This is L.o.v.e. like it should be

XVIII. Police station

An hour had gone by. Ava was staring through the opened door of the office. The policeman had brought her to the nearest police station and gave her a seat on his office so she could calm down.

There she watched and listened to the officers hanging around the coffee machine, while others would be furiously writing reports or taking care of paperwork. They surely didn't have much to deal with in that peaceful city.

She was starting to feel as bored as she was feeling anxious. The policeman who brought her there had disappeared after a few kind words.

After a while he came back with a giant cup of water with sugar.

"Here you go", he said gently.

"Thank you", Ava said, still a bit dazed, after all the tears.

"Miss, if you are feeling better, I need you to help me to understand what happened an hour ago."

Ava was trying to find words to explain what happened.

"I just… I had a sudden pain in my chest", she stated.

"Miss...", he was thinking carefully about his next words.

"Yes, officer."

The policeman stared at her eyes, still red. His trained eyes then started to look for signs of abuse, as he said: "Is there something you would like to share with me?"

Ava looked up, apprehensive, holding a cup of water with sugar between her hands.

"Miss, you don't need to tell me what got you to have a breakdown like that. But you should talk with someone."

"I'm so embarrassed, officer. I think I have been working too hard lately and I'm just tired. I didn’t want to cause any trouble, I’m so sorry."

"Just tired?", he asked, leaning over the desk.

"Yes", Ava answered in the flattest tone she could produce.

"I understand", the policeman said, still looking for signs which would tell him if she was a victim or just a young lady feeling a little bit lost in life. "Is there anyone I can call to come and pick you up?"

"I would rather not", she said a little afraid of how he would react next.

"I have to ask you why, miss."

Ava sighed deeply. Her next answer had to be sincere. Ava had to convince herself she was ready to leave the station by herself, especially if she wanted to make the policeman believe it to.

"I'm too proud to let anyone else see this side of me."

The policeman's mouth drew an expression of pure surprise as it dawned on him that this girl was very aware of herself. But still, he didn’t think she could go through whatever made her have this breakdown by herself, so he had to ask: "Do you think you can figure things out all by yourself then?"

"Like I always do."

"I'm still not sure I can let you go by yourself."

"Yes, officer, you can. Because, all I want is to survive."