The Silent Girl

24.

'Ella'

Instead of knocking to Mr Stone's office door, I just sat on the chairs outside the door.

My hoodie up to cover my face. I didn't want anyone seeing me crying.

I was crying now.

The amount of anxiety going through my body, I had no idea how to handle all of this.

I was sat rock still for a good twenty minutes before Mr Stone comes out, noticing me and crouching down in front of me.

"Why are you sat here?" He asks, concern on his face.

"I got sent out" I shrug, moving my hand to wipe the tears off my cheeks.

"Why?" He pushes, standing and sitting in the seat next to me.

"I wouldn't take my hoodie off" I tell him, looking at my lap.

"And why won't you take it off?" He asks me.

"I don't want to talk about it" I tell him, laying my head against the wall and closing my eyes.

"Ella, do you feel safe in school?" He asks, I just shake my head.

"I'm fine, I just want to go home" I mumble.

"Let's go see Miss Bright sweetie" Mr Stone smiles slightly before walking down the corridor, expecting me to follow. Which I do but slowly.

I slow walk with Mr Stone all the way to Miss Bright's room, when we enter she was on the phone, holding her finger up. To say wait a minute. In which Mr Stone and I sit down.

A few moments later she puts the phone down, looking at Ella.

"Just came off the phone with your dad" She gives a small smile. "Do you want to go?"

"I don't know"

Mr Stone leaves for a meeting, leaving me and Miss Bright.

"Ok Ella, could you put your hood down so I can talk to you?" She asks quietly.

I shake my head rapidly to make sure she knows I'm certain.

She scares me, by making her way around the desk and crouching down in front of the chair I was in.

"Do you trust me?" She asks in a small whisper. I nod slowly. "Then trust me" She gently reaches up and pushes the hood off my head. "See, it's a safe place in here"

"Out there it's not" I say, pointing to the door. "And it's not at the prison either" I mumble the last part.

"It is definitely safe anywhere you are Ella. You have Micky, Luke, Noah, Mr Stone and myself at school. We've had those girls moved out of your classes and at the moment they are in isolation. Outside of school, you have your dad, Micky, Luke and Noah, who will always keep you safe. And in the prison, they won't let your mother touch you, speak to you harshly. The second she acts out of line, you will be leaving. I know how protective your dad is."

"I know"

"And Ella, I'm telling you this now. Take the chance when you have it" She gives a small smile to me.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean take the chance to see your mother." She pauses, a tear in her eye. "When I was your age, my mother was taken to prison for different reasons. I turned down one visit because I was going to my friends birthday party. The next morning I got a call saying that she had killed herself. Saying that it was all my fault and I was the reason she killed herself." She pauses, wiping her cheeks. "Ella, I know she hurt you and at the end of the day it is your choice but she is still your mother and maybe she has something genuine to say."

"Thank you, Miss Bright" I mumble, looking directly it the eye.

"Ella" She sighs. "I haven't spoken to you since the self harm mention"

"They took it away, well I asked them too. I'm ok now" I whisper to her.

"That's very good but there are still things that we need to discuss. I don't think you want to do that now. You've got a lot more on your mind."

"Thank you" I say to her, smile on my lips.

"Take your time to get back into lessons, and call your dad, he's worried" She tells me before going to her desk and sitting behind it.

I immediately grab my phone, finding my dad's contact and ringing him.

It takes a couple of seconds for him to answer.

"Hey princess" He coos at me through the phone.

"Hi dad" I almost whisper back. "I think I want to see mum."

"Ok, are you sure? No-one is forcing you? You're not just doing it because the police encourage it?" He checks.

"No, I want to go but dad if she is horrible can I leave?" I shudder at the sudden thought of what she could say to me.

"Of course and I won't be leaving your side, I promise you that"

'end of 24.'

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Posted: 30.4.22