The Meaning of Life

Loved

Daniel POV
Paramedics and police officers run in. I stand there. The world moving past me. Looking back on it. I don't know what was wrong with me. I was mute and I couldn't move. They still count it as a mental break. I ' broke'. One of many ' breaks'. I hear Jonah talking to the cop. " What happened sir? " "I hear this, um heated fight and I hear them talking. " " Go on. " " Then I hear Daniel yell something and I didn't hear anything. Then I hear a really loud scream. " " Do you know what of provoked it? " " Uh, well I don't really know. Jack was mad about Daniel being with his ex for a while.they have been hanging out a little. " " What did Daniel yell? " " Uh, I have no idea. I was in my room." "What was Daniel's reaction to Jack's nose breaking?" " Well he just stood there, like he is now. I don't know what happened . He might of hit his mental breaking point. " He looks over at me. I probably look crazy. Standing there with ice on my eye and nothing to say. I'm sure I'm shaking, bad. " Sir. " The cop comes over to me. I want to tell the whole story. Tell them what he was doing. Tell them he was -. " Her" Jonah shakes his head. " When I asked him why he did it He said that. " " Ok. Sir why did you hit Jack? "

"Her." I can't speak anymore . I feel like I have a language barrier. " Do I have to teach you English? " The officer says. " " Her i said Her" I tcan't talk right. Jonah walks over. " Dude,what's wrong? What happened? Why did you punch Jack? " I look at him and my ice pack slips out my fingers. It hits the ground. " Daniel Dude? I doubt you would do this for no reason. " " We have to take him in for questioning. " The officer says. Grabbing my hands and putting then behind my back " He is my friend you can't take him, trying to convince him to talk, it won't work. " Jonah says. " He hurt Jack, just let him go! " Zach yells. "We all know it wasn't on purpose! "Jonah persists " Or do we " Zach says. " Stop guys. " Corbyn says. Then the officer walks me out. " Don't let anyone online know! " Jonah yells. " We'll do our best sir! " The officer pushes me into a car. Then starts driving. I'm feeling nothing. I can see by in the window, my eye should be cry worthy. It is red and swollen shut. It looks painful. I feel no emotions and feel no pain.

The drive to the police station is a long one. They take me into the questioning room with the double sided mirror that looks like a mirror that's really a window for the other person. I'm handcuffed and sitting there. Then a lady walks in. " I'm Jamie, I'm the mental health specialist. " She says. I nod. " We called your parents, your mom, your dad, to tell them your in jail. For a little. " She smiles. " So what provoked you to break his nose Daniel? " She says. " Jack provoking me. His words. " I say. Horrible grammar. " What did he say? " " He owns her. " I mumble. " What. " I'm done. That's my boundary. I sit there looking at her. " Will you talk to anyone else? " I look at her and down to my trapped wrists. " Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, Cousin, Friend. Girlfriend? " " Kenzie. " I say, looking her dead in the eyes. " Who is Kenzie " She says. I swear this lady is annoying. I just look at her. Unable to feel, unable to speak.

One statement every five minutes is all I can do." Her last name? Full name? " "Ask, Jonah." I say. these handcuffs are also getting really annoying. She walks out the room. I look around the wall. They are dark and concrete. It's disgusting in here but I'm handcuffed. Then the door opens. I expect to see Jamie the annoying, but I see Kenzie. Then I all of a sudden can feel again. I put my head on the table and start crying. " Daniel? " " I punched him. " I say. " Yeah. I know you did. " " I, he was talking about how your his and I snapped. He tried to say he owned you and say your his and you will be his for the rest of you-" I start crying harder. She holds my cold hand in one of her soft, warm hands. " Daniel... " She says. " I really don't want you to die. " " Nobody wants to die. " She whispers. I look up. She gives me an ice pack. " Thank you. " I press it against the painful throbbing. " Anytime, that's what I'm hear for. " She says. I smile. We just look at each other for a while. " He didn't break it. " She says. " No? " I look down. Shame - filled. " Well it wasn't broken, it was fractured, that big bone, he needs surgery. But he'll live " She touches her nose and rubs her arm. I see a patch on her arm. " Where have you been today" I can't move my hands to point so I nod to it.

" For my antibiotics, they said 3 pills a day isn't working and so we need to pump it in me when necessary so they have a patch. " She says. Then she sighs. " And if that doesn't work, Blood transfusion. " " Gosh. " " I do have hope though Dani. You gave me hope. I think I might pass up the 3 month mark. Then go for a year then 2 years. " She laughs. " Then we can get married. "I say. " To get back at Jack. " She starts laughing. I mean that literally though. I love her. I wish she had of caught that. Then she gets up and walks around to the other side of the table where I am. " Bye Daniel. " She kisses me on the cheek. I feel my face get hot. She walks out and officers walk in. They take me to this cell for an evaluation. They say I'm stable and I can go. Jonah picks me up, I don't know why. It's awkward. " I'm taking you to a hotel to sleep tonight. " Jonah says. He looks disappointed. " Ok. " " So you'll talk now? " " Jon-" " I'm sorry. It's just why did you mess up his nose? " " Kenzie. She didn't want me or Jack to tell anyone, not a soul but she is... " I wipe a big tear from my eye. " She has bacteria in her blood and they gave her 3 months to live. " I say. My eye on my fist. Then other hand on my ice pack. Holding it against my other eye. He gasps " What? That can't be. " " She has a antibiotic pump and everything. She is getting more sick every day." "But what did he do? " " He said things like she is mine or thing like that, I couldn't take it. " " You like her? " " I -" I can't lie " Yeah. " " Tell. Her. Tonight. " " Tomorrow. " I plead. " Ok I guess. Here are you clothes and enough money to buy a night at the hotel. Get in fast. " He says throwing me a duffel and some money. I get out the car and get a room for a night. I take off my clothes and go to sleep.