Hello My Name Is...

LATER THAT MORNING.....

Seth and Elle walked out of Art Studio 4 together. They shared this class together, a course to help broaden and improve their already brilliant art technique. Seth had been drawing, painting, and sculpting at an early age. Some would have called him a prodigy with his art, but he saw it as nothing more than a passion. Elle was a gifted illustrator and hoped to write and animate her own short cartoon one day. Art and skateboarding were the two things they held in common.

"So what's your favorite media to work with?" Elle asked him as they walked down the hall.

"I'd say charcoal and cante'', just something about the texture and shading," he replied.

"I see your point, but I personally like watercolor and oil pastel. So much brilliant color and expression in them!" Elle said.

Seth nodded, "True, but you can portray just as much emotion with black and white as you could with color, if not more."

Elle had to agree with him on that. The numerous art books and portfolios of Andy Warhol, Munch, Picasso, Rembrandt, The Keinholtz's, to name a few, had elaborate scenes and depictions of everyday life made brilliant.

"Do you plan on going to college for art and design?" Elle asked.

Seth shrugged, "I don't know, where would I get the money?"

"A scholarship! I mean, you're really talented, so why not join the Art Honor Society? That would really help you put your name out there!" Elle said, getting excited.

"Yeah, but I'd have to stay after school for that, and my old man doesn't want me out and about after school," Seth said blandly with bitterness.

"Oh. Uh, Seth?" Elle asked, stopping suddenly.

"Yeah, what?" he replied, looking back at her.

"I've been wanting to talk to you about that lately."

Seth turned away, "There's nothing to talk about Elle, c'mon let's go."

Elle stood adamant, "No! We need to talk about this!"

Seth groaned, "Just drop it okay?! It's not important!"

Before anything more could be said, Principle Waters marched up to Seth with their Guidance Counselor Mrs. Peters in tow. They stood in front of Seth, concerned looks on their faces.

"Seth Wilks?" the Principle asked, looking Seth up and down.

"Yeah, what do you want fat man?" Seth said coldly.

The principle cleared his throat, ignoring the comment, "Listen Seth, me and Mrs. Peters would like to have a word with you about a certain matter that has come to our attention as of late. Would you please follow me to my office so we can talk about it?"

Seth wasn't certain what they were talking about, but he had a good idea. He turned to face Elle, his eyes narrowed and cold.

"You told them about it?! You went behind my back and told them?! What the fuck is wrong with you?! Why would you do that?!" he screamed at her.

"I did it because he's hurting you Seth! Everyday, I see a new bruise on you, and it hurts to see it! I did this because you need help!" Elle cried, taking a step towards her disdained friend.

He pushed her away, "Don't touch me! I cant' believe you would do this! To me of all people!"

Elle started to cry, covering her mouth with her hand to quiet her sobs. Other students in the hall stopped to watch the scene. The Principle told them to move along and get to class, while Mrs. Peters escorted Seth to the office. He cast a glance at Elle, he looked betrayed.

"If looks could really kill, my profession would be staring.." he muttered to her.

IN THE PRINCIPLES OFFICE.....

Seth sat in a plush cushioned chair, slumped down low in it. He had a look of unease, the same feeling of the atmosphere that was settling in the room. The Principle sat behind his desk, while the guidance counselor sat in a chair next to Seth.

"So Seth, we've gotten word of you and your friends having constant run ins with another group of boys. The few times there was a stand off, you all walked away without incident. But we want to cut down on group hostilities amongst other diversities. I'm sure you know what happened to Clay Vickers right?"

Seth stared at the Principle, but said nothing.

"That is only one of our issues with you. We also know that you have been smoking cigarettes on school property, one of the janitors saw you and your friend indulging in that activity before school near the loading docks. We'd appreciate it if you stopped these activities before we have to take any further action."

Seth remained silent, his eyes downcast at the floor.

The Guidance Counselor spoke up, "Listen Seth. We also know about your home situation. A lot of the faculty and students have noticed bruising, cuts, scars, and scabs on various locations on your body. We've been meaning to investigate on this matter for quite some time but-,"

"But a white trash street punk isn't on your priority list right?" Seth said bitterly.

Mrs. Peters sighed, "No Seth, it's not like that at all. We didn't want to assume anything until we had concrete proof. We know you skateboard a lot, so we didn't want to jump to conclusions that those marks and bruises were from a skateboarding mishap."

Seth slouched even lower in his chair, "Yeah, cause skateboarding injuries include cigarette burns and whippings.."

"Excuse me?!" Mrs. Peters exclaimed in surprise.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it," Seth mumbled.

Principle Waters leaned forward in his seat, "Look Seth, we aren't here to judge you, or blame you for anything. We want to help you, to fix this pressing matter as quickly as possible. A man, a father, has no right to lay hands on his children. Why won't you cooperate with us?"

Seth grew silent again, a dark cloud of foreboding hovering over his head like a black miasma.

"Unless you get help, this won't ever stop. And it has been proved, that those who were victim to child abuse, may one day continue the cycle with their own children. Do you want that Seth? Do you want to look down at your own son or daughter, and see those swollen black eyes and bruise-,"

"Shut the fuck up bitch!" Seth suddenly screamed, lurching forward in his chair.

Mrs. Peters jumped in her seat from the sudden outburst. Principle Waters removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"That'll be enough Mrs. Peters, you can go back to your office for now. I'll page you if we need any further assistance," Principle Waters said, excusing the Guidance Counselor from the room.

"Of course, " she said quietly as she got up and left the office.

The Principle sighed heavily as he slowly rose from his own seat behind the large oak paper strewn desk. He walked around the desk to stand in front of the single window in his office.

"Seth, do you love your family?" he asked, his back turned to the student.

Seth remained silent.

The Principle continued, "Your brother Sean once walked through these very same halls as you. He was a rebel, just like you too. He only made it to Junior year, before dropping out. We'd hear about him in the newspaper, about his exploits and petty crimes. He's in jail now isn't he?"

Seth bit his lip, to keep from speaking out.

"See, although he was a rough and tough kid, he tended to stick up for those kids in need. He wasn't a bully, far from it. He once beat up another skater kid, like him, for pushing a 'Nerd' down a flight of stairs. He never liked to see weaker people being hurt. My guess is, he was the same way with you wasn't he?"

The Principles back was facing Seth, who still sat quiet and motionless.

"I know you were doing the same for that boy that one day. Hell, I'd have done the same if I were in your position. You see, Seth, years ago when I was a kid, my father used to beat me. He would beat me, my mother, my sister, and my brother bloody almost every night. I felt it was my responsibility to take the blows for them. I'd say something ignorant to my father, so he'd wale on me instead of them. I'd have died for them, and I almost did."

Seth turned to face the Principle, his back still turned. Seth didn't know what to say or think. He was uncertain if the man was even telling him the truth.

But the Principle continued, his voice somber and calm. He had made peace with his past.

"So one night, my father starts beating my little sister. He tells her she didn't clean the dishes properly, starts beating her with a bungee cord. My brother tries to stop him, but it only made it worse. I went and did what any frightened and angry kid would do, I went and started to fight back. But it didn't work out quite as I had planned. Instead of him concentrating on me for hitting him and leaving the others alone, he threw me through our living room window and into the yard."

Seth cringed, he really didn't want to hear this. It made his own flesh and bones ache and hurt, reminding him of his own suffering and pain.

"I was rushed to the hospital, fragments of glass in my body. Surgery, rehabilitation, you name it, I had to do it. While I had been laying there unconscious, he finished up on my sister and brother. He killed my little sister, she was only seven years old Seth."

Seth sat up, covering his face with his hands, "Why are you telling me this?!"

"Because Seth," the Principle said, finally turning to face him, "If nothing is done about this, your father hurting you, it will never end. I know you think this is a part of life, that this is all that there is to life. But it isn't. Life is pain, yes. But it is your pain, not someone else's grievances scapegoated onto you. That is not pain, that is unnecessary torture and endangerment. You need help Seth, but no one can help you unless you want that help."

Seth broke down. He buried his face in his hands and wept. He wept for his brother taking those countless beatings for him, his mothers broken fingers and jaw,. He cried for all the pain that he had gone through, thinking it was what daddies did to their sons and wives. He continued to cry as the Principle went to his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed in the Children's Services hot line number.

"Principal Waters? A young lady is here to see the boy. I insisted she wait till later, but..." the receptionist said over the intercom.

"That's fine, send her in. I'm sure the boy could use a friend right now," the Principle replied into his end of the intercom.

The door to the office opened, and Elle came in. She immediately went to Seth, who now sat sobbing bitterly in his chair. His head was hung low, as he clung to the armrest for support. She lifted his head and cradled it to her chest, where he continued to sob. He clung to her like a child would to a mother, he held on tight to her and wouldn't let go.

"Seth..." Elle said softly, her voice sounding so tiny.

She began to cry too, not able to withstand seeing her friend at the breaking point. She smoothed his hair as he let himself go, the most fragile of hardened steel shattering before her.

"I'm sorry," he stammered between sobs.

"Shh...you have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing at all," she said, gently rocking him.

The Principle finished his phone call, setting the phone back down on the receiver, "Okay Seth, the police and a representative from Children Services will be here shortly to interview you and to go over certain details. Will you be able to cooperate?"

Seth nodded, "Yes, I'll do whatever it takes to make this stop."

"Very good. Just sit tight for now," the Principle said, getting out of his chair again, "I'll leave the two of you alone until the proper authorities show up. I'll let you know when they arrive."

And with that, the Principle walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"What will happen now?" Seth asked, his crying dropping down to a low sniffle.

"The healing process," Elle said softly, gently kissing the top of his head.

Seth closed his eyes, and pulled her closer to him. He felt so tired all of a sudden.

"It would be nice to sleep..." Seth murmured.

"Sleep?" Elle asked, still smoothing his hair with a hand.

"Yeah...sleep...without...worrying about...dad...coming in..and..." he said softly, drifting off into sleep.

"And what?" Elle asked.

"Nothing...wake me up when they get here kay?" Seth said with a yawn, snuggling up closer to Elle.

Elle nodded, "Sure."

She continued to hold him and caress his hair until a tall man in a police uniform, walked into the room and began the interview and investigation.