Protection

Bullies

-THE NEXT MORNING-

Erin walks into the room and wakes me up for school. I slowly wake up feeling sick. I get changed into some ripped jeans and a black hoodie as it's a non uniform day. I walk out into the kitchen to see Erin sitting at the island and Voight at the oven cooking. "You ready for school kiddo." I mumble a yes and go sit next to Erin. "You feeling okay honey?" I nod my head and lay my head in my hands. Voight finishes cooking and slides a pancake each to me and Erin. I eat about 4 bites of mine before I put it down. "I'm gonna go grab my school bag and make sure I have everything in it ready." I slowly make my way back to Erin's room and grab my backpack. I sit down on the bed praying that this sick feeling goes away before I get to school. A few minutes later I head back out to the kitchen ready to head to school. Me and Erin head out to the car and she drives me to school. We both get out of the car and head inside together so Erin can talk to the head teacher. As we walk in the receptionist calls out to me. "Amber! Come over here!" I walk over confused and lean against the window frame. "I have been told to tell you that you have a meeting with the councillor today during third period." I look at her puzzled. "No I don't. Why do I have a meeting with her?" She shrugs her shoulders just as the head teacher appears to talk to me and Erin. "Amber. How are you feeling?" I shrug my shoulders and he leads me and Erin to his office. "So. You said you want to change Ambers contact information on the system?" Erin nods. "I do. I would like to change them to be my information." The head looks from Erin to me and back again. "Is there any particular reason for this? We aren't allowed to change information without information from parents-" I cut across him, "He isn't my parent." Erin takes my hand to calm me down and continues talking to the principal. "I would like to change the information to be mine as Matthew has been arrested due to child abuse so now Amber is under my care. So I would appreciate it if you would change it please." The head tries to go against her again. "And what relation do you have to her because we have never heard a mention of you?" I answer this time. "This is Erin. She has no relation to me but she has been more of a parent to me than Matthew ever was!" The head looks towards me. "Yes but Amber you know that we can't just change information. We don't even know who she is. We need to put your safety first." Erin speaks up. "I'm detective Erin Lindsey. I am the police officer who saved Amber. You claim you care for her but I believe you phoned home a few days ago because she came to school with bruises on her body. If that didn't happen in school then the first thought you should have if you see something like that is to contact the police. Something you didn't do. So I'd recommend putting my info down for Ambers guardian." After 10 minutes of swapping Matthews information out for Erin's, the two of us stand up to leave. As I reach the door the head teacher speaks up once more. "Amber I don't know if the teacher in reception told you but you have a meeting with the councillor during third period." I turn to look at him. "Mr Brown. I will tell you what I told her. No I don't and if I do, I'm not going." I walk out with Erin behind me and show her out. Once she leaves I head to first period as the meeting with Mr Brown took the 20 minutes of form time.
First lesson feels like it drags on for hours and with every passing minute I feel like I'm going to be sick more and more. The minute the bell rings to signal the end of lesson, I grab my bag and rush out trying to get to the bathroom. I get close to the bathroom before somebody grabs my bag and pulls me back. I spin around to find Olivia. The girl who had been bullying me since primary school. "Where was you during form this morning? I didn't have anybody to annoy." I try to push myself away from her but I can't. "Let go please Olivia. I need to go to the bathroom!" She pushes me but keeps ahold of me. "Oh but where would be the fun in that? Who's the woman I saw you walking in with this morning? Is it your mum? Oh wait it can't be cause she's dea-!" I shove her so that she lets go of me. Boy did I regret that. She punches me in the stomach. Bad decision on her end as well. I throw up all down her shirt. As soon as I gathered myself together, I run straight out of the doors, crying in pain, both physically and emotionally. I run for about 20 minutes before I decide that it's safe enough to stop and sit down. I sit on a bench and try to stop crying.
About an hour later Voight pulls up in front of me. As soon as I see he's there, I wipe the tears away from my face and start running again. I keep on running but I see Erin. I stop for a second, trying to figure out if I should run again. I decide to do it because it would save me from getting into trouble if I can outrun her.

A/N- Sorry if some of these phrases confuse you. I'm British so that's how I talk. Hope you're enjoying the book so far!