After I spent a few hours demanding to be released, I gave up. I slumped against the bars, banging my head on the steel pipe-like barriers.

"Now," the policeman began, "if you tell us the name and number who's in charge of you, we can call them and they can pick you up."

I scowled, crossing my arms. "I told you, I can't do that. My mom is an abusive asshole. She's not going to pick me up."

"What about your dad?" he asked, his voice soft, yet stern.

Breathing a heavy sigh, I told the officer my father's name and number. He called my dad, and I cursed myself silently. "Hello, is this Mr. Norman West?" The man paused, receiving the conformation. "This is Officer Hank Wallace. I have your daughter in custody. Jadelyn West. No, she wasn't arrested for drunk dri- nor did she rob anyone. Sir, let me explain. Jadelyn came in, and physically assaulted the secr-"

"I did not physically assault her!" He held out his hand, silencing me.

"She jumped over the counter and threatened her, which, is technically physical assault, as her hands were on our secretary. Jadelyn- Jade- needs parental permission to leave. Okay. Okay. Thank you."

I shook the bars violently. "What did he say!?"

"Your father will be here shortly. And, if you wish to file a complaint against your mother, you can do so when your old man comes to pick up your rebel-ass," Hank says, with a teasing glint in his green eyes. I nodded, sitting back down on the chair in the room. "Jade, we know exactly where your brother is. We had to put him in Foster Care. It's the law. But if you can convince your father to take him, that would save a lot of heartbreaks. You, too. You're still a teenager." I refuse to answer him, curling into a ball. I just want Tori. I want Tori to hold me and tell me that everything's going to be okay. I'm broken. I'm broken and I can't fix myself. I lift my head up, Hank still standing outside the cell. "Can I call one more person? Please?" Officer Dirtbag hesitates, then agrees, pointing out the phone by the wall. I rush over to the craptastic technology, punching in Tori's number, calling my girlfriend.

It rings.

And rings.

And rings some more.

But then, Victoria Vega answers.

"Hello?"

I smile, relaxing against the cement wall. "Hey, baby."

"Jade? Where are you calling from?"

I pause, searching for the right answer. "..I'm, uh. I'm in a holding cell at the police department."

I hear her gasp loudly. "What!? What did you do? Jade," Tori whined. I frowned, glancing down at my boots.

"I didn't do anything.." As soon as I heard her sigh in relief, I continued my story. "Except, uh, jump over a counter and shake a secretary and scream at her. And, uh, threaten to stab her," I admitted, rubbing my leg.

"Oh my god. I'm coming down there."

"No, Vega," I said. "My dad's gonna be here any minute. I'll call you tomorrow. I love you." Before she could answer, I stuck the dirty prison phone back in its slot.

Officer Douche looked at me. "Boyfriend?"

Shaking my head no, I let a smirk fall onto my face. "Girlfriend," I corrected. He cocks an eyebrow, then holds his hands up in surrender, turning back to face the other way. Standing, I strode to Hank, grasping the metal bars. Although they were cold, they made me hands feel like they were on fire. "Yo. Hank. You into music?"

The bulky man shrugs, turning back to face me. "A little. I sing in church. Sometimes."

"I go to Hollywood Arts. Best school in the country for performing arts."

He narrows his eyes. "What are you getting at?"

"If you let me out I'll sing for the policemen."

Hank laughs. "Doesn't work like that, kid. Nice try." Just then, my stiff of a father walks through the door.

"Jade."

"Dad."

"You could have told me something was wrong."

I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Come on. You don't give two shits about me."

"That's not true, Jade. You're my daughter. I'm not always happy with the decisions you make, but I love you. Zach is coming to stay with me. I'm going to get the custody that was mine to begin with. You're welcome to stay as well."

"Oh, since when have you cared?" I demand, my voice threatening to fail. "You left us to fend for ourselves! You left Zach at the wrath of Mom. Do you even realize how dangerous she can be? She kicked me out because I'm gay, dad," I let slip, not being able to catch my words. "God fucking dammit! What's happening to me!? I have no control over what I say anymore!" Tears finally fall, and I slide down to the floor. Hank and my dad talk in tiny whispers, and I hear the scribble of a ball-point pen on a clipboard. Officer Wallace opens the door, letting me out. I stand up, thanking the man with a nod, and the next thing I know, my father is hugging me.

"I don't care what you are. Whether you're gay, straight, a businesswoman, or a rodeo clown. You're my daughter. I'm sorry I haven't made that clear enough. I was wrong to puke on your existence," he says, using a term I told him when I was twelve. I laugh softly, as he leads me out of the police station. "You go on to wherever you were staying. I'm gonna go fix the whole Zach situation."

"Okay, Dad. ...Thanks for not being an asshole for once." He smiles at me, and I climb into my car, sending Tori a text that I was okay, and that I'd see her tomorrow at school.

I never got a text back as I drove to Cat's.

Now I know that Dad was right about my mother. And now I feel selfish and stupid.

Will I ever learn to trust the right fucking people?