Have We Gone Too Far?

“Zack, I need to have a look at you, sweetie,” she said softly. “Would you rather I got a male to do it?” she asked me.

No, I don’t want a male to do it. I don’t want anyone to! No one needs to because I'm fine. I know as a fact that Derek hasn’t done anything too damaging to me. He wanted to hurt me but his favorite way to hurt people is making them so scared that they hurt themselves. They become extremely paranoid and turn against everyone. After all, the greatest fear is fear itself, right?

“I don’t want anyone to look at me,” I hissed at her, but I knew someone would in the end. They always win.

“I need to make sure you have no other injuries,” she explained, starting to seem impatient.

My whole body started shaking, what should I do? I need to think of excuses now. Right now! I could just say I get into fights at school, I mean that’s what most people think the marks are from. Right, okay, let’s go with that then.

“Fine,” I muttered, giving into her.

“Thank you,” she smiled, “Just take off your shirt and I’ll have a look, okay? Don’t worry about it,” she smiled.

Unbuttoning my shirt was a massive challenge for me because my hands wouldn't stop shaking.

“It’s alright,” she smiled as she pushed the sleeves down from my shoulders.

It was freezing in here, which didn’t help my shaking at all. At least I could pretend I was shivering from the sudden cold on my body instead of nerves.

“How did you do this?” she asked me, noticing the bruising on my shoulder.

“A fight probably,” I whispered nervously.

“Does it hurt?”

“Not that much now,” I mumbled.

So far this isn't going too badly. She’s noticed but she’s not questioning me that much. She must believe I got in a fight, which is actually kind of true anyway.

“Right,” she smiled awkwardly, looking over at my back. “Were these cuts and bruises from a fight too?” she asked me.

“I fell down some stairs,” I told her.

Once again that’s partly true. Except I didn’t fall down them, my dad dragged me down them.

“How did that happen?” she asked me looking concerned.

“Just lost my balance,” I whispered.

She nodded at me unsurely.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” she told me before walking out.

That wasn't too bad, was it? Hopefully she won’t be back for at least ten minutes like before. That way I have more time to think, more time to calm down and more time to try and get my head together.

A smile spread across my face when someone walked in. Luckily it wasn't a nurse, or the police or anyone like that. It was Cole, my Cole.

“Thank God you’re here,” I sighed in relief as he wrapped his arms around my bare waist and I wrapped mine around his neck.

“Are you alright?” he asked me as we hugged. If felt so good knowing that he was here with me again, it’s like I have some extra support now, someone to help me get through all of this.

“Not really,” I told him. “I think Beth’s not doing too well and it’s my fault,” I sniffed as he held me tighter.

“It’s not your fault Zack,” he whispered.

“Yes it is,” I moaned. “It’s all because of me.”

“Zack, it isn't your fault. Listen to me; you can’t blame yourself for this. The only person to blame is the guy who did this to you two,” he told me.

I don’t know what it is but every word he says, I believe. When I hear things coming from his mouth it means more to me than anything. If someone else told me that I wouldn't believe them, but because it’s Cole, I do.

“Cole,” I whispered right into his ear.

“What’s up?”

“The nurse knows I was drinking in the club,” I told him.

“And what did she say?” he asked as he released me from the hug and sat down beside me.

“That I’d get a caution and they’ll get my parents involved,” I stiffened up when I mentioned them.

“Oh,” he sighed.

“They’re going to kill me Cole,” I cried.

“Maybe we should tell someone about them,” Cole said hesitantly. “I mean, if they’re locked up you’ll be safe from them.”

“I can’t,” I sniffed. “I’ll e-end up in c-care. I don’t w-want that Cole,” I cried. “I wouldn't be a-able to s-ee you again. I’d have to move and...”

I stopped talking knowing that he probably couldn’t understand me anymore.

“Calm down,” she said softly as he patted my back. “If you tell then they’ll be sent away and you’ll be safe.”

“I don’t want them to go,” I whispered.

I know how stupid that must sound but they’re my parents. They weren’t always like this. Before I started drinking and smoking and staying out to all hours, they were normal. But then they got sick of my attitude. I use to be the violent one. I’d hurt them and this was their revenge. They knew I was at an age where I could take it, so they brought it. They fought back.

If it wasn't for me acting the way I did, my parents would still act like kind, loving parents. I can’t get them in trouble because of all of the times they covered for me and had my back when I was younger and was doing things that I quite frankly shouldn’t have been doing.

Basically it’s my fault they treat me the way that they do and if they were sent to prison for it I wouldn't be able to live with myself anymore. Plus now that mum’s pregnant I could never tell on them. No matter how much I hate them I’d never want to think that my little brother or sister would be born in a prison cell. Never!

“You can do this Zack,” Cole told me.

I shook my head.

“I'm not telling on them Cole. I don’t care what you say, I’m not doing it,” I hissed at him as I wiped some of the tears from my eyes. “I won’t do it.”

“Zack-”

“I'm not doing,” I interrupted him.

“Fine,” Cole said, giving into me. “But you know that this is only going to get worse now, don’t you?”

I nodded weakly. That nurse has probably called my parents already now. She said she had to, so she will. It’s as simple as that.

“Cole,” I sniffed. “The nurse said she was calling my mum and dad. They might suspect something if you’re with me when they get here,” I told him.

“They won’t,” he mumbled, not sounding too sure about that. “And I'm not leaving you here if they’re coming,” he told me.

“Thanks,” I whispered. “But, I think I need to talk and they won’t tell me anything if you’re here.”

“How about I wait outside your room when they get here? Would that be alright?” he asked me.

I nodded weakly at him and smiled a little. Knowing that Cole is near probably will make me feel safer. At least if something goes wrong I know he’ll be just outside, waiting for me.

***

After a while the nurse walked back in and smiled at me before sending a confused look to Cole.

“And you are?” she asked, still holding that smile she gave me seconds ago.

“Cole Sanders,” he smiled and stood up to shake her hand.

In my head I laughed a little. Cole being polite is a funny thing for me to think about, I don’t know why, but seeing him like this really makes me smile.

“Okay then,” she said awkwardly. “I'm Maria and I've been looking after Zack,” she smiled again.

I don’t know what it is about people who are bright and smiley all of the time but they always make me feel really annoyed and angry because, well, no one can be that happy all of the time. It’s not normal!

“Right Zack, I'm going to have another look at that shoulder of yours and I'm afraid I had to get in contact with your parents,” she told me.

Cole was tensing up in the corner; he clearly wasn't happy to hear that, even though I’ve already told him that she’d call them. I tried to act cool though, like it didn’t bother me at all. She won’t be as suspicious that way.

“It’s alright,” I whispered.

“And once I’ve made sure your shoulder’s fine, the police are going to need a word with you about what happened.”

Police... I'm ready. I know I'm ready. I’ll tell them as much as I can, anything I don’t want them to know I can just say I can’t remember; blame it on my head injury.

“Oh, and Mr. Sanders, weren’t you the one who found them?”

“Yes, I was,” he said looking a bit worried to be honest. Sometimes he can act like there’s nothing bothering him but other times he’s like this and it’s really obvious that something’s on his mind.

“They’ll need a word with you too then,” she said.

So this is it then. I'm going to speak to the police and tell them as much of the truth as I can. Then there are my parents. They’ll want to know where I've been, what happened, about the drinking. But I have things to ask them too. Be brave Zack, it’s going to be a long day.