Don't You Dare Tell Anyone Mr. Stevens

My heart escapes from my chest and he has a firm grip on my wrists. With wide eyes he scours my face and my injuries. I shake my head trying to escape his grasp but I am too weak. He knows. He already knows. It's over for me.
"Tess" he says unable to say anything else. The tears come pouring down my face and I don't bother wiping them. I look around frantic.
"Is she here? Did she follow me?" I say and scour the dark streets for her face. I couldn't think the only thought running through my mind was run. Run. Run as fast as I could run for the hills until I couldn't see anything anymore. I feel my knees shake and they begin to give out below me.
"Tess what's wrong?" he asks and I look around and the sobs come.
"I have to go, I have to leave before she finds me!" I say and he pulls me onto the side walk.
"Who? Tell me Tess whose coming after you?" he asks and I can't speak from all the crying.
"I have to go!" I say and try once hard to run but he won't let go. When he doesn't I begin to fall to my knees.
"Please let me go! I have to run! I have to leave or she'll find me!" I whimper moan and cry all at the same time. My skin pulsing my veins vibrating from the pain and the blood dripping down my arm. My arms stay in front of my my fingers stretched out begin to resemble the twigs of a tree but dripping blood. He almost falls with me and I want to scream. I want to leave. My head falls forward past his shoulder and his arms wrap around my waist tight keeping me from crying while I weep.
"I have to..." I say out of breath from all the crying. I gasp for air. "She's going to find me" I moan quietly and my mind is everywhere. I feel like I have crawled out of my skin.
He looks around quickly from side to side and begins to walk.
"Come on" he says and I can't see through the bloody tears only smeared headlights of cars. We were only a block or two away from the school and we end up in front of the school gates. He pulls out keys and they easily unlock the front gate. His grandfather I forgot owned the school. No wonder he had keys. He gently pushed me past the gate and unlocked the doors to the school. He turned on some lights so that we can see and he sat me down on a chair in front of the nurses office. He bends down in front of me.
"Don't move. I'm going to call 911" he says.
"No!" I scream and grab his shoulders pulling him back down in front of him.
"Please no don't! You don't understand! She'll come for me if she finds out!" I say and his eyes look conflicted with sorrowful emotion. If he called the hospital they would call my mother and I would be sent back home. Or worse. They'll investigate and find out our secrets. They'll take Ben away from me. I can't let them take Ben away from me.
"Alright" he says. He squeezes my hands. "But don't move" he says and walks away. He comes back a moment later and unlocks the door to the nurses office. "Come on" he says and takes my arm and gently helps me out of my chair. Everything throbs and pulses.
"Ben!" I gasp and he looks at me. Ben was at a friends house. What if he went home?
"What if he goes home? I can't leave him there" I say ready to run out the door and remember I can't even breathe without pain let along run.
"Lucy" he says and I look at him.
"What?" I ask truly astonished.
"Lucy" he says again. "Lucy isn't just a character in you story is she?" he asks and I fell myself die on the inside. He couldn't possibly know. I shake my head softly.
"I don't know what you're talking about" I say and he shakes his head.
"Yes, you do" he says softly and sits me down inside.
"Your story I noticed" he said and went into the cabinets like he knew what he was doing.
"The characters, their features characteristics. It was all you. You're Lucy" he says.
"You're insane" I say. You're right.
He shakes his head and washes the blood from my arm.
"At first I just thought it was a coincidence that Lucy shared some of your characteristics but then I noticed. Lucy had a bruise on her arm. You had the same bruise three days ago. Lucy didn't go to school for the tree days. You did the same the week before. Lucy had a wonderful teacher. We had Mr.Stevens. Lucy had her best friends James and Janelle. You had Patty and Ethan. At first I thought I must have gone crazy" he says and shakes his head looking down at the cuts on my hand from when I slammed the vase into mom's head. "But then..." he says and trails off.
"I noticed Lucy would lie and was very private. You did the same. Whatever happened to you the same happened to Lucy a few days later. The abuse Lucy received in her house. That was you. Just hidden behind the words on a paper. Lucy's lies were similar to yours. Mr.Stevens and I talked about it once. He thinks the same thing" he says and look at me. "Lucy wouldn't tell anyone her secret. I have a feeling you share the same secret. So I guess I'm Will the one she lies too" he says. My mouth parts to speak but instead I take in air. Air I hadn't realized I needed. He knows now. What am I supposed to say?
My arms were done, cleaned and wrapped in gaze. I had an ice pack to my stomach and I couldn't say anything.
"Well?' he says and pushes the blood soaked hair from my face.
"Say something" he says and I shrug but when I finish I regret it because of the burning ache.
"What do you want me to say?" I ask "You broke me" I say and its almost a whisper.
"That day when I asked you how you got an idea from such a story. You said it just came to but I..." he says and trails off. "I couldn't known I wish I did I could have helped I was blind and didn't notice" he says and his hand comes to my cheek where the bruise and cut is. He shakes his head breathing in deeply.
"If only I'd know" he says and I shut my eyes. So this is what death feels like.
"If only you'd said something sooner" he says with his hand hovering over my face. I couldn't but feel so cold. I lean into his hand and his look reminds me of the one mom used have when she was hurt. Utterly miserable. I squeeze my eyes shut and the tear comes trickling down. i wish I didn't look like this. Like such a mess. I can taste the blood from my cut lip. This is ridiculous. I wish I could have said something sooner but a I couldn't.
Riley's hand was warm on my cheek and a tear fell and hit his hand. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Me of all people weak and crying. And in front of him I couldn't be and feel more vulnerable. I rest my hand upon his the one that's on my cheek. I keep my eyes shut and I suddenly feel tired like I want to sleep.
"What happened?" he asks and I say nothing. I just shake my head slightly.
"Who did this to you" he says. The tears come rushing down and I slightly smile but not because I'm happy. I look up at him.
"I can't tell you" I say.
"But why?" he pleads and takes my other hand in his. "Please let me help you. Why won;t you tell me?" he asks.
"Because" I say my voice cracking so much the word comes out like a soundless whisper. "They'll take Ben away from me" I say and the weight has been lifted from my chest. I had been wanting to tell someone anyone that for so long. And now I finally have.
The door flies open and Mr.Stevens comes pouring in. I look at him with wide eyes.
"It's about time you showed up" Riley says but he isn't the least bit annoyed or hostile. Just tired. Mr.Stevens seemed out of breath.
"Well you called I came as fast as I could" he says and his eyes find me. "Oh Tess" he says. Riley completely lets go of me and steps back. "How did this happen?" he asks and looks at me.
"I'm fine" I say and Riley makes a sound. Mr.Stevens shoots him a glare and looks back at me.
"It was your mother wasn't it? Or is it your father? Is he back?' he asks.
"My father is unspeakable" I snap and he looks at me.
"Tess tell me the truth and don't you dare lie to me. I know the truth" he says and the fear begins to course through my veins. Mr.Stevens looks at Riley. "We have to call the police let them know what's happening" he says.
"No!" I snap and grab his wrists.
"No Mr.Stevens you don't understand please! I'll tell you the truth OK? Just please!" I say and he looks soft again. That's the Mr.Stevens I know.
I let out a deep breath. "You don't need to know of my father no on does" I say and look at them with an angered face. Then I look down at my hands and my eyes fall shut. I look at them again softer this time.
"Yes it was my mother. It's true" I say "Lucy is me. Tess" I say and Riley leans against the far end of the wall. Crossed arms and crossed legs in front of him. "I never told anyone because they would take Ben away and he needs me. They'd shove him in some foster home with a bunch of strangers" I say and scour their faces for emotion. Yet I find none. Almost like they're statues. I look at Riley. "Please don't tell anyone if not for my sake then for Ben's" I ask and he's easier to convince. He nods. "I promise" he says. He comes the challenge and I look at Mr.Stevens
I need to use force on him. "You know the truth now" I say. "So"
He crosses his arms and let's out a deep breath.
"Don't you dare tell anyone Mr.Stevens" I say