WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(30)

The ride to the clinic was very awkward as neither Bryan nor my mother uttered a word. I racked my brain to find a topic that would ease things a bit but drew a blank.

"Already back, Sweetie?" The nurse who'd helped me get ready on Sunday recognized me. "Bad week, it seems?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows. In spite of her light tone, I could tell that she was suspicious. Anybody would be.

"Last time I try to stop somebody being bullied..." I interjected dejectedly. I really hoped she'd buy my lie.

"Why? What happened?" She hurried to ask.

"After my last period I went to the restroom and stumbled upon some senior girls who were surrounding a curvy freshman and laughing at her. I let them know what I thought of them and..." I gestured to my face and the different parts of my body that hurt. "You can guess what happened next..."

"Did you report them?" She asked and I grimaced.

"No, and I'm not planning to either..." I answered. "Much to my Mom's and Mr. Van Houten's disappointment..." I added for good measure.

"Well, you can understand that seeing our daughter come back from school covered with bruises is something we cannot accept as parents..." Bryan played along.

I shrugged.

"Maybe, but I won't change my mind, Bryan. If I want to graduate at Rochester Private, I have to keep quiet about it..."

I sighed loudly.

In the end, I only suffered very minor injuries, bruises, mostly, and apart from a sprained left wrist, I had to have two stitches at the end of my right eyebrow.

As soon as my mother had signed all the papers, we left the clinic and headed to Bryan's car.

The ride home was as awkward as earlier but this time exhaustion had caught up with me so I didn't even try to lighten things up.

"Could you tell everyone I've caught some contagious virus or something?" I finally asked them. "I-I don't want Nate or anyone to see me like this..." I explained.

"Sure..." My mom said quickly. "That way you'll be able to rest at home..." Her tone was off and I wondered what it implied.

"Unless you feel like going back to school, of course..." Bryan added with a pointed look that I didn't understand.

"I doubt I'll be visible before the beginning of next week..." I answered truthfully.

"I'm going to lie down, Bryan. Call me when dinner's ready..." My mother said before walking away from us slowly without a glance my way.

As Bryan followed her with his eyes, I took the opportunity to study his face and the concern that seemed etched well after she'd disappeared into the main block didn't sit well with me.

"She needs help..." I muttered.

"I know that now..." He wouldn't look at me in the eye. "But there's nothing we can do if she refuses to be helped..." So that was what was worrying him.

"She needs to think the idea came from her..." I blurted out. "And make sure nobody in the house makes disapproving comments about the way she's been treating us. Tell them to constantly ask her how she's feeling... Be extra nice and thoughtful with her..." I was listing all the things I thought would help make her be less paranoid. "It's the only way she's going to get over her fear of losing you again..."

"Why don't you hate her?" I frowned at his question. "After all the lies, the horrible things she told you, the abuse..."

"She's my Mom..." I answered simply.