The Other Side of Me

Chapter One: The Beginning

"Tell us what you know about an Abby Eastwood." The female officer glances down at her notes and back up to me. I keep my mind set on remaining calm and 'innocent'.

"Abby? Eastwood? I don't think I've ever heard of such a name. Sounds like the name of an actress or singer. Are you sure you have a legitimate reason for bringing me here?"

The male officer smiles, "If we didn't you wouldn't be here sweetheart." My stomach flops at the sound of that word. I am NOT his sweetheart.

The female officer continues, "Your boyfriend, John, came to us claiming you were in trouble. That you needed help and were being abused by a man named... Larry Smith? He's very concerned about you."

Goddammit John. Of course you got me into this mess.

"Well he must be mistaken. I'm perfectly fine." I respond carefully, being sure not to say too much, or too little.

"He said he's afraid your dad might be hurting you. Or that you're in a situation you might not be able to get yourself out of."

"No! My father would never... how dare you accuse him of such a thing! I have nothing to say to you!" I am infuriated, and think by choosing to plead the fifth that I will be in the clear.

"Now, we know you're involved in this. That you've put stupid little ideas into your boyfriend's head, and that he's given you a lot of money to keep you 'safe'. In fact, he stole that money from his mother's wallet to protect you from something I highly doubt is even real. So either you cooperate, or we find out the hard way and then you're in way more trouble than you could ever imagine," the male officer says this with malice in his voice. His lips curl into a smirk and he looks at his partner.

I'm already in more trouble than I thought I would be. They know so much, in so little time too. How can this be happening?

"Alright," I say, dropping my facade but still keeping a relaxed body, "There is no Abby Eastwood, I'm not in a 'faction', I'm not being abused at the moment, although when I was four I was raped for a year by my mother's boyfriend whose name was Larry Smith, John must've gotten confused and thought I was being abused now by Larry, and I did get a small amount of money from John but I had no idea he stole it and did not ask for it. I also gave nearly all of it back." I confess a small part of what I've done, trying to make this sound like a BIG misunderstanding.

"And the truth is revealed! But we know that's not the whole story. So spill it, otherwise we will go to John's soon to be very unhappy parents, and tell them how uncooperative you are being. I'm sure they will appreciate that GREATLY." The officers get up and head towards the door.

If they do that I can be charged with a criminal offense. John's parents have never been that fond of me... I have to tell them the truth.

"Wait," I say.

The officers stop, and turn to me, smiling.