βYou believe in ghosts, OβLeary?β Minogue asked, placing another hot chip in his mouth.
This was their decompress routine, chips and chatting. The two had grown close and become good mates after being partnered in the force for so long. Minogue looked up to OβLeary and valued her opinions.
OβLeary chewed and contemplated. βI dunno. Weβve seen vampires, demons, and alien vegetation, I reckon there are ghosts tooβ
Minogue cheered, βthat skeptic donβt know what sheβs missinβ he shook his head and smiled.
βMinogue, I reckon youβre quite keen on that skeptic?β OβLeary said, matter of fact.
βMe? Keen on her?β Minogue blushed and scoffed. "She was quite fit, eh?"
O'Leary nodded and they continued eating their chips in silence.
"You should ask her out" O'Leary encouraged. She pulled up the GPS history to see how far your house was. "It only a 10 minute drive" she added.
Minogue felt butterflies in his stomach. "I dunno O'Leary, won't I seem creepy?" He doubted.
"Only one way to find out" she pulled out and began driving back to your house.
β
Your flatmate had left for a weekend trip with her partner, so you were all alone this evening.
You curled up on your couch with a book and your nighttime glasses. You were lost in your fantasy book world when suddenly a knock on your door startled you.
"Just a second" you shouted.
You peeped through the tiny window next to your door to see Officer Minogue on your doorstep. βUnusualβ you thought.
You opened the door, βGidday Officer Minogue, everything going okay?β You ask politely, even thought you were confused by this evening house call.
βUh ye, ye just wanted to check up on your flatmate, she going alright?β He scratched the back of his head.
βSheβll be right.β I reassured, βsheβs gone for the weekendβ.
βIs that so?β Minogue tried to keep the conversation flowing. βAnd you, how are you going?β He smiled, swaying back and forth.
βI reckon I should ask you the same, officer.β You put your hand on your hip. βThose roaches gave you quite a frightβ you teased.
βYeahβ he chuckled, βIβve got a thing about creepy crawliesβ.
You smiled, you found his skiddishness cute and comforting.
βIβve also got a thing about youβ he tried to sound smooth. βThat came out wrong, what I mean is..,β he stammered.
You blushed. βShould we go for a handle sometime?β.
Minogue relaxed and smiled. βYeah, we shouldβ um hereβs my number. He handed you a piece of paper with the numbers 111 on it. You looked back puzzled. He grabbed the paper and crumbled it, βjust a bit of police humor, eh?β and then he gave you his real number.
βTake it easyβ he said walking back to the police car, officer OβLeary was watching the whole interaction go down, chuckling at the her straight male partner being scared of a woman.
Minogue sat down and once the car door closed, OβLeary started driving away.
βI think Iβve got a date, OβLeary.β
βGood on ya, mate!β She patted his arm.




















