I'm sorry that the previos chapter was unreadyble! I have no idea why this happens. Please accept the next chapter today as my apology :)

Alicia followed Antonio back to their table, Brett following her, curious for a story about her new partner.

"So, where do you know Voight from?" Antonio took a sip from his beer and offered her a bottle as well.

"You know Voight?" Jay looked at her, his eyebrows raised. He got up and pulled over a bar stool for her sit next to him, while Antonio and Sylvie took a seat across her.

Alicia decided for a quick version of the story. "Well, so back when I was… fourteen, I think? I was at another school for a year and the friend group I was in wasn't exactly a good influence. Like, they were nice to me and all, but they had so many shit ideas and a really fucked up sense of fun. So, one of the so-called friends was seventeen already and taught me how to drive cars, and I don't wanna bore you with details, but we got caught, me driving a car I wasn't allowed to drive, like at all, trying to buy cigarettes with her. And Voight and his partner took me home and talked some sense into me."

She remembered his eyes, him staring her down until she was so uncomfortable, she started yelling at him. Used as many swear words as she could think of. Which didn't impress him at all. Instead, he asked her if she thought that those were really her friends – which she thought at that time – and presented her a future if she kept doing stuff like that. She tried to keep her cool and keep a face of stone. To this day, she wasn't sure if he was buying it or if he had seen right through her and realized she was impressed and scared of the path she was going. She never took that offer of his, never contacted him. She stayed in that friend group until she had to move family and move on.

"So, he basically stopped your criminal career", Sylvie chuckled.

"Well yes. I mean, I can't say that I never smoked a cigarette after that, as he told me, but I didn't drive until I had my licence and got myself some better friends. I'm not even sure Voight remembered me, few days ago. It wasn't really a big deal, but for sure a day to remember when you're fourteen."

She took another sip of the beer, and started to feel the alcohol in her system, as this wasn't her first drink that night.

"But kinda funny how you got back and met him, like what is the chance?" Jay gave her a smile. He leaned a little towards her, both their arms touched for a brief moment.

Alicia felt a little rush of excitement, as it happened – which caught her completely off guard. She usually felt attraction for people once she knew them a little better, love at first sight and all that jazz wasn't something she believed in, because she never remotely felt it. But something about this Jay guy was different to the others. She couldn't tell what it was – so far, most people of the CFD and CPD appeared to be good looking. They almost looked like a movie cast.

"It's a small world." She shrugged and turned back to Sylvie. When ever she told people she only felt things for people she knew for a while, and that it took some time for her to fall in love or even just develop a crush on someone, she always added how she didn't mind. And it was true. Falling in love was scary. Feeling a strong sexual tension with someone was scary. Experiencing your body having a big variety of feelings near someone was fucking scary. Now more than ever, that she had no idea who this guy was and what exactly she was feeling. So, she decided not to act on it and not to reciprocate his subtle flirting. Not yet at least.

"I hope you don't mind me asking. But how many tattoos do you have?" Kim looked at her with a smile.

"Girl, I don't mind! I have nine so far, I have a big one on my back and one on each of my thighs. Never hesitate to ask, I love talking about them!"

"Good because I don't even know a single person who has more than one tiny tattoo."

Alicia talked her through the meaning of the visible tattoos on her arm, Jay and Sylvie listening silently, Adam and Kevin having their own conversation. She just gave them a simple explanation, as every tattoo had a very personal meaning for her. (Except her first one being a tiny flower on her wrist, that she just got to have it on her eighteenth birthday). She didn't realized how time passed, until Kim and Adam said goodbye and left, and Sylvie yawned and got up from her seat. "It's real late, I'll go too. Do you live far from here, Alicia?"

"No, thanks for asking, it's not far so I'll take an Uber. Good night, see you next shift!" She gave her a hug, as Sylvie carefully suggested so by raising her arms.

"See you! It was really nice getting to know you a little better, Alicia."

As Alicia turned back around and walked to the bar to pay for her drinks, she realized the bar was way emptier than before. The guys from Squad were still there, drinking and talking and laughing. She contemplated whether to join them or to go home as well when she heard a voice next to her. "Gabby, two shots for us, please."