"There is a magnificent, beautiful, wonderful painting in front of you! It is intricate, detailed, a painstaking labor of devotion and love! The colors are like no other, they swim and leap, they trickle and embellish! And yet you choose to fixate your eyes on the small fly which has landed on it! Why do you do such a thing?"
- C. JoyBell C.
Remember that game everyone played back in elementary school? What was it, step on a crack, break your mothers back? Well apparently the nearest police station was almost 40 minutes away, and Molly doesn't miss it's time frame. Now this cop was having the hardest time getting me inside of the station, all because I kept refusing to step on the cracks in the sidewalk.
"No! No! Watch the fuck out!" I jumped over the slab of concrete and onto the safe zone, laughing my ass off.
The male cop whose name was Jeremy based on the badge from his uniform, kept dragging me by the hand cuffs until we were inside of the station. The station was empty besides a few other cops watching tv, according to the clock on the wall it was almost midnight.
Jermey pulled me into a room and told me to sit in the metal chair, "Boo! Jeremy! Don't leave me here alone!"
He just rolled his eyes and closed the door to the room, making sure to lock it. I groaned for like a second, but then started laughing again. There was one of those mirror/windows in the room which let me see my reflection. I stood from the chair and walked to it, taking my fist and knocking on it repeatedly. "Helloooo from the other side! Can anyone see me?"
When I didn't stop knocking, Jeremy returned with another cop by his side. He had a camera and a few pieces of paper, "Look, you're obviously high on something. What did you take?"
I shrugged and started making funny faces, "I don't really know, but it rhymes with Polly! Oh my gosh, is Polly your wife's name?"
He slammed his hands on the metal table, and his partner decided to speak up sensing that he was growing annoyed. "I'm officer Griggs, I need to know your name. What's your name?"
"Griggs? That sounds like a name off of one of those cop shows! How awesome!"
Jeremy stood up again, this time coming really close to my face. He was much taller than I was and extremely muscular, "I've got you pinned for possible possession, trying to flee the scene, and once we get your blood test, we'll have more than enough ammo to put you behind bars for a long time. If I were you, I'd reach into your fuzzy ass brain and give us your name so that we can call someone to help you."
My laughing stopped, but not because I was afraid, because I had to puke. I gripped my stomach and covered my mouth, Officer Griggs scattered from the room quickly and returned with a trash can. The bile almost didn't make it into the can. Both of them watched as I heaved the turkey sandwich from the dance and then beer from the condo. My butt sat in the metal chair and I wiped my mouth with the napkin Jeremy handed me.
Suddenly my head was aching extremely badly, I just wanted to sleep. "My name's Tanner Dawson. But I don't have family down here." I leaned my arm on the cold metal table and my forehead as well.
The two cops glanced at each other, then Jeremey spoke, "Alright, Griggs is gonna get you through booking before you pass out."
They whispered a few things and then Jeremy left Griggs to start taking my prints and getting my lousy statement. The whole booking process took a little over half an hour. Griggs took my picture, confiscated my cell phone which had been shoved in my bra, asked me stupid questions about who owned the place and if I knew anyone else from that party. Of course I wasn't going to snitch on anyone. Ultimately by the end of it, I was craving to fall asleep wherever I was, which currently was in a metal chair laying against the table.
"Okay, I'm gonna go give all of this to Jeremy and we'll be back in a few." He stood from his seat and headed towards the door, "Try not to fall asleep."
I groaned, the Molly was wearing off leaving me to slowly realize what happened and where I was. "Can you at least take these off?" I lifted my hands in reference to the handcuffs that had been squeezing my wrists.
He denied my request and shut the door. I sat back against the chair, my upper back was still exposed considering the dress I had on. My head fell back causing my eyes to stare up at the bright ceiling light, eventually I was no longer looking at the light but at all the events from today. I remembered being in class earlier, telling myself that not going to the dance was the best idea. I remember that moment in the locker room when Alexandra kissed me and it made me want to show up to the dance and try to be happy even if it was just for a moment. Then I remembered that day, four years ago. It was the reason why everything went to shit when I tried to be happy. Because of what I did four years ago, because of all that pain I caused... I could never be happy. In fact, every time I was stupid enough to think I could be happy, it blew up in my face and made me worse off then I was to begin with.
Now was a prime example. All because I wanted to forget about being sad and depressed, I'd probably have to endure a trial and/or have a criminal record for the rest of my miserable life.
It's what I deserved though. I was a terrible person and even though no one understood me when I said that, it was the truth. These cops were probably looking up my entire life, finding out things that'll make them disgusted. Eventually they'll figure out that I live with my grandparents. They'll call them in Atlanta, waking them up from their beautiful old people sleep, and tell them that their stupid granddaughter is in custody. I'll have to spend hours waiting for them to get here, listening to my own thoughts as they taunt me. In the end I'll most likely be sent to jail for taking drugs illegally.
Every second seemed more like an hour. I was trying my hardest to stay awake, but it was becoming harder and harder. I wanted someone to blame. I kept trying to place this on anyone but myself, but obviously this was all on me. I couldn't believe that I thought I was changing, two weeks ago I was different. I thought I was at my worst when I was in Atlanta, but something about Woodlands was changing me. Sometimes I felt like it was changing me for the better, but then I'd turn around and lose all control. I guess it was making me question everything about my past. All the guidance sessions where I thought we were doing nothing and making no progress, I must've been wrong.
Maybe an hour or so later, something changed in the police station. There was a sound that signaled a door had opened, then I heard it. I heard that familiar voice, the one I had tried so hard to forget about today. Emory Allen was here, she was here for me in the Salt Lake City police station.
Suddenly my heart was beating faster than it was while high on Molly. I sat up and clenched at the cuffs. Why in the fuck would they call her? Better yet, why would she even show up?
It had to be at least 1 in the morning, and there's no telling how far she had to drive. Was it absurd for me to want to stay in the police station if it meant not having to see Emory Allen? I could hear a faint discussion that sounded heated, Emory was yelling at one of them. Jeremy, maybe. Then she got quiet and I heard the two officers talking back and forth.
Moments later both officers appeared in the doorway. Jeremy looked me in the eyes with daggers as he retrieved the key to the cuffs and unlocked them. "You got fucking lucky."
I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Al I knew was that my wrists hurt like hell, and it seemed like they were letting me walk without bail or anything. "Why are you letting me go?"
Griggs chuckled in disbelief, "do you really need to know?"
I shrugged and stood from the seat, they led me out into the main corridor. Then I saw her, siting in a chair wearing sweat pants and a baggy tee shirt. Her blonde hair was tied up in a knot and she stood to her feet quickly. The look on her face confirmed something I had spent weeks being doubtful about. It proved to me that no matter how badly I wanted to deny it, Emory Allen cared about me.
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Emory Allen's POV
It was somewhere around 12:45 AM when my cell phone buzzed. The boy on the other end of the line sounded fearful and uncertain.
"Thomas?" It sounded like him, but I wasn't completely sure. I sat up from my duvet and reached to the nightstand turning on the lamp. "Can you calm down? I can't understand anything that you're saying."
He breathed and there was a moment of silence, "Tanner's in jail, Ms Allen."
Something happened inside of me when I heard those words. I wasn't quite sure what it was, anger? Annoyance? No, It was fear.
I jumped from the bed, "Okay Thomas, I need you to to take another deep breath and tell me exactly what happened."
After listening in disbelief at what the boy told me, I shoved on my Nikes, grabbed my car keys and left for the Salt Lake City police station. So much ran through my head as I drove 30 minutes on the freeway. My fingers tapped the steering wheel as I contemplated what exactly I was going to say once I arrived. If everything Thomas told me on the phone was correct, Tanner was most likely in hand cuffs waiting to be sent away until trial. I kept asking myself why she would do something so stupid? Why she would do something that could possible kill her? My answers only made me feel worse.
Instead of letting my mind take over, I switched on the radio and listened to the midnight playlist. Honestly I wasn't listening to that music at all, it was just playing as a background tune. I played with the stray hairs that had fallen from the knot on my head, the longer it took for me to get there, the more insane I was getting.
Drugs? She had taken drugs while at an illegal drug house. As I got closer to the station, I started nibbling on my nails. I had to come up with something, something that would hopefully get her out of this mess. It wasn't going to be easy, but she was worth it.
My Chrysler pulled into the dim lit parking lot, stopping next to one of the cop cars. I cut the engine and sat back in the leather seat. Thomas said she had taken the Molly right before the raid. Considering what time it was now, she was most likely down from the high. My jaw tightened as I figured out a possible angle, I opened the door to my car and headed towards the entrance of the station.
As I opened the door and walked up to the front desk, I saw two officers both staring down at a file and an open computer. Upon seeing me they placed their files down, "Can I help you ma'am?" The man who asked was tall and muscular with a darker complexion.
"Yes, I'm here for Tanner Dawson." I crossed my arms as they both exchanged a look.
"You don't look like a," the Caucasian cop looked down at a cell phone, "Thomas Alden?"
"That's because I'm not. Thomas Alden is a minor, Tanners friend. He called me and told me what happened, I'm Emory Allen, her counselor."
The darker cop maneuvered around the front desk and walked towards me gripping his waist. "Then you must know that Tanner is in a lot of trouble, she could be seeing some jail time."
"Maybe," I cocked my head to the side, "but I guess that depends on the evidence. What exactly is the evidence?"
He laughed and turned to look at his friend as if wondering if I was serious. As he looked back at me he spoke, "She was high when I arrested her. I literally had to chase her through the house... trust me, there's enough evidence."
"Well, here's the thing officer," I glanced at his badge, "officer Jeremy Walt, I don't trust you. And unless you have some solid proof that goes beyond you having to chase her, I'm going to have to ask you to release her, now."
He just stared at me for a moment, then went back behind the desk and looked at the other officer. "Griggs, can you please give me the drug report you got, so that we can provide Ms Emory Allen with the evidence?"
This Griggs guy just stood there with his mouth hanging open. "I- I uh, shit! I took the prints and the pictures, but I -Uh..."
"No fucking way Griggs! Are you telling me that you didn't get the drug analysis?"
I laughed in disbelief, "Hmm, it looks like you don't have any evidence after all. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you holding Tanner in here is more of a crime in itself?"
The two just looked at each other before realizing that Tanner was technically free to go. There was no way that the Molly was still in her system, and they didn't have anything to prove that it ever was. The Jeremy guy sighed and finally went down a long hallway, Griggs went following after him.
When they were both out of sight I exhaled tremendously. Walking backwards towards one of the visitors chairs. I sat down, waiting anxiously to see her... to see that she was okay. I needed that. The feeling of grief was beginning to overwhelm me, I couldn't help but feel like it was all my fault. If I had done my job better than maybe she wouldn't have felt the need to take those drugs and maybe she'd realize that she's beautiful and worth something.
I swallowed the lump that had risen in my throat when the three of them turned the corner. I stood immediately and looked into her tired eyes. They were glazed over and held a depth of sadness that seemed infinite.
"Why are you here?" Of course she wasn't going to be happy to see me, she was still upset about what happened during our last session.
After they gave her back her phone and other things, the officers left us standing in the corridor alone, "Lets get out of the police station, and then we can talk."
She didn't say anything, just followed me towards the exit and out the door. I led her to the parking lot and unlocked the doors to my car. After getting inside, I realized that she was just standing by the passenger door. I rolled down the passenger window, "Get in."
"No, I'll take a bus." She started walking towards the sidewalk.
Why'd she insist on being difficult? After everything that happened tonight, she couldn't just be simple and get in the god damned car. I exited my car again, lightly jogging to catch up with the girl. My eyes couldn't help themselves as they eagerly roamed her body and every curve it entailed. The calve muscles in the back of her legs, the smoothness of her gorgeously tanned skin, and the messiness of her chestnut waves. The level of perfection that stood in front of me had absolutely no idea how much she was worth. She had no idea why I had gotten out of my bed at midnight and drove half an hour away. She had no idea why I refused to give up on her even though she seemed impossible at times. I wanted her to know why, because even if I couldn't have her in the way I wanted, she deserved to know that there was hope for her future.
"Tanner!" I grabbed her arm feeling the current flow between us, then turned her to face me, "Come get in the car. It's late and you don't need to take a bus if I'm right here."
"You've done enough, I'm a big girl and I know how to take a bus." Her hazel eyes shined underneath the many street lights, she yanked her hand free of my grasp causing that temporary electric current to dissolve.
I crossed my arms, "Look, would you stop being stubborn and acting like I'm the bad guy?! For once, would you just admit to yourself that I'm not out to hurt you?"
She looked away, across the street while nibbling on her bottom lip. I waited as she contemplated the words she knew were truthful. There was no reason for her to hate me, she only wanted to because it gave her a reason to not be honest with me.
"Fine."
I just stood there, watching as she went around me and back to my car.