Do you have any ID? Jaden shook his head, his hands trembling. No, sir, he said. I'm only 15. I don't have an ID. The situation spiraled as Jaden realized his words were falling on deaf ears.
Anger and helplessness bubbled up inside him as he felt trapped by the false accusations. Miller's expression hardened. "Then you'll have to come with me to the station until we can figure this out," he said, stepping closer. Jaden's eyes widened in panic. He backed away, his breaths coming faster.
"I haven't done anything wrong," he said, his voice cracking. "I'm not going anywhere." Miller reached out, grabbing Jaden's arm. Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Miller said instinctively. Jaden yanked his arm away.
"Let me go," he shouted, tears streaming down his face. Karen gasped, her face twisted with indignation. "See," she said. "He's being aggressive. I told you he was trouble."
The commotion quickly drew the attention of passers by. A small crowd began to form, murmurss growing louder as people pulled out their phones to make video. Jaden felt the weight of their stairs, their judgment pressing down on him like a heavy load. He cried harder, his mind racing with fears of the worst possible outcome. Headlines labeling him a criminal, his mother's disappointment, and the lasting humiliation.
As Miller struggled to restrain Jaden and Karen looked on smuggly, the tension in the air became unbearable. Just when it seemed everything had spiraled out of control, a commanding voice rang out. Let him go. The crowd fell silent instantly, heads turning toward the source of the voice. There stood Harriet Brooks, the mayor of the city, striding into the scene with an air of authority.
The late afternoon sun cast its warm glow over city hall's sleek facade. Inside her office, Harriet Brooks leaned back in her plush chair, her mind still buzzing from a day packed with meetings, phone calls, and endless paperwork. She glanced at the clock on her desk and smiled faintly. It had been a long day, but she had promised her son Jaden that they'd have dinner together. He was waiting for her in the parking lot, and she hated the thought of keeping him waiting any longer.
With a sense of purpose, Harriet pushed her chair back and stood, smoothing out her tailored blazer. She draped her custom-made coat over her shoulders, slipped on her favorite pair of heels, and grabbed her leather briefcase. Stepping out of her office, she pressed the button for the elevator and watched the doors glide open. As the elevator descended, Harriet thought about Jaden and how patient he always was with her busy schedule. She made a silent promise to let him order as many of his favorite dishes as he wanted tonight.
It was a small way to make up for the long hours she'd spent away from him lately. When the elevator chimed and the doors slid open, Harriet stepped into the lobby, her heels clicking against the marble floor, she pushed open the glass doors and was greeted by the cool evening breeze. But just as she was about to walk toward her car, something caught her attention. A small crowd had gathered near the far end of the parking lot. At first, Harriet thought it might be a minor commotion, an argument over a parking spot, or something equally mundane.