Chapter 30

"I believe this is one of yours." Danny called in his thick New Jersey accent when he opened the door to Steve's office and stepped inside.

Danny had dark blonde hair, all slicked backwards with gel. He was only in his mid-thirties, but light grey hairs were beginning to show at his temples. His face looked sharp. He wore a blue and white pinstriped shirt, finished with a red tie, and black slacks.

Behind him was Joey, who looked rather smug with himself. "I'll let him explain." Danny said, indicating to the teenager, and the he left.

"What's going on?" Steve asked completely confused.

"Ah, nothing to worry about."

"Well it clearly is. What happened to your wrists?" Steve said, noticing the red marks that were now seen as Joey wore a tight white tee, showing his pecs where the fabric stretched across his chest. "They look as if you've been handcuffed.

"Okay," Joey sighed, giving in. "Last night everyone got a bit over. The girls went home just after eleven, so it was just us boys. Aj and Keatan started brawling in the street, so the cops came over. I basically said they could piss off, 'cause they weren't needed. That's when I was put in cuffs. Tom and Harvey started getting involved, so they also got arrested. And the cops, they took Aj and Keat to the hospital. They're fine by the way. Just a few scratches and bruises. Pussy fighting, really. Anyway, we got our one call, so I got Danny on the phone. He came and got me, and then we went to get Keat. Aj was kept in overnight, so we dropped Keat off on the way here to sign him out. Sam is in a right mood just to let you know. She wasn't best pleased when Tom phoned her, but it was kind of funny when we saw her fuming - quite literally. Oh, and we dropped Harvey off at Gran's house last night. She was cool with it, but will probably say something to him this morning."

"And you're proud of all that?" Steve inquired.

"Well, yeah. I got told to go out with my brothers and have fun. You guys should be more careful with your words." Joey mocked.

"I'm going to let this slip - just this once. Does your dad know?" Steve, who now lent back on his desk, watched as Joey painfully nodded - realization of what was to come (or not in that matter).

"Danny made me call him this morning." Joey sighed, this time annoyed and frustrated.

"When do you fly back? When do you go back to school? You are starting school this year, aren't you?"

"Whoa, whoa. What's with the twenty questions?" Joey held his hands up in surrender, leaning back into the black, soft leather couch he had planted himself on.

"Just tell me you idiot."

"Wow, you're in a shit mood." Joey acted offended.

"Don't push it." Steve warned.

"I was supposed to be in school last Thursday, but now I'm not going back 'til next Monday. We're flying back later today, I think."

"Cool. Just out of curiosity, you are still taking your tablets for the ADHD, right?" Steve asked.

"We both know that isn't 'just out of curiosity'. Besides, I can control it myself." Joey said blatantly.

"Joey," Steve whinnied annoyed. "You've got to take those drugs. Let me guess, there's been certain days over - say the past year - where you haven't. And I'm saying yesterday was one of them. That's why you didn't give two fucks."

Joey was silent for a few minutes, contemplating. "Yeah, there have been days when I've gone without. For example, the day after Benny was killed, Benny's funeral, mums funeral, the day of the accident, yesterday, and probably many more. It's not that bad."

"C'mon, I admit I have it. Why can't you?"

"Because you're an adult that has a solid job with ADHD; I'm a kid going to a new school with ADHD. I have no problem admitting I have it, but I don't want to be labelled." Joey shouted, losing his temper.

Steve rushed round to the drawers in his desk, searching frantically in the top one. He threw small bottle at Joey. "Take one. You obviously haven't today. I'm talking to your dad. This has got way out of hand. You may think because you're a teenager, and have been looking after yourself for a while now, that you can be trusted to handle these things on your own. But, no; you can't be trusted. Either your dad or Tom are going to have to keep record again or you get it together. Pass the buck, Joey."

Joey stood stunned for a short time after Steve walked out the office. He knew too well what a mess his life was turning into again. At one point, he thought he'd had it sussed. The do's and don'ts had been clear, but he'd sprayed dirt on them. He marched out the Honolulu PD building with defiance and ran to a small beach he knew of, one that no one else ever went to.

The miniature - barley twenty meters across - stretch of clean, golden sand was enclosed by the surrounding cliffs, dark charcoal colour and at least thirty meters high. To the left you could see the city's coastline, tall skyscrapers blocking the native Hawaiian culture. To the right was a clustered forest, blooming after the summer. In the forest was shelter, the thick canopy creating spots of sunlight on the earth below.

Joey's late grandfather, John, always used to bring his grandson here. Joey remembered the sweet memories he had of him and his grandfather. He wasn't one for emotions, but the day his granddad died, Joey felt a strange sensation that he later realized was grief. He knew that there'd be no more walks through the trees, climbs up the mountains, or visiting their own little 'private' beach.

With the old, happy memories still in mind, Joey took off his sweat soaked tee. The sun, causing the perspiration, made his chest glimmer when reflecting off the water. He then stepped out of his khaki shorts, revealing him standing in only a pair of skin-hugging, black boxers.

Leaving his stuff in a neat pile in the middle of the area, and having another glance across the landscape, Joey dived into the shallow water. His body slid over the fine sand, prickling his front ever so slightly. Being forever mindful of the time, he continued to swim between the two cliff edges.

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