Forest City 4 Chapter 15 -Shifting Blame-

    Content warning: police people

    "Please officer it was my mistake I swear!" Cas shouted from inside of the sheriff's office, "They are innocent, don't put anything on their records, please!"

    I sat in one of the musty old chairs at the police station, I had a feeling that this would happen, why, because I always follow along with these stupid plans of theirs. It's just this time they got caught.

    "There were others!" the security guard argued, "I found that one in the slide about an hour after that one took off running."

    The door opened and Cobalt and his dad entered, a plaster was stuck to his knee. He smiled awkwardly, but his dad forced his son into the sheriff's office.

    "I'm not surprised to see him in my office... again," the sheriff began, "I'm letting that one off on a warning, for these two, I expect a punishment."

    "As expected," Mr. Lupin said quite sternly, he didn't even try to hesitate or argue, he admitted that this was Cobalt's fault.

    "Mr. Lupin, Cobalt isn't responsible for this, it's all my fault, don't punish Cobalt, please!" Cas shouted desperately.

    "Fine, then you both are to blame and you both will receive an equal punishment," the sheriff said with content.

    "What would that be?" Cobalt asked coldly, "picking up litter, planting flowers in the city garden, volunteering at the Rec. center?"

    "Cleaning up all of YOUR graffiti on the city's walls, signs, and windows!" the sheriff shouted, "Now do you understand!"

    Cobalt got down to eye level with the sheriff and spat through gritted teeth and a low grumbling growl, "Understood."

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    Mr. Lupin hopped over the brick walls of the park and turned the flashlight on his phone, the park was dark and quiet compared to the rest of Forest City. The cold wind rustled through the trees almost playing a melodic, yet sad, song. Dark, midnight, blue clouds covered the silvery glow of the moon.

    Monty helped me get over the wall and we both followed Mr. Lupin and the soft glow of his flashlight. The small, dark silhouette of Cobalt eerily hunched over on the playground. I could hear him softly sobbing. Mr. Lupin made his way up to his son, it was quite hard to see what was going on, but I could tell that they were hugging and talking. Monty and I both began making our way up the playground.

    I sat down next to Cobalt and rested my head on his shoulder.

    "Mac... do you hate me for what happened," Cobalt asked quietly.

    "No... I would never hate you!" I answered, "it isn't your fault that it happened, Bonnie is the issue not you." My phone buzzed, it was mom.

Mom 5:47 Please come back to Hazel's, I'm sorry for yelling at Cobalt, I should have listened to everyone. I was wrong.

    "Cobalt, do you want to go back?" I asked.

    "Why should I? I' shouldn't be seen by anyone," Cobalt buried his head in his knees.

    "Okay, you don't have to, I won't make you," I replied, "If you want to go back and clear things up, I will respect that and if you don't want to, I won't hold that against you." I placed one hand on his, "Do whatever you want..."

    Cobalt looked deeply into my eyes and replied, "I think I need some time for myself."