In the Dark

chapter 5

Mrs.Carter openend the door to her classroom and I went to my usual spot behind and under her desk. I loved being in that spot. It was perfect. Warm, comfy and the only person that could see me was Mrs. Carter. I crawled in and laid my head on the pillow while pulling the blankets over me." Dont we get report cards today" I asked trying to distract her from asking me anymore questions.
"Yes you do but I already have yours" she said as she pulled Cassie out of her bag and handed her to me. she then pulled out a yellow piece of paper and started reading off of it. English A+, science A+ , history A+, Photography A+ , choir A+ and last but not least algebra 1 A+" she said smiling. I laughed a little but then winced in pain as I tried to shift positions. I held cassie close to me noticing something around her neck. As I looked closer I saw it was a gold heart shaped locket. It had a pink diamond in the top left hand corner and in the middle engraved in the most beautiful cursive writing I have ever seen was Katherine with a little butterfly at the end of it. Mrs.Carter smiled when she saw I had discovered the necklace. I looked up at her with disbelief in my eyes. "Do you like it" she asked excitedly. "Do I like it? I love it it's so beautiful thank you so much!" "Your welcome my sweet girl. why don't you open it up." I did as she asked and opened the heart shaped locket inside was a picture of Mrs.Carter the boys and I. It was my favorite picture of us. We were in a gorgeous wooded area behind Mrs.Carter's house. It had flower's everywhere and It even had a little waterfall in the background. Mrs.Carter was sitting on a stone wall with a huge oak tree behind it. She had her arms wrapped around me. I had her oldest son Landon on my shoulders and her youngest son Brayden in my arms fast asleep. we were all smiling brightly even Brayden smiled as he slept. Wow those were the good days I thought as I fought hard to keep my tears back. I looked at the other side and engraved in that same beautiful cursive writing that was on the front were the words " Your family loves you more than all the stars in the sky and God does too." My family? I thought it took a minute for everything to sink in. "Mrs. Carter thinks of me as family?" I thought but must have said it out loud because as soon as I did Mrs. Carter said" yes I do think of you as family to be exact I think of you as my daughter" she smiled and reach for the locket to put it on me." really " I asked as I stood up so she could put it on me. my hood had fallen off my head without me realizing it. Mrs.Carter put the locket on me and I turn to face her. I looked at her and watched her smile disappeared. She covered her mouth with one hand and her eyes got watery. "what's wrong" I asked watching the color drain from her face. Mrs.Carter rose her hands to my face moving my hair behind my ears. "Katherine what happened to you" Mrs. Carter said as tears overflowed from her eyes. I put my hands on my face realizing I have screwed up. I pushed her hands away and fell to my knees backing away from her. my sweatshirt fell off one shoulder revealing even more of my injuries. Mrs.Carter got down beside me and went to unzip my hoodie. "Don't." I said pushing her hands away. "Regina Katherine" she said using my whole name and looked at me more serious than I had ever seen her do before. she went again to unzip the hoodie and I didn't protest this time. The hoodie fell off my shoulders and I couldn't hold the tears any longer expressly seeing Mrs.Carter cry. She pulled my socks off and threw them next to the Hoodie. most of my injuries were now exposed and my heart started to race as I pulled my knees up to my chest and started to rock back and forth. I cried in pain as I huged my knees closer to me "Regina Katherine you have to talk to me" Mrs. Carter blurted out again using my full name. She has never used my full name while talking to me so I knew she was serious. I felt like my mind was shutting down and I could no longer process anything Mrs. Carter tried to stop me from rocking "Kat you have to tell me what happened please let me help you" she said know a little softer. Then all the sudden everything sunk in and the pain hit me like a ton of bricks. I realize there was no getting out of this one no excuse of falling can be use this time. Tears stream down my face like waterfalls. "it Burns" was all I managed to get out "kat tell me who did this to you" Mrs Carter said pleading with me. "I can't I can't" I muttered still rocking back and forth "Kat please you have to tell me who did this to you" she said and I could hear the pain in her voice. I watched her stand and start to pace back and forth."I have to get you to the hospital now" she said walking back to me. I looked at her horrified. "No! please don't he'll kill me!" I yelled now frantic. "who Kat who will kill you!?" Mrs.Carter looked into my eyes and my heart sunk. "Kat I promise that I will not let anything or anyone hurt you anymore but you have to tell me who did this to you." It was no use I couldn't lie to her anymore. I knew there was no use in even trying to argue with her because she always wins. Anyways. "Daddy" I said softly. "I knew he was hurting you he's been the one putting all those bruises on you isn't he" I looked away as I saw the tears streaming down her beautiful face. I let go of my knees and crawled back to my spot and faced the wall. I felt Mrs. Carter's hand on my back and  I start to cry again." I'm sorry" I yelled falling apart. "Sorry? Sorry for what? This is not your fault! I'm sorry for not protecting you!! I knew something was off but yet I did nothing and God Kat I'm so sorry!!" Mrs.Carter cried. "I have to get us some help. I need to get you to the hospital." Mrs.Carter said quickly jumping up and wiping the tears from her eyes. "No don't Mrs.Carter please just let me stay with you in here! please you cant tell anyone this please!" I pleaded with her as I turned and looked at her." But Kat I have to you have serious injuries and need to be seen baby" "No please I'm serious if daddy finds out that I told you he'll kill me Mrs. Carter just please don't tell anyone! "Kat sweetie calm down I won't tell anyone but if you don't get any better by tomorrow I'm taking you to hospital you're not going back home either" she said as she got back down beside me. "But I have to he's my dad. He was just drunk and he didn't know what he was doing he didn't mean to burn me and rap... I mean he didn't mean it." Mrs. Carter looked at me horrified. The tears that she Dried came back as she just stared at me. " my god Kat please no"she cried grabbing my hands I looked down knowing she heard my slip up and knew exactly what I did not want her to know. As I looked at her my tears fell like rain again her hands tighten around mine. "God Kat did he...." She looked away trying to wrap her head around all of this. "Did your dad rape you kat?" With that question it all seemed so real. There was no more denying it now. "Yes" I cried as I broke down. I drew up into a ball again and rocked. Mrs.Carter was speechless. I could see the pain in her eyes as she watched me. She pulled me to her and wrapped her arms around me. I pulled back and looked at her. "He didn't mean to hurt me right" I asked knowing the truth but wanting to hear a lie. Mrs.Carter wiped my tears away and tucked my hair behind my ears. I laid my head on her chest and she stroked the side of my face lightly. "I don't know honey I really don't I can't see how you can see any good in him at all. Especially after what he has done." "I don't anymore but I try to". I said as I relaxed a little. I got that same feeling that I had earlier when I took Mrs.Carters hand. Again I never wanted to leave the spot with her. Mrs. Carter started to sing to me. Her voice was like an Angels. She sang one of my favorite songs and i wrapped my arms tight around her waist as she sang one of my favorite songs. "you were my strength when I was weak you were my voice when I couldn't speak you were my eyes when I couldn't see you saw the best there was in me lifted me up when I couldn't reach you gave me faith because you believed I'm everything I am because you loved me" she just kept singing that song to me over and over again as I laid there and listen I could not help but drift off to sleep. When I woke up I could hear Mrs.Carter's voice and kids whispering trying not to be obvious. I was tucked away in my corner again so I laid there quietly and listen to Mrs. Carter explain the lesson to the class. I clung to Cassie as I heard Mrs.Carter give the class their homework. Then she came and sat back down at her desk and started typing. She didn't notice that I was awake yet so I just laid there silent.