Free Extradited by Andrew Symeou

would rain at any moment. I wasn’t nervous; I didn’t have the usual sickening feeling in my stomach and my mind wasn’t overwhelmed with negative thoughts. I lied to myself and decided that I didn’t give a fuck any more. Whatever happens happens , I thought. A blast of nerves ran through my body when I saw Sim’s cab outside. He’d come to take us to Belgravia Police Station where I’d be transferred to Heathrow Airport under arrest. I was told that all I could take was a medium-sized bag, so I had packed a blue Nike sports bag to join me throughout my journey. I made sure to pack a notebook and pen so that I could keep a journal, and I took the first book that I picked from the bookshelf in our study, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
    When I walked onto the driveway, I didn’t look back. Before I got into the cab, I walked up the road and sat in Riya’s car with her for a while. I held her in my arms and couldn’t find the right moment to let go. At what point do you say goodbye? We’d been through so much, and we didn’t know how long it would be before we could be together again. It was a hug that I wishedwould never end, and I only allowed myself to shed a tear without her seeing. I had to stay strong for her, as she’d been for me.
    ‘I have something for you,’ she stuttered. She wiped a tear from her cheek and handed me a brown envelope. ‘I want you to open it when you get to Greece.’
    ‘Thank you, I will. You know, I’ll probably only be there for two weeks and I’ll make bail back to the UK!’ I told her and half smiled.
    ‘Andrew, it’s time to go,’ I heard my dad calling.
    I could see her eyes watering up before they trickled with tears. She couldn’t find the words to respond – we both knew, in spite of my joking, that I would probably be away for a long time. Up until that point in my life, kissing her goodbye was one of the most difficult things that I’d ever had to do.
    When we drove off, I watched Riya driving behind us through the rear window. The emotion only really hit me when we finally went our separate ways – we turned right and she continued straight. Just like that, she was gone. I had no clue when I would see her face again. The image of her driving behind us stayed with me for a very long time.
    The cab journey to Belgravia Police Station was spent in silence. I couldn’t even look at anyone directly in the eyes and I doubt my family could either. When we arrived, I remember walking up and down in the corridor, waiting to be taken to the airport and dumped on a plane. An officer from Scotland Yard’s extradition unit walked in. I recognised him; it was Jamie, who’d arrested me over a year earlier.
    ‘Andrew, I’m afraid it’s time to go. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen in Greece, but I won’t be handcuffing you,’ he said. I nodded, finding it almost impossible to let any words pass my lips. I hugged my family and our eyes welled up.
    ‘Andrew, we’re on our way to the airport now. We’ll find you in Greece,’ my dad stammered. ‘Just remember, you’re innocent.Always be on your best behaviour. Being rude won’t get you anywhere – just play the game. They can take away your rights and treat you badly, but they can’t take away what’s in here,’ he cried while pointing at my head.
    My mum grabbed me by the cheek. ‘Listen to me, whatever they do to you, never sign anything. If they beat you, don’t sign anything! You take the beatings, OK? If they threaten you or threaten to hurt your parents, don’t sign anything! Do you understand me? We can look after ourselves.’
    ‘I love you, everything’s going to be fine. Don’t be scared,’ Sophie said. Almost in an instant, they were gone. I didn’t look back when the police car doors closed. I couldn’t look through the window and watch my family fade into the distance. After everything we had fought for together, we’d parted ways. I don’t give a fuck, I remember kidding