"I guess you of all people would know why?"

☆

Chanelle looks up from her laptop as the buzz of the intercom disturbs her thoughts. "Yes?" She says, impatient with the interruption, as she presses the button, the concern in the back of her mind that Remi had followed her to work for some reason, seemed to surface, after she had specifically told her to lay low. The consequences of Remi's involvement had now surpassed innocence in the eyes of the law. Too much time had elapsed, and Remi had made her choice. To side with a Matheson in exchange for the safe return of her brother. But had she become righteous and brave all of a sudden in Chanelle's absence?

That thought is soon quashed when the voice on the other end of the line says, "A Detective Jojo Kim wants to see you." Chanelle's lips go taut at the mention of her name. The silence is noticeable as the male on the receiving end prompts a response. "Ms Matheson..."

"Send her in." She takes her finger off the button as she slams down her laptop. She sits back on the dark leather swivel chair, crossing her legs as her hands rest upon one knee. Her eyes trained on the door opposite her as at any moment, it would open....

In steps the obedient male, with the detective, following behind. "Detective Kim." He introduces, with Chanelle now faced with the female who felt like a pest she just couldn't rid, or maybe on some subconscious level, she didn't want to. They lock eyes. A moment of unawareness surrounding them, other than the two of them in that moment. Not one or the other uttering a word until the door is heard to close.

Chanelle places a hand on each of the armrests of her seat. The chair pushes back a little on its casters as she gets to standing. Her eyes not once break contact as she walks around her desk. Her heels on the marble floor, breaking the deadly silence as she makes her way towards the detective, still stood at the closed door. She only stops when she is in front of the other female. Her height towered over the detective as Jojo looked up. Only now does Chanelle greet her visitor. "Jojo, so good to see you. How have you been?" Chanelle's face breaks into a smile.

Jojo stays as she is, the smile showing little sincerity in her eyes. "Detective Kim, Ms Matheson." She replies.

"Ah, come on now, Jojo, don't be like that. We go back a long way. We have history." Chanelle raises a hand to pinch Jojo's cheek, but the hand is batted away.

"Don't touch me." Jojo says through gritted teeth. She takes a step back, determined not to fall for whatever Chanelle was trying to pull. It causes the lady to retract her fingers into a loose fist. She lets her hand fall by her side.

"You never used to mind my affectionate ways." Chanelle raises an eyebrow at the coldness of the other female. "Maybe it is true about the rumours that you are made of stone."

"I guess you of all people would know why?" Jojo replies with as much conviction as she could muster. She could feel everything that she vowed she would not do, backfiring. Chanelle was trying to take control. She was leading her down a path she didn't want to take. The one down memory lane.

Chanelle emits a chuckle. "Did I touch a nerve? You don't want to talk about us? Then why are you here?"

"There is no us. You made that clear, Channie." Jojo clenches both fists, cursing herself internally for the slip up of the name.

"Channie?.... It's been a long time since I heard that name. Especially from your lips. Now, who is the one being casual?" Chanelle chuckles as she steps away from the detective, heading for the dresser at the side of the room. She takes two glasses from the silver tray, gesturing one towards the detective. "For old time's sake?....no?" She raises an eyebrow as Jojo looks at the woman, clearly not interested in what Chanelle was offering. "Spoil sport." Chanelle pouts, pouring just one glass of brandy for herself. "Do excuse me, I skipped breakfast." She takes a sip from the fine cut glass as she turns to face Jojo as her body rests against the dresser. But Jojo still remains tight-lipped in that moment, determined to get her act together before another slip up left her mouth. "You have become so boring. You used to be such fun...."

"And you enjoyed playing, didn't you, but I don't want to play anymore." Jojo interrupts.

"So this isn't a social call? What a shame."

"No." Jojo replies, desperate to get her reason for being there back on track, but Chanelle, it seemed, hadn't finished. She places the glass on the dresser as she once again walks over to the visitor.

"Jojo, just relax, would you? I'm promise, I am still the same girl, deep down. Don't be fooled by what you may hear.

"And what have I heard?" The Detective wonders, her guard doing its best to protect her.

"That I'm heartless, that I am cruel. But I know you know me. The real me."

"That is the real you, Chanelle. You use people, and then you discard them." Jojo bites back,

"Not in here." Chanelle takes Jojo's hand by surprise and holds it to her own chest. Jojo's eyes widen, unprepared for the course this interaction was taking. She could feel the warmth beneath her palm. "I have a heart. I do care. "

Jojo's hand tries to break free as she attempts to pull back, but Chanelle had always been the stronger one in more ways than one. Her eyes gravitate towards Chanelle's. "Please don't." Those feelings which she had pushed aside, locked away within were bleeding out. Was this Chanelle's attempt of manipulation, or was she simply unlocking what Jojo had always felt for her past lover? That she still wasn't over her. "Why are you doing this?"

"Shhhh." Chanelle utters under her breath, and Jojo knows she should pull away. She should end this right now. But when Chanelle places a finger under Jojo's chin, tilting her head up towards hers, when she is getting closer and closer, Jojo feels paralysed. The detective is transported back in time, back to the day, when something changed between them...