Scarred

Chapter 2

I sat in the interogation room at the police station nervously. I kept toying with the golden locket around my neck. It was the only valuable thing I owned. I've kept it around my neck for several years now - as long as I can remember. It was my mother's before she died. It's the only thing I have of hers.

When Officer Martinez finally came into the room, I immediately dropped the locket. I didn't want him to see that I was nervous. "Hello, Miss Torres," he said.

"Officer Martinez," I said, acting like I was barely acknowledging his presence.

"Let's get this started," the officer said, sitting down in the seat across from me. "Please look at me, Quinn."

"I'm not a child," I said. "You can't tell me what to do."

"Okay, fair enough," he said. I knew what he was doing; he was acting like I had a say in something to make me cooperate with him. But I wouldn't give in that easily.

"So, Miss Torres," he said, "do you have any parents? I'd like to call them up here."

"My mom's dead," I said bluntly, still staring at the desk in between me and the officer.

"What about your father?"

"He left."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Yeah," I said. Out of the corner of my eye, I could that Officer Martinez looked a little surprised by my answer. I ignored the look.

"Where is he?" the officer asked.

"He lives on Ward Parkway," I told him.

"Wait," he said. "The house you just vandalized...?"

"That was his."

"Ahh, now we're getting down to it," the officer said. "Well, I'm going to call him up since you're a minor."

"Please don't," I begged, finally looking at him.

"I'm sorry, Miss Torres," he said. "I've got to follow protocol. What's his name?"

"Robert Torres."

"Okay," Officer Martinez said, turning on his computer to look at his database. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. I tuned the conversation out while I played with my locket again. When he finally put the phone down, he turned back to me.

"Now, will you tell me where you live Miss Torres? Are you in the foster care system?" he asked.

"No," I said. "I told you, I live on Mic-O-Say. I was abandoned by my father years ago and left with an old woman and her husband. The husband died not too long after, leaving just me and Mrs. Peters. Then, when I was about thirteen, Mrs. Peters suddenly died. I've been living on my own in the house ever since."

"Who pays the bills, then?" Officer Martinez asked.

"No one," I said. "I use a backup generator for the kitchen and bedroom lights. A friend gave me a key to a hotel room at the nearest Drury; I ride my bike there every day to take showers and stuff. I use the McDonalds that's nearby for my bathroom. That's all I need really." Suddenly, for some reason, I felt like pouring out my whole life right then and there. I'd held it in too long, and it need to get out.

Robert arrived just then. "Officer Martinez," he said. I looked at him. I hadn't truly seen him in thirteen years. I'd seen him a few times around town, but never up close like this.

"Hello, Mr. Torres," Officer Martinez said, getting up to shake Robert's hand. "Please, have a seat." Robert took the seat next to me. I kept my eyes down.

"Hey, Quinn," Robert said, taking in my brown hair streaked with purple highlights, my nose ring, my black clothes, and the long feathered earring hanging out of my right ear. I ignored him.

"Mr. Torres," Officer Martinez said. "Your daughter has been arrested for vandalism. It is protocol for me to contact any living parents if the person arrested is a minor."

"He's not my father," I groaned. "I mean he is, but he has nothing to do with this. He doesn't take care of me."

"Oh, how is Mrs. Peters doing, anyways?" Robert asked.

"She's dead," I said bluntly. Robert looked down as if he was ashamed he didn't know that.

"Please," the officer said, "don't fight. Miss Torres, you told me it was Robert's house that you vadalized?"

"You WHAT?" Robert screamed.

"It's not like you care," I said sarcastically.

"I care about my house!" Robert shouted.

"Yeah, that's all you care about!" I shouted back. "All you care about is your stupid house and your stupid girlfriend and your stupid car and your stupid new life that doesn't involve your real daughter! I am your flesh and blood and you still don't even give a shit about me! So don't be coming here and acting all like you care and that you're my father and crap like that because you're not. You're not and you never will be my father. Got it?" I took a deep breath. Robert stared at me, shocked. I wanted to start screaming again just because of the look on his face, but I held myself together.

"I don't know what I did to deserve-" he started, but I cut him off.

"I can't believe you!" I yelled. "You abandoned your own daughter thirteen years ago, and when she gets angry about it, you act like you did nothing wrong? You're the reason my life is the piece of shit it is. It's all you. If you hadn't adandoned your frickin' daughter, I wouldn't be here right now as the messed up child I am! So that's what you did. Do you understand now?" With that, I sighed and stormed out.

"Police!" I heard Officer Martinez yell. "Police, we've got a girl on the lose! She's been arrested and she's running! I repeat, she's been arrested and she's running!" But I didn't care. I kept running, because even police could not make me sit in that room with that shell of a man who calls himself my father.