Switched Up

Chapter 15

I nod and as soon as they walk out, I quickly change and lay down on my stomach.

A couple minutes later the two walk back in.

"Alright, let's get started," Dr. Sean says, now serious.

He works on my back and talks to me as he does, "How did you get this originally?"

I feel like I'm back in the apartment when I first met the other boys and how I tried to lie then as well.

I can lie or I can tell the truth.

I choose to lie. Or try to at least.

I force a laugh, "Fell down the stairs."

Mr. Blackbourne chimes in, "Please answer truthfully, Mrs. Sorensen."

I don't know why I thought they would buy it. I'm no good at this.

I just so happen to pick the people to go to who can read me like an open book.

Dr. Sean continues to work on my back while he says, "I assume the same person who gave you this bruise."

I automatically know it's from my punishment yesterday and clam up.

"Ms. Sorenson. We are faculty here. If something's going on, we need to know. Now, was it someone at home?"

I hesitate. I can't lie. But too many people know at this point.

I nod anyways.

"Mother? Father?"

"Mother," I mumble.

I hear no change in his voice, "Does anybody else know about this?"

     "Yeah, some friends I made when I first got here," I tell him.

    "Do they attend this school?"

      "No, they don't. They aren't in High School anymore."

        "And are they doing about it?"

        "They said they were going to get me out of there. I don't know how. But, it's not that bad, they are just punishments. Plus, her medicine makes her act a little crazy sometimes."

        "Ms. Sorenson, being injured to the point of stitches is not a punishment. Getting grounded or getting your phone taken is a punishment. This, is just plain abuse."

      Before I can do anything, Dr. Green speaks, "All done, we'll give you a moment to get dressed."

       As soon as they exit, I put on the bloody shirt. Not the best feeling, but I don't have much choice.

     There's a knock and I say, "Come in!"

      Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne walk back in, "Thank you, Dr. Green, for stitching me up."

      He winks at me and says, "Patching up pretty girls is my job. But that's Sean to you."

      I laugh, "Alright, Dr. Sean."

      He grins before Mr. Blackbourne clears his throat, "Back to our previous discussion. Now-," he is interrupted by the door swinging wide open.

     This time it's Mr. McCoy. I flinch back as he enters the room, the small movement not going unnoticed by Dr. Sean and Mr. Blackbourne.

     Mr. McCoy fixes his gaze on me, "Ms. Sorenson, come with me."

I look at Mr. Blackbourne first, almost as if I'm searching for some sort of assurance or permission. He nods, almost reluctantly, and I follow Mr. McCoy out of the room.

Gabriel, who has been waiting in the hall this entire time, mouths some colorful words before jumping to his feet and walking into the room I just exited.

As I follow Mr. McCoy away, I hear Gabriel's voice, "Are you fucking kidding me? You're letting him be alone with her?"

I don't hear much else after that, the response quite and the distance getting longer before Mr. McCoy leads me into his office.

I sit while Mr. McCoy stands. He sighs.

"You're in a lot of trouble, Sang. In fact, you're being suspended for the rest of the week."

My jaw drops. Suspended?

"That's not fair. Those guys were going to hurt Gabriel! We were outnumbered. What should I have done?"

"What you should have done is gotten a teacher instead of head butting a kid in the nose, kicking the same kid in the throat, and then pulling a stun gun on all of them."

      "Okay, well what is their punishment? This was all done in self-defense."

      Mr. McCoy nods, "The boys will be in detention for the rest of the week."

     I frown. I'm getting suspended and they get detention?

    Something changes about Mr. McCoy. He walks closer to me with a glint in his eyes, "I could make all of this go away."

      I perk up, but the tone in his voice makes me nervous. "How?," I ask him.

      He lets out a groan as he steps behind me, his fingers tracing over my exposed collarbones.

      "Easy. I help you, you help me."

        Tears spring to my eyes, "I-I'm not sure what you mean."

      "Oh, I'm sure you do," he moves to the side of me and grabs my hand, putting it near the button on his jeans.

     I rip my hand away and stand up, "You can go ahead and suspend me."

     The anger is written clearly on his face as he storms to his desk. "Fine. Go wait out in the hall, I'll be calling your parents."

     I all but run into the hallway. I search for my phone and pull it out. I open it and try my best to look at my phone through my tears.

      I find the contact I'm looking for and press it, desperation surging through me.

       Finally, he answers.

       "Corey? I really need your help."