How To Save A Life

Two

"I don't want to be here," Lacey grumbled angrily as she picked at the lint on her gray wool sweater. "Theres nothing wrong with me, I'm perfectly fine." She flashed Daniel an award winning smile as if to prove her point, but he simply rolled his eyes dismissing her antics.

"Twenty-four hours ago you were ready to jump off a fifty story building and end your life, that, my darling Lacey, is not perfectly fine."

Lacey's smile quickly dropped into a dangerous scowl as she turned away from the golden eyed boy seated across from her. Her eyes danced around the room, landing on the other patients waiting for their names to be called, so they could be mentally tortured for an hour then be told: 'Same time next week, and smile!' They looked nothing like she did, with their eyes sunken into their sockets and dark auras hanging around them. Lacey often seemed like an average teenager, which often worked to her advantage and mostly, to her disadvantage.

"Honestly, Daniel I'm in tip top shape compared to everyone else here." She leaned closer, making sure none of the people around her could what she was whispering, "I mean just look at Dakota Wimbleton, she looks absolutely horrid. That sweater doesn't match those shoes at all!"

Daniel snickered, glancing over at Dakota who sat curled up in a metal chair at the far right of the room. Lacey was right, the sweater didn't match her shoes at all, but he doubted Dakota would even care about her mismatched outfit. Dakota could barely function properly, let alone pick out an outfit that Lacey would approve of.

"You know, you're pretty mean for a suicidal girl," Daniel said, flipping through a random magazine that had been sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

"Don't call me that," Lacey snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just because I tried to commit suicide once doesn't make me suicidal. Plus being mean keeps your walls up, I can't let anyone in because all they do is tear you down."

"Once?" Daniel asked, an amused look on his face. "I've had to destroy six suicide notes in the past two months so your parents don't ship you off to London." He sat back in his seat, taking his eyes off of Lacey, "The fire department is getting tired of sending out rescue teams."

"Then stop calling them!" Lacey jumped from her seat, sending it crashing towards the floor. "You wouldn't have to do all this if you would just let me do what I want!"

Daniel stood towering over Laceys petite figure. "And where would that leave me? Huh Lacey? Or are you so selfish that all you can think about is your problems and your pains? There's people out there that have it tens times worse than you do, but all you can think about is yourself!"

A loud smack resounded through the room as Lacey's hand came in contact with Daniel's face for the second time in twenty-four hours. "How dare you act like my problems don't matter just because someone has it worse than I do. You're despicable!"

"That's not what I meant," Daniel hissed, his large hand latching on to Lacey's arm. "It's just that sometimes Lacey you make a mountain out a molehill, ok? You can't keep doing that, that's what destroying you."

"You can't destroy what's already broken, Daniel. And I am already broken, this is no hope and there is no way out."

"Lacey," he pleaded, throat closing as he felt tears press up, "Someone can fix you, I can fix you. Just let me try, please!"

"I am not a glass bowl that can be simply glued back together." She wrenched her hand from his grasp, tears pooling in her obsidian eyes, "I am unfixable."

"Ms. Williams? Dr. Kinchor is ready for you."

Neither Lacey nor Daniel moved from their spot in the middle of the waiting room. It looked as if a mini tornado had ripped through the room, leaving only a mess behind. Dakota was curled into an even tighter ball, tears of fear streaming down her face, her pale fragile hands clutched the sides of her head as she rocked back and forth miserably. Daniel couldn't help but want to do the same, maybe if he had some mental disorder he wouldn't be responsible for saving someone's life, maybe.

"Ms. Williams? Dr. Kinchor is waiting."

Lacey backed away slowly, almost tripping over the overturned chair. "I'll be back, Daniel. Same time as always."

"Five o'clock," he muttered breathlessly.

"Five o'clock," she repeated and then she was gone.

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Sorry this is so short! I kind of want this to be a short story but so far I'm just going with the flow. Thanks for reading! -T