For the last five days Amber Liu has broken the law more than a few times that her family would now deem her as a completely different person. In fact, maybe she is. Never in her life did she pass a late paper, broke her curfew, go anything against her parents’ will, least to stole an old man’s car, drunk-drive then crushed it in a peaceful tree.

She is the ‘yes girl’ in her family. She has to. After learning that she was a lesbian, her parents and her older sister, Jackie, hasn’t talk nor look at her the same way ever again. She contemplated about this for a good whole two weeks. The only plan she has come up with was do everything they say, never give them any stress and maybe, just maybe they’ll come around. They did though. Come around. So, what is she doing now risking all the trust and approval she’s built through all these years and sitting in the hard stool of the police station at three a.m. in the morning?

The police station is a one big blue market. Noisy. Everyone is either crying or shouting. Every second their metal thingy walkie-talkie would release a static sound. And every so often criminals are brought in. Like her.

Amber jumped in her seat when a big man was pounded on the desk just next to her. The policeman has a knobby look on its face the whole time it was ‘inquiring’ the big man. The police officer later run out of patience and dragged him on one of the closed doors for interrogation. Amber gulped a big one, nervous if that is the same faith waiting for her.

“Amber Josephine Liu, 17 years old, a third year honor student in SM Art Institute of Technology.” Officer Kim, full name, Kim Taeyeon, came towards her way, reading from a report in her hand. Except for the uniform and the firearm hanging on her waist, there’s nothing else to relate her as an implementer of the law. The woman is in her mid-twenties, petite, has white pearly skin, and Amber is at least a foot lot taller than her. Officer Kim looked down to the accused in front of her and sighed.

“Theft. Driving under the influence, and…” The lady officer flipped the paper. “Destruction of property. Wow.” She laid the report down and sits on top of her desk. “Can you please explain that?”

“It means… I was drunk. Stole a car. Then crashed on a tree. No biggie.” Amber answered lazily.

“Yeah. No. biggie. Except for that unfortunate tree. But…” Officer Kim went to the chair on the other side of the desk. “…that’s not what I asked. Why did an honor student from one of the finest high schools in South Korea would do such a thing?” She continued, clasping her hands.

“I-I was drunk.” Amber lowered her head, playing with her hands tied together with a handcuff.

“Look, kid. I can’t help you unless you talk to me. What really happened?” Officer Kim asked in a calming voice. Amber shifted on the chair nervously. “Are you going to tell me your story now?”

Amber squinted her eyes, hard, not wearing her reading glasses makes it harder to read the officer’s nameplate on the desk.

“Officer Kim.”

“Please, call me Taeyeon.” The policewoman interrupted her.