How Could You Want Me?

Chapter 5

"What do you think they're talking about?" Ashley asks looking at the window.

Carrie glances over at us through the window and looks back at Mike.

"They've been out there talking for ten minutes." Lindsay says and they both look at me.

"I don't know. Carrie looked really concerned. I mean what the big deal, there's nothing they can do." I shrug watching Carrie and Mike through the window.

"What if they try to take your mom to court?" Lindsay looks at me with wide eyes.

We all look at each other and continue watching Carrie and Mike.

**

Eventually they walk back inside and ask us to follow them back to the cars. Ashley and Lindsay both look at me as we get up and walk with Carrie and Mike.

"So we want talk to you about something." Mike says seriously looking at me.

I give Lindsay and Ashley a look and they get into their car, giving Carrie, Mike and I some privacy.

I look back at Mike, giving him the okay to continue.

Carrie gives Mike one more glance and looks back at me,

"We would like to bring you to the police station and file a report against your mother." She says nervously

"We know that this would be the only proof of physical abuse and even though you say it was an accident, we can't let you return back home after knowing what's going on. We want to open a case and hopefully get you out of this situation." Mike continues.

"And what if it doesn't work. Even is they open a case and I could still be sent back to my mother and things could get worse. I don't want to take that chance. Trust me, I've spoken to my counselor, this isn't going to work. It's useless." I say seriously.

This isn't going to work, I know it. it's going to come crumbling down on me and I can't take the chance of this getting worse. I can't.

 "How long have you talked to this counselor?" Carrie asks me.

"Since last year. I'm in her office almost ever Monday. She.... She found out I was self-harming and promised not to tell my mom if I promised to come see her every Monday or any time I felt like self harming." I say looking at the ground.

"Well, if she's willing to talk tot he police as well and help with the case, this could go farther than you think." Carrie says looking at me and then at Mike.

"I....I don't know. I'm too scared. This could go bad....re reallly b bad." I feel tears coming.

I can't go through with this, there's no way this is going to work out.

Carrie comes up to me and wraps me in a hug. I start shaking in her arms.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. We'll be there every step of the way. We aren't going to let this or anything like it happen to you again." She says looking me in the eyes.

"If you're willing to go through with this, we won't leave your side the whole time. You have our word." Mike says nodding at Carrie.

She looks at me with pleading eyes.

They seem genuinely worried about me. I can see in their eyes that they care. What if we win the case though, what happens to me?  Would they adopt me? I've dreamed about having parents like them. Could this be my chance for that dream to come true?

I want to trust them.

"Okay, I trust you." I say looking back and forth between the both of them.

I trust you....

**