She Will Be Loved

I was woken up to someone shaking me. With the toughness of whatever was touching me I could only assume it was a shoe. I cracked open my eyes for my vision to be blurry. When my vision cleared it looked to be around noon with how high the sun was. And a cop stood hovering over me.

"Ma'am, I need you to get up." I was scared shitless. I had never done anything to involve a cop so I was kind of terrified. I sat up and then stood to my feet. I stumbled a little and cursed myself.

"Can I help you sir?" The instant I talked I cursed myself. Alcohol reeked from my breath and the repulsed face he gave me made me know he could smell it.

"Ma'am, you're not twenty-one, are you?" Which I knew was a question, but it was still just a statement. He knew I was underage drinking. Wait, no. I was underage drunk.

"No sir," I sighed, not even bothering to lie. He nodded and reached for his handcuffs.

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to turn around." I did what he said and he pulled my arms behind my back. I felt my heart stop as he latched the cuffs around my wrists. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you."

I felt tears burning my eyes as the cop helped lead me out of the trees. As we walked down the path in Central Park, since I now recognized the park we drove by, people stopped and stared. I couldn’t help but hear the fragments of whispers passing around.

"You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you."

The officer helped me duck my head into his police cruiser which sat in the parking lot of the park. I kept my head forward, afraid to let it drop. He leaned over, saw my expression, and his face softened. I sniffled, trying to force the tears not to fall. I didn't want to show anymore weakness than I had to.

"Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

"Yes sir. I've seen enough law shows to have them memorized," I muttered. He smiled softly before shutting my door. He climbed up front and started up the vehicle. Luckily he decided to not humiliate me by turning on the sirens.

Now what was I going to do? I knew I got one call, but I didn't know anyone's number in the area. Hell, I don't even know any of the guys' last names. And I really doubted they’re in the phonebook by their stage names. I almost wanted to cry. I'm going to pay for my mistake. I'm going to rot in jail and never see the sunlight. Someone just kill me now.

"How old are you, kid?" His voice tore me out of my swarming thoughts. He glanced in the rearview mirror before returning his eyes to the road. I sighed and leaned forward, resting the side of my head again the Plexiglas separating us from each other.

"Seventeen."

"Only?" I nodded which was kind of difficult with the glass, but I was much too tired to move my head away from it. I knew I was still pretty drunk, but I was sober enough to at least remember this conversation and communicate. "How did you get alcohol, kid?"

"Can you please stop calling me kid? My name's Dakota,” I snapped. I was really getting tired of called kid. I am old enough to be almost counted as an adult. The least he could do was treat me like it. “And my friends let me have some.”

"Okay, sorry Dakota. I'm Officer Jones, but just call me Jay." It lapsed into silence as I processed this new information. He's letting me call him by his first name. At least, that's what I'm left to figure. Why though? "It's pretty early to be drinking."

"I started at ten. It didn't last too long. I went to the park and passed out," I told him. I wasn't sure why I was still talking anymore. This guy could use all this against me in court and I could probably get a far worse punishment than if I would have just shut up.

"Well that's a crappy way to spend the day." He took a right to head down Main Street where I knew the police station was located. Every turn of the wheels made my heart sink lower and lower until I was pretty sure it was in my stomach. When he pulled into the lot the other police cruisers were in, the tears began to dance down my cheeks.

"I promise I won't do this again sir. I can't get arrested. I'm too young for that," I cried quietly as he turned off the vehicle. He climbed out and shut his door. In the few moments of silence besides my rambling, I began to apologize to everyone I had ever hurt in the past. When the door opened Jay smiled sadly at me.

"C'mon Koty." I obliged and climbed out. I kept my head tilted down as he led me to the backdoor of the building. He began to walk down the hall and the sound of arrested inmates floated to my ears. My heart began to beat faster as I thought of being stuck in a cell full of crazy women, or even men.

"Got one for the cell Officer Jones?" I heard a woman ask.

"No." My head snapped up and I looked at the officer holding my upper arm in shock. He was staring at the secretary behind the desk who looked equally as surprised. "I just had a few questions for her about her friend I saw drinking. She put up a fight and so I had to put her in cuffs. I'm just going to speak to her in my office."

"Okay Jones," the woman said slowly, giving me a once over. I stared at my shoes since I was unwilling to meet her judging eyes. Jay led me away from the desk and down another hall. Soon he opened a door with his name on the plaque and ushered me inside. It was a pretty dark colored room with a desk with computer, a lounge chair you saw in therapists' offices, two chairs in front of his desk, and pictures on the wall. I could only assume his wife and daughter since she looked a lot like him and the woman he posed with.

"Let me undo these," Jay said as he shut the door. I heard him fiddle with his keys before touching the cuffs. Pretty soon they freed my wrists and I rubbed at where they had recently been. Light red marks showed exactly where the metal had been. "Sorry they were so tight."

"Why are you doing this?" I asked bluntly. He sighed and motioned for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. I did as he instructed as he sat in the big, computer chair on the other side.

"You remind me of myself when I was your age." I looked him up and down with a raised eyebrow. There was no way he was too much older than me. He seemed to understand my silent doubt and smiled. "I am twenty-five, just so you know."

"Why did you even want to become a cop if you are so much like a drunk you found in a park?" I questioned, eyebrow still quirked. He took off his (silly) police hat and ran a hand through his short, brown hair. His hazel eyes met mine and sent a shiver down my spine.

"Because I wanted to make a change for the better. I was a druggie and alcoholic at your age. I wanted to be different. My main goal was to join the force and help kids that were like me or any kids in need."

"Why not just become a child therapist?" I mused.

"I don't get a shiny guy." Jay and I shared a laugh at that. I was taken aback a little. I was bonding with a cop, something not many people would even think to leave their mouth. I coughed awkwardly for the lack of things to say. What else was there to say? Jay suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and smiled.

“Well since you’re at a police station I guess I should give you your one phone call.” He turned the telephone on his desk around, picking up the receiver to hand to me. I just stared at it without moving an inch. He frowned and rested his arm on the desk with his hand hovering over it. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t have a number to call. I don’t know it,” I confessed. He placed down the receiver and went to stand.

“I could get you a phonebook - ”

“No, it’d be a waste of time. I don’t know any of my friends’ last names. Only nicknames.” Jay fell into his seat defeated. I suddenly hatched an idea as I looked at his computer. I grinned widely which caused Jay to give me an odd stare. “You go ahead and get that phonebook. Can I borrow your computer?”

“Of course.” He stood, flipping on the monitor. He left the room as I walked around to plop down in his chair. I opened the internet and went to Google. I hesitated, wondering. Someone had to have a home phone in their name as the owner, but who?

I shrugged, typing in ‘Avenged Sevenfold’ in the search bar. I got plenty of sites created in the guys’ honor. I clicked on the Wikipedia page and skimmed to find their names and Val’s. She was mentioned quite a lot for someone who wasn’t even in the band. I scribbled down all their names on a sticky note that had rested on Jay’s desk. I shut the window just as he came back.

“Find everything you need?” Jay asked as he shut the door again.

“Yup.” We changed spots again and he passed me the yellow phonebook.

I went down the list, hitting a dead end every time. There either wasn’t a person by that name at all or wrong middle initial. The last name I tried was Brian’s. I narrowed my eyes when I saw a ‘Sr’ at the end of his name. I shrugged to myself. He was the only ‘Brian Haner’ on the list. Besides, he may just have a younger brother or something. I held the phone between my cheek and my shoulder as I typed in the number. As it began to ring I shut the book and placed it on the floor.

“Hello?” I narrowed my eyes at this man’s voice.

“Is this Brian?”

“Brian Haner, yes. Can I help you?” This was not the Brian Haner I knew, that was for sure.

“I’m sorry, I must have the wrong Brian Haner. I’ll just let you go.” As I began to hang up the man stopped me.

“Wait, is your name Dakota by any chance?” I froze, a chill shooting down my spine. How did this guy know my name?

“Why?”

“Because my son who also has my name was talking about a friend named Dakota I had to meet. We were actually setting up a day this morning.” I grinned. Brian’s father was who I had gotten a hold of. At least I was close and this wasn’t just some crazy dude.

“Is there any possible way you can give me his cell number? It’s a long story that will probably be spoken of whenever we do officially meet.”

“No problem dear.” I could hear him shuffling around. “You have a remarkable accent. English?”

“Yes, my mum was from England. I inherited that from her.”

“It’s cute.” I blushed and looked down at the sticky note on my leg. I hated people complimenting me, especially adults. It made me feel like I should be a five year old again. “Ah, here it is. Got something to write it down?”

“Ready.” I waited until he read out the ten digits. I thanked him before we bid our goodbyes and hung up. I quickly typed in Brian’s phone number and hoped he’d answer. On the fifth ring he finally did.

"Can you please be Dakota?” I laughed and shook my head.

“You are so lucky it is me, Bri.”

“Oh my God, it is you! Guys, it’s Dakota!” I heard multiple people yelling nothing I could comprehend. “Where are you?”

“The police station on Main.”

“What?!” I groaned, covering my face as Jay laughed at me. I raised my head to glare at him. He hummed to himself, pretending to not be listening to my conversation.

“Just shut up, I’ll explain later. Come get me will ya?”

“Okay, okay. We’ll be there in a few minutes.” With that we both hung up. I looked at Jay and sighed.

“So how much do they have to pay to get me out?”

“Why would they have to pay? I only brought you in for questioning." I narrowed my eyes at him in confusion which caused him to smile and wink. I opened my mouth to say something, but he held up a hand which cut me off. “Just take my generosity, will ya?”

“Fine.” Jay stood motioning for me to follow him. I did and we walked down the hall towards the desk. Luckily it was empty so we walked by without questions. We reemerged in the parking lot and he led me to the front. There we both leaned on the wall, waiting for the group to show up. “Jay?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank-you for everything today. I know you didn’t have to cut me any slack so this means a lot to me.” He smiled, staring away to try and hide it.

“No problem Dakota. Just don’t get pulled in here again, okay?”

“Okay.” Just then Brian’s Dodge Charger pulled up next to us. I turned to give Jay a polite smile before heading to the car. Just as I opened the passenger door Jay called out to me. “Yeah?”

“If you need anything, ever, just call me or even text me, okay?” I took the card he extended to me. His name, Jay Jones, was written with his phone number below. I smiled wider and nodded.

“Thanks Jay.” I gave him a quick hug before climbing into the Charger and Brian drove off.