Don't You Dare Tell Anyone Mr. Stevens

The Social Worker

On Monday in Mr. Stevens class I struggle to stay awake. Just the usual nightmares. I doodle in the back of the notebook while Mr. Stevens rambles on about something and the girls swoon over him. Nothing out of the ordinary. Except for when the classroom door opens and a woman and man stand in the door way.
"Excuse me" the woman says. She has long straight dark brown hair dark brown eyes and lightly scanned skin. Older but pretty. Probably around moms age. She flashes her badge.
"I'm Detective Jones with child protective services" she says and scans the classroom. My heart stops. I've just died. Mr. Stevens looks confused then looks at me. I shrug. Why the hell are you looking at me I didn't say anything! I feel like shouting.
"We're here for some one" she says. The man next to her is black with broad shoulders and you can see his page on his belt. Please don't say my name please don't say my name I pray.
"I'm looking for a Tess. Tess Chance" she says and everyone turns to face me.
"Is that you sweetie?" she asks and her tone is no longer hard and stern but cool soft and sweet. I nod slowly. She extends her arm.
"Come, you're not in trouble don't worry" she says "You can leave your stuff here"
I slowly rise from my seat and walk over. She rests her arm around my shoulder and flicks her head. Three people come into the classroom and what happens next shocks me. They take Mr.Stevens into custody.
*******************************************************************"What do you mean taken into custody!" I blurt out. I don't give a damn where I am Principals office or not I want answers!
"You can't take my teacher into custody he didn't do anything wrong!" I say.
Detective Jones take out a plastic bag and inside of it is paper. She gently places it on the desk.
"Is this yours?" she asks and i look. My writing assignment was in it.
"well, yes but I-" I begin but she cuts me off.
"We got an anonymous tip from a few people" she says and takes the bag back. "May I see your back please?" she asks and I stare at her baffled.
"Excuse me?" I ask.
"I'm not asking you to undress I just want to see your back. You can slide your button down shirt past your elbows if it makes you feel better" she says and I stay in my chair. She sighs.
"Sweetie if you're hiding someone or protecting him because he threatened you-" she says and I quickly cut her off.
"No! It is not like that!" I say and she frowns.
"You can show me your back by choice or force either way it's going to happen" she says. I grit my teeth and yank my shirt off and turn so that she can see. She stands and walks over. The door opens and the man that was with her before comes in and he shuts the door behind him. He holds up a bag with a belt in it.
"We got the search warrant and found this" he says. He opens up the bag, he has gloves on, and pulls out a belt. Detective Jones examines it. She nods.
"Alright we got him. Take that down to the prescient" she says. He nods and leaves the room. I dart around to look at her.
"What are you doing?" I ask. She looks down for a moment then at me.
"Put your shirt back on and we'll talk" she says. I do so and sit down with her standing behind the principals desk.
"We got a few calls. This report. Supposedly has your entire life down in words. And we think we know who the abuser is" she says. I look around just taken aback.
"My teacher?" I say.
"Well perhaps you want to explain" she says and takes a note pad out "Why we have reports of you being in his classroom all the time. Someone saw you he grabbed your arm and you yelled at him to let go. You shouted that it hurt. Why you were ranting on about marks on your back that his belt made" she says and closes her pad up again.
"Not only am I a Detective I am also a Social Worker. I can help you" she says.
"This is twisted! It wasn't him that did that stuff to me and my brother!" I snap and I slam my hand over my mouth. What am I doing? Would it be wise to say anything? I might as well now since everything is crumbling to pieces.
"Tell em Tess please so I can help" she says and the door behind me opens. I whip my head back and my mother dazzling and normal as ever stands in the door way.
"Mom?" I say. Last time I was her was this morning and she was in a pool of whiskey and cigarettes.
"Tess!" she says and rushes to embrace me. She smells like vanilla and cinnamon. She looks at me with wide said and eyes and holds my arms.
"What happened to you? Tell me" she says.
"Nothing happened!" I say and look at the Detective.
"Whoever gave you that load of crap is mistaken" I say and mom stands up straight.
"Tess watch your language" she says.
"I don't care! Might as well tell her! Let the world know! You're a psychopathic lunatic! And you know what quite frankly you're a major beyoch too!" I snap and the Detective looks at me shocked.
"So this is what he's done to you?" Mom asks and I flinch. Has she lost it? Has the world really come down to this? My mother has retained her sanity?
"Mrs. Chance I'd like to speak to you outside" Detective Jones says and eyeballs me on the way out. What in God's name have I done?