9-1-1 ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ sʜᴏᴛs

Self harm - Eddie Diaz

Piper Diaz - 15

WARNING sh

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the Diaz household as Eddie pulled into the driveway. It had been a long day at Station 118, and he was looking forward to spending the evening with his family. Christopher was in the living room, engrossed in a video game, his face lighting up when he saw Eddie.

"Hey, Dad! How was work?" Christopher asked, pausing his game.

Eddie smiled, ruffling his son's hair. "Hey, buddy. It was busy, but I'm glad to be home. How was your day?"

Christopher launched into a detailed account of his day at school, his enthusiasm infectious. Eddie listened, his eyes occasionally drifting toward the stairs. He was waiting for his daughter, Piper, to come down. She was 15 now, navigating the turbulent waters of adolescence. Eddie knew she had been struggling lately, her once bright demeanor clouded by something she wouldn't talk about.

"Piper upstairs?" Eddie asked, trying to sound casual.

Christopher nodded, his attention already back on his game. "Yeah, I think so."

Eddie headed upstairs, his footsteps heavy with the weight of concern. He knocked softly on Piper's door. "Piper? Can I come in?"

There was a moment of silence before he heard her muffled voice. "Yeah, come in."

Eddie opened the door to find Piper sitting on her bed, her back to him. Her room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn against the fading daylight. He walked in, noticing the telltale signs of distress—a tissue box on the nightstand, her normally tidy room in disarray.

"Hey, kiddo," Eddie said gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "How was your day?"

Piper shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "It was okay."

Eddie's heart ached at the sight of her, so withdrawn and quiet. He wanted to reach out, to pull her into a hug and promise her that everything would be okay. But he knew that sometimes, words weren't enough.

"I missed you at dinner last night," Eddie said, trying to keep his tone light. "We made your favorite—spaghetti and meatballs."

Piper nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor. "I wasn't hungry."

Eddie sighed inwardly, knowing that he needed to address the elephant in the room. "Piper, is there something you want to talk about? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

For a moment, he thought she might open up. But then she shook her head, her hair falling like a curtain to hide her face. "No, I'm fine."

Eddie's phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the silence. He pulled it out, his heart sinking as he read the message from Piper's school counselor, Ms. Flores.

**Mr. Diaz, we need to talk about Piper. It's urgent. Please call me as soon as possible.**

Eddie's mind raced as he excused himself and stepped into the hallway to make the call. Ms. Flores answered on the first ring, her voice filled with concern.

"Mr. Diaz, thank you for calling. I need to discuss something very serious with you about Piper. One of her friends came to me today, worried about her. She mentioned that Piper has been self-harming."

Eddie felt his world tilt, his mind struggling to process the words. "Self-harming? Are you sure?"

Ms. Flores's voice was gentle but firm. "Yes, Mr. Diaz. I know this is hard to hear, but it's important that we address this immediately. We need to make sure Piper gets the help she needs."