Mastering the Valley: Completed

Chapter 37: Here again...

    I get out of the van to a nurse taking me inside. However, instead of taking me to a room, I'm taken to the ER. She takes me straight through the waiting room, to a little room.
    "I'm just going to fix this a little bit." she says, getting a rubbing alcohol pad. Hawk walks in. "Sir, you aren't allowed to be in here-"
   "He's actually in here with me." I say.
  "Oh okay, well you can sit right there." she says, pointing towards the chair in the corner of the room.
   Hawk sits down and watches the lady.
  "When you were kidnapped, did they-" then looks to hawk and looks back to me. "R-"
  "No ma'am." I respond hastily.
"Okay, because if so we would've had to check everything out. Is there any marks other than the ones on your face?"
   Hawk looks at me, knowing my answer.
  "I got burned on my arm and thigh, and got hit with a whip a few times on my stomach." I respond.
  "Okay well seeing how you have burn marks I am going to go get one of our doctors from the burn unit. Do you know what they burnt you with?"
   "A lighter." I respond.
  "Okay I am going to go get a doctor from our burn unit, your doctor should be in here shortly." she says, walking out of the room .
  "Mr LaRusso and Sensei Lawrence will be here in a minute, they are trying to find a parking spot." Hawk says.
   I just look to him and look down.
  "You know Mr LaRusso said that I am welcome to stay at his house tonight." Hawk says.
"That's nice." I respond.
    I look to my legs, seeing the burn lines. Then to my wrists, seeing the scars from where the cuffs were. I remember that room, the wall of weapons across from me, the chains dangling from the ceiling. The sound of fluorescent lights. The look on that horrible man's face.
   "Are you okay?" says Hawk, making me jump, forcing me back to reality. "You look like you just saw a ghost, is everything ok?"
  "Yeah, I-" a silence comes over us for a second. "I'm fine." I say.
   He looks into my eyes, into my soul. Almost as if he knows I'm not okay, but doesn't want to cause a scene or anything. "Ok, if you are sure." he says.
   I can't help but to think about what that man said. It makes me think about the saying, 'I am invisible, simply because people refuse to see me.' I was invisible, but not anymore. Now every face in America is going to know mine. I went from being invisible to being in the spotlight. I can't help but to cry, the tears run down my face.
   Hawk looks to me. "You're safe now."
  "I know." I respond. The tears continuing to roll down my cheeks. I look to him. "Do you remember the quote from Invisible Man?"
  "No, but I also don't read books." says Hawk. "If you want to though you can say what it is."
  "I'm invisible, simply because people refuse to see me." I say.
  "You're not invisible Kate."
"Not anymore." I respond, shifting my body towards him. "Everyone forgot about the kidnapping in Utah, but they are going to be reminded once the News lets it out."
  "What do you mean?"
"The lady from the Police Department told me everyone knows. She also asked me about the kidnapping in 2016. You do the math." I say.
  "So what, in a few weeks something else will happen and it won't all be on you anymore."
  "That's not the point Hawk. Not at all."
"Okay then what is it? You can't expect me to know something unless you tell me."
  "You know how my dad told you about the 'miscarriage'."
   "Why did you just do that thing with your fingers."
  "It wasn't a miscarriage, it was an abortion. Soon enough the News will find out as well and it will be out there."
  "Does your dad know?"
"Not yet, it's just a matter of time now."
  "Who all knows other than me?"
"My mom and my brother."
   "That's what caused that big fight between you wasn't it."
  "Yeah." I say, putting my head down.
"Listen the only way they will find it is if they dig up your past."
  "I hope you don't mean that literal."
"Kate... what's going on?"
  I am about to have to give my boyfriend the real story... every single thing.