"Unspoken Feelings"

The streets of Los Angeles were alive with the usual buzz of activity as the sun set behind the horizon. Tim Bradford, a dedicated officer at the 99th precinct, was walking out of the station, deep in thought. He had just walked past Lucy Chen, his close friend and colleague, who was laughing with Chris, a new guy she had started dating. Tim forced a smile on his face, trying to appear happy for her, but inside, he was seething with jealousy. As he walked to his car, he couldn't shake off the feeling that had been building up inside him for weeks. He had feelings for Lucy, but he had never mustered the courage to tell her. The thought of her dating someone else was like a punch to the gut. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and got into his car. Meanwhile, Angela Lopez, Tim's best friend and partner in crime, had been observing him from afar. She had noticed the change in his behavior and was teasing him about it. "Hey, Tim, what's going on? You've been acting weird all day," she said, as she walked up to him. Tim shrugged it off, trying to play it cool. "I'm fine, Angela. Just tired, that's all." Angela raised an eyebrow. "Tired? You're not even listening to me. Come on, Tim, I know you. You're not fine. You're upset about Lucy, aren't you?" Tim sighed, feeling caught. "Angela, I don't know what you're talking about." Angela chuckled. "Don't play dumb, Tim. I know you have feelings for Lucy. And now she's dating Chris. You need to get over her or tell her how you feel." Tim rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Angela, just drop it, okay?" But Angela was not one to drop things easily. She suggested that she, Nyla Harper, Celina Juarez, John Nolan, Bailey Nune, Wesley Evers, Lucy, Chris, and Tim go to a bar after shift. "It'll be fun," she said, with a mischievous grin. "We can all let loose and have a good time." Tim hesitated, but eventually agreed. As they all walked into the bar, the music was loud, and the atmosphere was lively. Tim stuck close to Lucy and Chris, trying to appear friendly and supportive. But it was hard to watch Lucy laugh and smile with someone else. As they were sipping their drinks, a stranger approached Lucy, thinking she and Tim were a couple. "You two make such a cute couple," the stranger said, with a smile. "I love your chemistry." Lucy looked at Tim, confused, and Tim quickly shook his head, trying to clear up the misunderstanding. "No, no, we're just friends," he said, with a forced laugh. The stranger nodded and walked away, leaving Lucy looking at Tim with a curious expression. Tim quickly turned away, feeling awkward. Later, as everyone was dancing, Chris walked up to Lucy and pulled her close. Tim's heart sank as Chris leaned in to kiss her. Tim's eyes widened in surprise and anger, and he felt like he had been punched in the gut. He lost his balance and fell backwards out of his chair, landing on the floor with a thud. The bar went silent, and all eyes were on Tim as he sat there, covered in alcohol. Angela and Celina smirked at each other, trying to stifle their giggles. Tim stood up, his face burning with embarrassment and anger. He approached Lucy, who was looking confused and worried. "What was that?" Tim asked, his voice low and even. Lucy looked up at him, her eyes searching. "Tim, are you okay? You just fell out of your chair." Tim took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "I'm fine," he said, his voice tight. "I just need to get some fresh air." But as he turned to walk away, Lucy called out to him. "Tim, wait." And that's when everything changed.