell me why I found you out so late.”

Charlie said, looking unimpressed as he sat back in his slightly creaky desk chair, his dark chocolate eyes watching as you sat on the other side of the desk fiddling with the sleeve of your thin hoodie.

It felt like a constant sing and dance with you. You’d break curfew, run away, shoplift, all for what? He was the only one in the small station who still had a sliver of patience for you as he was a father of a teen himself so his empathy won the best of him.

“Sugar I’m on your side. You know that don’t ya?” He said gently when you didn’t respond, always reminding you that he wasn’t mad, that he wanted to help you.