Living With A Fear

Chapter 4 - Hidden secrets

"Jess, how did you get that?" Miss Parker seemed concerned.
"Get what Miss?" I remarked, trying to hide my eyes. I couldn't help but try and hide what had happened, but I was helpless, helpless of not making my injuries too obvious. I tried covering up the bruises by wearing long jumpers everyday, although the heat got the better of me that day and I had taken it off the lesson before. I was exposed.
"Wait outside Jess, just for a moment." I stood up, fast without thinking of a single thing.
"Miss it's fine honest..." I spoke just above a whisper. No answer. Just a concerned, warm face staring patiently, nodding towards the door. Without a thought, I stood up straight, almost collapsing to my feet.
"My bad... Missed the table..." I said holding a fake smile. Puzzled faces fulfilled the room. A helping hand was gestured above my head.
"Wait outside." The familiar gentle tone spoke, grabbing my once crushed hand. I got up, glanced at the worried look on her face and made my way out in to the corridor. An image of his face engraved into my soul, like he was sending a message to me, telling me not to breathe a word about him. I had a choice to either tell her or run. Run back to satan and tell him that his secret was safe.
I heard the light footed steps of Miss Parker coming towards me in a calmed, gentle manner. I looked on the floor, thinking of a way out. I didn't want to get hurt again. I took a step away from her and felt an immense pain smothering my body like a death squeeze. With my brain shutting down, I collapsed in an internal shake.
"Jess! Jess, stay with me!" The cracked, teary voice shouted, whilst touching my erupted brain and holding it steady. Other teachers gathered around me closing every gap as tightly as possible. Students were peeking out of the double-glazed
Windows to see what was going on. Rumours were being spread and an ambulance was being called.
All the commotion was soon brought to an end when the deputy head was called to attention.
"What on earth has happened? Jess? Miss Parker, what's the problem?" He spoke with authority whilst looking at her with a puzzled look on his bearded face.
"I don't know... It looks as if she's had some sort of seizure. Mr Turner has had a look at her medical notes, but there are no signs of her having anything like this in the past." Miss Parker replied in a tone that no one had heard before.
"Okay, listen calm down. Mr Turner, can we contact Jessica's parents and tell them what's going on please? Is there a pulse?" He asked taking my wrist, noticing the marks on it. He looked towards the other concerned faces. I started to wake, my heart and hands trembling with fear.
"Jess? Jess stay still for us darling, help's on the way. It's okay... What's going on Jess?" Miss Parker gentle held my head in her lap, making sure that I didn't move a muscle. She gazed at Mr Simpson, who was looking at the cuts and bruises that covered my pale blue skin. I caught sight of what was going on and immediately snatched my wrist away from him.
"Get off!" I jumped and hit my thin, boney arm and got confused, worried glances from every teacher that stood over me.
"Stay still Jess, we need to you to stay calm. Where did you get those-" Mr Simpson was cut off by the sound of the paramedics coming towards the crowded hallway with bags of equipment.
"Can we make some space please? hello darling, my name's Izzy, I'm a paramedic. What's your name love?" My mind felt completely empty, not saying a single word. I heard muffled sounds as my whole brain switched off. Panic fulfilled the atmosphere once more as I fell into a deep sleep.

Miss Parkers' POV

I've been here for at least three hours, waiting to hear how Jess is doing. We tried calling her parents to let them know what had happened but it seemed like we were being ignored, like they had more better things to do then be there when their own flesh and blood woke up. Darren had gone to get a coffee whilst we waited for an updated on the poor pupil.
As I sat there patiently, I wondered to myself. I thought of many different sparks of why she'd been away, who gave her the bruises and the cuts, was she being bullied? Was she doing it to herself?
Many thoughts flashed through my anxious head, as the doctor with the most unpleasant look on his face.
"Is she okay? Can I see her?" I asked so quickly it was almost impossible for him to keep track of what I had said. He knew I was left with unanswered questions before hand. He took a seat on the blue, plastic chairs behind us and started to explain the problem.
"I know that you're worried about Jessica and we're doing everything we can to find the source of the problem, However we might need to go to surgery to find it. Is there anyway that you could get hold of one of Jessica's parents and ask if they could pop down? We can't go ahead with surgery until we've got there permission. After all she is only thirteen." He sounded reassuring that it was all going to work out just right but I knew different. I collapsed my head into the palm of my hands and shook my head. There was no way that I could get hold of them. Every time I would call it would always go to voice mail or they would hang up. It was like they were busy with other priorities.
My mind went blank and I was speechless.
"Is there a problem?" He asked with a worried expression on his face. I glanced at him, and gasped.
"We've tried to get hold of them since the accident, but there's been no answer. My colleague and I are worried about her. She's been away for sometime now, and now there's no answer from home?" I panicked. Rushing into tiny bits of detail, I never noticed Darren was standing right in front of me with a coffee.

It took a minute or so to come to terms with the whole situation. One of the school's brightest pupils had been in hospital for several hours fighting for her life, and none of her family were sitting at her beside waiting for her to open her eyes.
"It'll be okay. I'm sure we will get hold of them soon. It's not like they're the ones doing this to Jess..." Darren gave a reassuring gesture to me and put his arm around me. I questioned his thought. Maybe it was? Could it be why she hadn't been in? Was her parents treating her this bad? I didn't want to cause any harm to her family, I nodded towards him agreeing with what he said and stared at the floor. It couldn't be... Could it?

Time flew pass, like a cheetah chasing its prey. The phone rang... It was Jess' dad.
"Hello? I have had many phone calls from this number and I am very sorry for not answering I was working. Is everything okay?" a very deep, worried tone spoke on the end of the line. I paused for a moment. Surely anything can't be more important than saving your daughters' life? With a clear, professional voice I replied to him. "Hiya, is this James? You need to come down to the hospital. I'm sorry to tell you but Jessica fell unconscious in school today and the doctors needs to go through surgery to find out the problem. For obvious reasons they need you to come in and sign a piece of paper stating that you give permission for surgery to go ahead." There was a long pause before he answered.
"Surgery? What... What Happened?" He stuttered out, with a slight crack in his voice. I could hear in the background a woman's call shouting "hang up already... say you're not bothered!" My throat began to get all clogged up with anxiousness as I spoke again.

After the phone call, I came back into Jess' room to clear crystal eyes sitting on the bed. A faint, faded voice was talking to Darren about the marks on her arm. I walked towards her fragile body, hearing every word that was spoke. I saw her gleaming smile shining straight at me.
"Jess" I said throwing my arms around her. I was so pleased to see her beaming at me.
"Jess has told me that she's been bullied. She's says that's where the marks came from."