- KATRINA -

I sat with my head pressed against the cold metal of the interrogation table, waiting impatiently for the officer to arrive. I was still completely stunned that those assholes had turned me in. The little fuckers had been so sneaky, acting like they actually gave a shit.

Never trust the British.

I heard the door open, but refused to lift my head. Whoever it was set a stack of papers on the table and sat down. A second later I felt someone grabbed my shoulder roughly and push me back against the chair. I glared up at the figure to see Sheriff Marx standing over me with a smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes and turned to face the woman across from me. She was young, maybe a few years over 30. She wore a fancy suit and had her brown hair pulled back in a tight bun.

"Miss Barton," the woman said curtly, after shooting Sherif Marx a glare for manhandling me. "My name is Miss Meyer. I am here to let you know the DA is willing to make a deal with you. We’re willing to drop you down to a year’s worth of probation provided you cooperate with us.

I snorted. These people were demented.

"Watch your manners," Sheriff Marx said, smacking me upside the head.

I turned to the woman. "Why would I take your deal when I can sue you assholes for police brutality?"

"Marx, give us a moment," Miss Meyer snapped. The sheriff opened his mouth to protest but gave up under the glare he received. As he left, I shot him my own glare. Miss Meyer let out a sigh and tried again. "Look, Katrina. We can both help each other out here-"

"How? I don't have a pimp. I'm not a fucking prostitute. I don't sleep with men for money, I sleep with them so I can have a roof over my head."

There was an awkward silence while I sat fuming. I was tired of people making inferences about whom I was. I was so sick of all of the judgments. They had no idea what I had gone through. Anyone else living my life would have ended it a long time ago.

"You don't get paid because you're the payment, aren't you?" Replied Miss Meyer. The look of pity on her face was enough to make me sick. "Johnny sends you to sleep with the men to sweet talk them into partnering with him doesn’t he."

“Well you’ve got it all figured out don’t you?” I replied sarcastically. “What do you need my help for?”

"To prove it.”

“I think these supposed clients might notice I’m wearing a wire while fucking them,” I replied harshly.

“Supposed clients? You’re defending Johnny?”

“I never said I was defending him.”

“Then help us put him away.

"I already told you I can't help you-"

"Katrina. I've read your file. You have been to hell and back and I know you have no reason to trust the police or the legal system. But I'm asking you to trust me. I can protect you."

I stared at her a moment. Was she really that naive?

"You can protect me?" I laughed, before leaning forward. "Protect me…I’ve seen how you protect people. You throw them into the system without a second glance.”

“We will not do that to you Katrina,” Miss Meyer insisted, gripping her perfectly polished nails tightly. I rolled my eyes and her patient demeanor cracked. “I will have to put you away for this if you can’t find it in yourself to do the right thing and trust us.”

"You say you read my file right? That file doesn't include half my life or a quarter of what I've been through. So no. I'm sorry but I won't and can't risk trusting you."

-

I blinked against the bright sunlight, attempting to adjust my eyes after spending a whole night and half the day in a prison cell. Apparently someone had posted my bail early this morning. The officers refused to tell me when I asked and I half expected to see Johnny himself as I stepped out to freedom.

But the sight in front of me was enough to stop me dead in my tracks. Standing in front of me was the long haired brunette asshole who had turned me in.

"W-what are you doing here?" I stuttered as the officer handed me my backpack and pushed me through the gate.

"We sprung you!" he cheered. What was his name? Harvey? No…Harry! I immediately frowned confusion at his presence.

Why had they paid my bail? Wasn't it them who had put me here in the first place?

"Why?" I asked, sounding much ruder than I had intended. He began slowly walking to the parking lot and I kept pace with him, not knowing where else to go.

Harry shrugged, "we didn't want you to get arrested in the first place. We were just worried you were...we didn't know Paul was going to call the cops."

"So you paid my bail because you felt guilty?" I quizzed.

"I guess so," he muttered. This had obviously not been the reaction he was hoping for.

"Well thanks...I guess."

He broke into a smile and opened the door to an old mint conditioned car and I stared at him. Harry gave me a smile in response. "Come on we'll drop you off."

I hesitated for half a second before climbing in the mint conditioned car.

"You remember Louis and Zayn right?" Harry asked before he jogged around to the other side.

"Hey Kat!" Cried Louis from the back seat. I turned to see he and Zayn leaning back, both looking unfazed by the oddity of today's events. "How was your time behind bars?"

"Prison changed me Lou," I replied as Harry climbed in the front seat. All three of the boys burst out laughing at my unoriginal joke.

"Were to madam?" Harry asked, emphasizing his already posh British accent. I snorted and began giving him directions to the city.

As Harry drove I couldn't help but stare at him. He wasn't a bad looking guy. He had long brown hair he continuously pushed back out of his face with ring-decorated fingers. Tattoos littered his left arm and I could see more through the half open shirt he wore.

How the hell could he afford all that ink? Because he's rich I told myself. I briefly wondered how on earth someone my own age could be so disgustingly wealthy.

"So what's that Sheriff got against you?" Louis asked, finally breaking the silence. I noticed Harry visibly tense next to me at the mention of him.

"Sheriff Marx?" I laughed. "He's got it out for all the runners. According to him a few good knocks on the head is the remedy to any child who doesn't do as they're told."

Zayn let out a long whistle and I imagined he shook his head in disbelief.

"Katie are you going to be alright?" Louis suddenly asked. "Do you need any money for food or a room or anything?"

I froze. Was he for real? "I already owe you a fortune for bailing my ass out of jail you don't have to-"

I turned to see Louis holding out a fifty-dollar bill. I stared at it as silence filled the car.
"I can't-"

"Please take it," he practically begged. "If not for your own good then for the sake of my well being."

I didn't want to take it. I hated taking money I didn't earn. It felt like cheating. But I reached out and took the $50, knowing full well they would never let me leave this car if I didn't.

"Oh here it is!" I cried, disgracing the boys. Harry pulled to a stop in front of a rundown looking building. I saw him shoot me a worried look as I grabbed my bag and opened the door.

"You sure you'll be alright?" Harry asked.

I leaned against the car, sticking my head through the open window. "Yes. Thanks guys. It's been...interesting."

"Where do you go if there's no more rooms left?" Zayn asked, pointing past my shoulder. I turned to see the "rooms available" sign switch from 1 to 0.

"There's another place a few blocks from here," I shrugged. The boys looked at me skeptically.

"Do you need a lift?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Will you at least take my number down in case?" Harry asked? He grabbed an old receipt and quickly jotted his number down. He paused for a moment before holding out the paper. Louis shot him a look that was too fast to read. "Promise you'll call if you need anything?"

"I'll be fine Harry."

"Be safe Katrina," Harry said as I stepped back from the car. I took hold of the straps of my backpack and began walking down the street.

There was not other place a few blocks from here. I had lied to the boys when I told them that. But that was the only way to get them out of here.

Whoever those boys were, they had been accidentally pulled into my world when they found me. They didn't belong here. They didn't deserve it. And I refused to pull them down with me.

Notes

Life from Katrina's point of view...what do you guys think?