Death Note Fan Fiction / Death Note Fan Fiction ❯ Life's a Game ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Matt stopped his car at the red light and puffed on his cigarette, blaring Pinch Me by the Barenaked Ladies on the stereo. He felt this song symbolized his life. Totally carefree and aloof. He figured he was the person in his group who would never really amount to anything because he didn’t really care about anything. Except for games and cigarettes. . .
His blonde friend sat next to him in the passenger’s seat, and, of course, there was a chocolate bar in his mouth. Mello had noticed that his friend had been acting differently since last night, but whenever he’d asked, Matt had just sort of shrugged it off. At first he’d been able to ignore it, but now he just had to know. I mean. . . I guess he’s the only friend I’ve got. He sighed. “Alright. Out with it, Jeevas.”
The light turned green and Matt eased onto the gas. His car lurched forward and he glanced at Mello out of the corner of his eye, grinning slightly. “Why, whatever are you talking about, Keehl?” The redhead chuckled as he emphasized his friend’s last name. Through his smile, however, he was dreading the question that was coming next. He trusted Mello and all . . . Hell, Mello was probably the only person he’d ever entrust his life to. He just . . . Felt stupid about the answer he’d have to give. He wasn’t even sure how to explain it correctly.
“Don’t be an idiot.” Mello was getting exasperated. “What’s going on? Don’t think I’m so dumb that I didn’t notice you acting weird last night after we got home. And today it was worse.” He actually was showing genuine concern. . . Something he only did once every . . . Wow, I can’t even think of a good cliché.
Matt was so tempted to be his usual smart-ass self and say something like: “Maybe it’s that time of the month,” or “I’m scared I’m getting lung cancer.” But he saw that Mello was thoroughly upset and instantly felt bad for even thinking about it. I am being an idiot. . . Matt thought to himself, it’s not like it’s anything bad. “Well. . .” He started, taking a long, deep drag on his cigarette. “There’s this girl . . .”
The cold, callous expression that Mello usually wore had returned. “That’s what I was so worried about?! You discovering the opposite sex?!” He unwrapped another chocolate bar, took an angry bite, and shifted his gaze towards the window.
Matt rolled down his window, threw out the cigarette butt, and then rolled it back up. He glanced over at his companion and smiled. “Aw, don’t worry dumpling, you’re still my one and only,” he sang the words and laughed. Although his laughter subsided when he noticed Mello’s visage hadn’t changed. “Nah. . .” Surprisingly, even to him, his tone turned serious. “It’s not anything like that . . . There’s something about her that’s. . .”
“It’s called ‘love,’ Matt.” Mello rolled his eyes.
Matt shook his head. It’s more like. . . Something powerful . . . Something big . . . Like she’s the calm before a storm . . . Like she’s going to be a big part of my li–
“STOP!” Mello yelled.
Confused, and very startled, Matt slammed his foot on the brakes. “Wh-What?” His voice was a bit shaky from the sudden outburst. He watched Mello hold out his arm and point his finger towards the middle of the road. Matt squinted his eyes through his goggles to try and see exactly what his friend was pointing at. . . If it weren’t so dark. . . Did someone hit a deer . . .? No. . . . The figure balled up in a heap on the pavement was much more disturbing to him. . . Then he figured out why. The body was that of a human being.
Matt’s eyes widened as he whispered a breathless curse. Without him willing them to, his right hand turned the car off, while his left reached for the door handle.
“W-what are you doing?!” Mello shouted.
Matt looked back at him, regaining a bit of his composure. “We should at least call an ambulance or something.” He opened the door and stepped out into the cool, evening air. As he quietly walked closer to the figure, he began to realize it was a young female. He knelt down beside her and flipped her over to see her face.
His breath stuck in his throat, and he looked at the road, now noticing the dried blood where the girl’s head rested. It was Aurora. “Sapphira . . .” He whispered.
“You know her?”
Matt hadn’t even noticed Mello following him over. All he could do was nod his head and hold out his hand for Mello’s cell phone. The blonde instinctively handed his friend the phone, and watched and watched as he dialed 911 with one of his gloved hands and cradled the girl’s limp body with his free arm.
Matt was nervous. He’d never had to call an ambulance before. . . “Hello, my name is Matt Jeevas. I have a teenaged girl here who’s out cold and has several cuts and bruises on her head.” Matt specified their location and quickly hung up the phone, handing it to Mello. He looked at Aurora again and brushed some hair out of her face. Then he noticed her blackened eye. This must be why she was wearing those sunglasses. . . He took off his glove and gingerly stroked the bruise.
“Is this the girl you were talking about?”
Matt nodded slightly.


The ambulance arrived not a moment too soon. (Along with a cop car, much to their dismay.) As the cop questioned the two boys, Matt watched with vacant eyes as the paramedics lifted Aurora, strapped her onto a stretcher, threw (Okay, it wasn’t a throw, but he still felt they were too rough.) her into the ambulance, and drove off. After what felt like hours (Which had, in reality, only been a couple minutes.) of questions, the youths were free to go about their business.
“Hey. . .” Matt spoke to the uniformed men, “What hospital is she being taken to?”
“Winchester General,” one of the officers replied, sliding back into the patrol car.
Mello stood beside his friend. “You’re going to see her?”
Matt nodded. “I’ll drop you off first . . . I’ll stay with her until she wakes up.”
“What?!” Mello seemed surprised, and slightly irritated.
“It’s just weird,” the redhead defended. “No one even came outside of their house when the sirens were going off . . . I don’t think she really has anyone. . .” I wonder where her brother is . . .
“They’re probably used to it. Sirens must go off all the time here. . .” In the slums. He decided not to finish his sentence. Upsetting Matt more was not what he wanted to do, so the leather-clad blonde didn’t argue any longer. They both walked back to the car and drove off to Wammy’s House.