CHAPTER 1: It was love at first sight
A/N: I named this story after the title of my favorite song by Ariana Grande as her song fully speaks to the overall theme of this story and if you ever heard it you'll understand why once you've read through it. Rated M for language and smut.
It was a cold late autumn afternoon when a beautiful young woman by the name of AJ Mendez sat in the backseat of a yellow taxi cab while making her way across a long and lonely bridge as she headed for Riker's Island in New York City. She nervously clung to her packet of notes that sat neatly across her green skirt while she looked out of her window at times, tilting her glasses along the way. She had the right to be nervous because she was heading into a jungle-or so she was told.
But despite being informed of this, she also held an extreme amount of courage as she knew that she was in a sense doing her dream occupation which was being a forensic psychologist. She had earned her PhD at just the age of 27 in December 2014 which was about 2 years earlier. One could admit that she had earned such a prestigious degree at such a young age but she had always told people that's what you get from graduating early and ten years of bitter hard work. What she didn't know was that today was going to be the day that she was going to meet the man who was going to change her life forever.
"We're here ma'am" the cabbie told AJ. "How much is it?" she asked. "How much will it be?" "Your total is $97.13" said the cabbie. "I'm sorry about that." "Don't be sorry sir" said AJ. "It was that dreadful traffic we got stuck in back in midtown." She handed the cabbie a crisp $100 bill, thanking him as she left. "Good day ma'am" he said as he tipped off his hat just before driving away. She was greeted by a security guard as she turned around. "Hello Dr. Mendez. I'm Officer Reigns. I'll be showing you your way in" he said.
"Thank you officer but I think I know the routine by now. After all I did 4 years of my research here" said AJ. "Oh no" said Roman. "You haven't seen nothing like this one before…I'm afraid that this rat hole has gotten far much worse." AJ smiled. "I actually spent some time in a jail before." "Really?" asked Roman. "Yes for 2 weeks" said AJ. "It was a part of my research study…which took 4 years to complete-again I might add."
"Oh wow I had no idea that people do that" said Roman. "Yes they do" said AJ. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here, after all that dissertation isn't going to write itself." "Well I wouldn't be if I was you" said Roman. "It's still a damn disaster at this place." "If you say so" said AJ. The two were lead inside where she went through a tedious screening process before she was finally led into a dull, gray colored paint chipped and cold room.
"Here you are doctor" said Roman. "Officer Ambrose will bring him in for you while Officer Rollins stands guard." "Thank you" AJ said again as she laid out her case file before her at the table. She removed her black pea coat and took a seat down in what appeared to be a navy colored plastic chair.
A few moments later, a man wearing an orange jumpsuit was brought out in handcuffs and was lead to the seat before her. His dark brown hair was rugged and long and his beard was also slightly unkempt but AJ had seen much worse before so it didn't bother her at all. He looked very exhausted, as if he never slept a moment behind here. "So…Mr. Phillip Jack Brooks?" she said. "My name is Dr. April Mendez and today I'll be conducting your evaluation."
"Yeah ok but could you please call me Punk?" he said. "I'd much rather you call me so as I find it most suiting to me." This caused AJ to look up and into those green eyes of his. Sure they looked heavy and tired from all of the stress he had been in, but to her, she saw something…special behind them as he saw something special in her brown eyes. It was almost like an instant connection, no it was an instant connection.
"Right then" AJ said as she quickly cleared her throat. "Let's start from the beginning." "Beginning of what?" asked Punk. Her heart nearly skipped a beat as she continued to hear him talk. She looked back at him to take another look at him only to see that he had several tattoos over him and that he had a nicely toned body as his seemingly kept himself in shape and of course it didn't help that he had an attractive set of eyes. "No…I…I can't be thinking like this" she thought to herself. "I…I just can't."
"Doc?" Punk called out to her. She looked back at him and at the moment she did, the two of them instantly realized that they were heading for some serious trouble. His eyes began trailing down her face until he had found himself staring at the pale blue turtleneck she was wearing and how nicely it looked on her. "Whoa" he thought to himself. "She's really…really pretty." He tore his eyes off of her body and took notice of her hands and how well she kept her nails. "Rosemary?" he suggested. "What?" AJ asked. "Your nails. They're the color of rosemary" said Punk. AJ looked down at her hands in shock. "Um…yes…but how'd you-?"
"I have a little sister…well I used to…and I used to take care of her for a little bit so I know all about these things" said Punk. "Well some things." "Oh…" AJ said while surprised. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy at all." "By the way. I think they look really nice on you" said Punk. "Is he trying to…?" AJ thought before getting cut off. "So doc where were we?" Punk asked. "Right…" AJ repeated. "Start from the beginning of your life." "Like a life story?" he asked. "Sure Mr. Brooks" said AJ. "I'd like to hear you tell me, you know from your point of view?" "No please, call me Punk" he said. "I insist." "How about I call you Phil?" AJ suggested. "After all, I don't seem it appropriate to call a patient by their street name…do you?"
Punk remained quiet as AJ opened up her file of him. "So since you're feeling a bit shy about telling me your story and all, how about I repeat it back to you and if I'm wrong at any point you may stop me and correct me-you know tell me otherwise just as long as you're respectful." Punk nodded as AJ began.
"You were born on October 26th, 1978 in Chicago, Illinois and your trouble began in late 1987 at the age of 9…?" Punk nodded. "Well actually it started on the day I was born" he thought. "Poor thing" AJ thought. "He started his life a crime when he was a baby. Hell I was a baby-I was 8 months old and his rap sheet is as long as from here to Arizona." "Yeah and I also left home at 15" said Punk. "Do you mind telling me why?" AJ resumed. "The file's right there" said Punk as his cuffed hands pointed in her direction. AJ sighed as she continued. She decided to briefly skim through the file once more since she didn't feel like reading through 182 pages worth of notes.
"I'll just tell you about what I already know" she said. "And you can fill in the blanks along the way-if you wish to but I must remind you that in order to conduct a full evaluation for you and your lawyer Mr. Danielson, you must cooperate with me." "Really?" said Punk as he lifted his arms behind his head and slouched in his seat. "Yes really" said AJ. "So uh…why don't you tell me why, doc?" he said slyly. AJ placed her eyes back onto his and as she did, she found herself staring back into them. He smirked at this. "Hands down and on the table Brooks!" Dean called out sternly from the back.
"Alright, alright" Punk said as he followed instruction. "Why doctor…you seem to be a little lost in something. Penny for your thoughts?" AJ looked away to her side as she found herself fighting her blushing. She licked her lips as she felt them drying. "So um doc?" said Punk. "As you were saying?" "Saying…what?" asked AJ. "Well I don't know, you tell me" he said. "You were supposed to be telling me about why it is that you need my full cooperation."
"Oh yes" said AJ. "It's so that your um…your um evaluation can be placed in front of your parole board." "Parole board?" asked Punk. "Yes Phil" said AJ. "You must know that you are up for parole even though you haven't served the full 15 years for your armed robbery and narcotics possession." At that moment, Punk's tone of voice changed.
"COME ON BE FAIR! I WAS HIGH!" he yelled, causing the officers to walk over. "It's ok" AJ spoke softly as she held her hand up to signal that she was alright. "I didn't mean to strike a nerve." "Yeah well you sure did lady" Punk scoffed. "Now please go on, I ain't got all day." AJ shook her head as she continued. "Note to self: please refrain from any and all discussion in relations to his crime by immediately diving in. Let our conversations flow freely and not rush it…this…" she thought. "Wait" said Punk. "I'm…I'm sorry. That…that didn't come out right." AJ sighed as she rested her head into her hand.
"God I hope I didn't fuck up with her already" thought Punk. "She seems way too sweet of a girl for me to even be like that to." "Look Mr. Brooks now you know that the parole board will be meeting with you in 2 weeks by which in time I'll have not only a case file prepared for them, I'll have one prepared for your possibly newly assigned social worker, parole officer and for my records" AJ continued.
"Why?" asked Punk. "It's just the way the system works" said AJ. "Now…back to the crimes you've committed, particularly the very one that landed you here. The one that occurred back on February 25th, 2009" she paused while looking back up at him as she made sure to choose her words carefully. "You were caught attempting to steal $250,000 from a federal bank that is located in downtown Manhattan?" Punk nodded. "You were held upstate in a federal prison for the past 7 years as you pleaded guilty on all charges?" asked AJ. Punk nodded again as the two continued discussing his conviction.
"So the only reason why you're here is because I'm up for parole on October 21rst?" asked Punk. "Yes" said AJ. "That's in exactly 2 weeks." Punk nodded. "Think of it as an early birthday present from the State of New York" AJ continued as she quickly smiled. "Wow…she has such a pretty smile" he thought. Punk shifted back in his seat. "As I was saying" AJ said. "I've been told Detectives Lorde and Baker will be down to elaborate a little more on the details of your case."
"I'm really getting outta here doc?" asked Punk. "Yes Mr. Brooks it appears you could be" said AJ. "I thought that you were aware of your upcoming hearing?" Punk shook his head to confirm otherwise. "No offense ma'am but do you really think that these filthy good for nothing goons around here would even think to give me the time of day by telling me so?" he asked. "I'm sorry Mr. Brooks" said AJ. "But that is out of my control." Punk sighed as she continued. "Well I've spent numerous man hours reviewing your files over and over again and I'll be sure to fax your results over to your lawyer-Mr. Danielson?"
Punk nodded again. "Alright then" said AJ. "I guess there will be no further need of my probing of your past. Everything seems clear here." "So uh…tell me doc., just what exactly…are your results about me?" Punk asked suggestively while keeping eye contact. AJ half smiled as she chuckled. "Nice try" she thought. "I am sorry Mr. Brooks but I am afraid that is not how it works. I turn everything over to your attorney and they'll discuss my findings of you after they're done reviewing it themselves."
"Was…is she flirting with me?" Punk thought. "Nah…she can't be...can she?" "I can't believe that he's trying to hit on me" AJ thought. "I must be going crazy…maybe I'm being too nice and leading him on or something." She stood up as she began to shake away those confusing thoughts from her head. "I'm ready now guards" she said. "My assessment of Mr. Brooks is complete now." "Hey doc?" Punk called out.
"Yes Mr. Brooks?" said AJ. "You can call me Phil" he said while smiling, causing her to immediately smile back. "Sure Mr. Brooks. Just as long as you remember to call me Dr. Mendez and not simply doc" she said. "Wait!" Punk yelled to her. "Yes?" she asked. "I just wanted to say again…that I'm really, really sorry for raising my voice to you earlier" said Punk. "I didn't meant to I just got upset but you…you didn't deserve that from me." "Thank you Mr. Brooks I appreciate that" said AJ. "So does that um…mean that you accept my apology?" Punk asked. AJ chuckled as her whole face lit up from a smile. "Yes Mr. Brooks it does. I do accept your apology" she said. "Have a nice day." "Have a nice day too, April" Punk whispered.
He watched as she was led away by Roman and Dean, making sure to pay attention and take in every detail he could of her. The way her skirt clung to her body. The way her red Versace glasses looked on her. The way her turtleneck fit her. The way she had her hair tied up but most importantly…the way that her elegant voice and personality had matched up with her beautiful face. "Man…" he thought. "What is she doing to me?"
A/N: Review please if you think I should continue and for feedback :-)