Bey's POV
"No, no." I turned back around. "I can't do this."
"Yes you can, Bey." She placed her hands my shoulders. "You've made this far. You can do it." She nodded.
"They're not gonna believe me. This is stupid."
"It's not stupid. They're going to believe you, just like I do. Take a deep breath. You can do it."
I took the deepest breath ever. I'm going to do this. It's going to stop all of this. I can do it. I turned back around and walked further into the building.
"Wait right here." Ms. Maldonado said then she walked to one of the detectives. I figured he was a detective, because he's dressed in casual clothes. He could be just a regular person, who knows. They exchanged a few words. I couldn't hear because I'm kind of far from them. But then she followed him somewhere and I frowned. Maybe that wasn't the right detective? I don't know, but she soon came back with a black women dressed in a blazer and slacks. They were heading towards me.
"Hi, Beyoncé." The detective greeted. "I'm detective Johnson. You wanna have seat, so we can talk?" He asked.
"Sure, but does it have to be right here?" I asked referring to her desk. It's all out in the open, and I wasn't comfortable with the idea.
"We can go in one interrogation rooms, if that's okay?"
"That's fine, but can she come with me?"
"Of course." She led the way. Ms. Maldonado held my hand as we walked to the room. On the way, I had to text Solange and let her know that she had to get a ride with Ingrid. She said okay, and I'm glad she didn't ask a million questions.
"Do you want some water or anything?" The detective asked when we sat down.
"No." I shook my head. "I'm fine."
"Okay, so do you wanna tell me you're here?"
"Where do you want me to start?"
"The very beginning."
I hesitated out of fear and nervousness. I wanted to this to end and I wanted to be free from it all. I had to speak up about it. "..Well, my step dad's old coworkers were homeless, so they came to live in our garage."
"They? How many is it?" Curiously, the detective asked.
"Two."
She nodded. "Continue."
"They were cool when they first moved in-"
"What changed?"
"One night, I was on my way to sleep." I paused because I felt something in the pit of stomach and tears forming. "And...John.." I bit my bottom lip, trying to stop myself from crying.
"It's okay." She rubbed my back, kind of putting me at ease. "Take your time."
"He.. Uhh.. He came into my room. I asked what he was doing. He told me shut up, then locked my door. I knew what he was going to do, so I asked to him stop and leave my room.." I wiped my face, and Ms. Maldonado rubbed my back too. I looked at her for some type of reassurance when I saw that she had tear in her eyes too. I looked down at the table and continued.
"Then he pushed me down on my bed, and.." I swallowed really hard. No matter how hard I swallow, the lump in my throat won't disappear.
"He uuhh..." I blew my breath a little bit. "He told to me take my clothes off, so I did. I was scared of what he might if I didn't. I didn't object to anything."
"Okay." Detective Johnson nodded again. "Then what happened?"
I hate talking about what happen to me. It's like picking at a scab. Piece by piece, it's hurts like hell. A little blood is drawn, the blood represents my tears. Talking about it, never gets easier. At least to me it doesn't. I hate it.
My face buried in the palm of my hands. I cried. I cried harder than I did in Ms. Maldonado's office. I didn't want to, but I couldn't help it. She continued rubbing my back, while I got myself together.
"He uhhh.. Can I write it down? It's easier that way.." I managed to say, and wiped my face.
"Yeah. Sure." Detective Johnson reached over to the shelf and grabbed the notepad and pen, and gave it to me. For maybe ten minutes, I wrote about he did to me. As he read the paper, I could tell he was cringing.
"How long has this been going on?"
"A couple of months. Maybe four, five, six." I wiped my face again as I shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"Does your mom know?"
I shook my head. "No."
"Why didn't you tell her?"
"They said if I told anyone that they would kill me, my mom, and my sister."
"You have a sister-"
"Yes, but it's not happening to her. I know for sure." She nodded. I'm sure that wont take my word for it. I understand though.
"How often does this happen?"
"Every night, almost."
"Is it both of them, or.."
"No. They don't do it together."
"Has it gone any further than this? Any... Penetration?" She hesitated.
"No." I shook my head.
"Were you forced to do anything?"
"Other than lay down and stay quiet? No."
"Where was your mom, your sister, or anyone else when this took place?"
"Some of the times, I was home alone. Other times, they were in the house."
"Your step father.. Has he ever-"
"No. Not me or my sister." I said for a matter of fact.
"What are the names of these two men?"
"John and Chico. I don't know their last names." She wrote something on her very own notepad then looked at me again.
"Are they white, Mexican-"
"They're both black." She wrote again, then asked more questions about them. Thankfully, none of the questions were about what took place.
"I'll be right back. I'm going to talk to my captain."
"Okay." She got from the table and left the room.
"That was a really brave thing you just did, Bey." Ms. Maldonado rubbed my shoulder. "I'm really proud of you. A lot girls and woman don't say anything."
"Thanks." I wiped the last few tears. "I'll be glad when this is all over and done with."
"It will be soon. You can relax a little."
"Life was easier when my daddy was alive, and before Tim got hooked..." Shit. That slipped. All of this confessing mess has made me way too comfortable.
"What was that?" Shit.
"Nothing." I said quickly. "I said nothing."
"No, Bey. You said something. Got hooked what.."
"No. I can't tell you. My mom will lose her license." I'm protecting my mom simply because she's still my mom at the end of the day. No matter how times she has messed up. I don't like her right now, but she's my mom.
"Bey, If you're living in an unsafe environment. I have to report it."
"No. I'm eighteen-"
"Solange is sixteen." Shit. I didn't think of that. She's Solange's counselor, too.
"Please, Ms. Maldonado. I didn't say anything." I pleaded and she sighed. I hope she lets it go.
"Bey-"
"Please." She didn't say anything else. I'm praying the she lets it go and forget that I almost said anything. Yes, things would be better without Tim. That would also mean that my mom is out of a job. No job? No money. No money? No place to lay my head at night, like I said before.
I mean, they are other places where me and my sister can stay, but... I don't even know. One situation at a time. I'm taking baby steps. Isn't that good enough? I just want to graduate from high school. Save money for my sister when I leave for school. That's it, that's all.
Detective Johnson came back with an older black man. He looks like he could be in his fifties..
"Hi, I'm captain Stevenson." He extended his arm for me to shake his hand.
"Hi." I greeted while shaking his hand.
"We want to bring in your other daughter, and ask her a few questions."
"Oh, no. I'm not her mom." Sadly, she corrected. Oh, but I wish you were my mom. I wouldn't be here right now if you were.
"I'm just her guidance counselor."
"Ohh. I'm sorry." Stevenson looked at me. "Can you get a hold of your sister-"
"Please! I want to leave my sister out of this."
"How old is your sister?" He asked.
"Sixteen."
"We have to call child protective services-"
"What?! Why?!" I panicked.
"Your sixteen year old sister is living in an unsafe place-"
"But it's not happening to her! It's happening to me."
"We don't know that for sure-"
"But I'm telling you that it's not!" I said practically yelling at him.
"Bey." Ms. Maldonado called softly and I looked at her. "Call your sister."
I called Solange and told I needed her to come down here. She was confused and kept asking why, but eventually said okay.
"I've seen this a lot of times." The captain started. "We're going to have to catch this in the act."
"Excuse me?" Ms. Maldonado questioned clearly upset.
"These men have no record. We can't just arrest them based on what someone said."
"See!!" I looked at Ms. Maldonado. "I told you they wouldn't believe me!!" Tears immediately fell down my face but she wiped them right away.
"That's not the case. We believe you, but we need proof, evidence." I didn't even say anything after that. I should have known this would happen.
"Catch this in the act? Meaning what exactly?" Ms. Maldonado asked.
"We have to see it happen.." The captain said.
"Wait.. What?" I looked between the detective and the captain.
"You mean that she has to go through the very same thing that she wants to stop?" Ms. Maldonado frowned.
"We won't let it get that far. We'll stop it before its get to that point." Johnson answered.
"How do you plan on doing that?" She asked.
"Usually in these cases.. We set up surveillance, and wait for it to happen."
"No!" I said panicking again. "I can't do that!"
"We're going to be right there." Johnson said reassuringly, and kind of comfortingly. Either way, I'm terrified. Getting the police involved could backfire.
"Nothing is going to happen because we won't allow it."
"No. Y'all don't understand!" I said hitting my thighs with my fist and I started crying silent tears. "If they.." I paused.
"Listen.." Johnson softly touched my shoulder. "I know you're scared and that's expected. You spoke up, and most people don't. That's a very big step. Now, it's time to take an even bigger step."
I thought about it for a moment. I'm doing this because I have to, and I have to protect my sister. I want this to stop. I hate living like this. I want one less thing to worry about.
I sighed. "Okay. I'll do it."
The captain and the detective both nodded. When Solange got here they told her what was going on, and asked her if it was happening to her. She said no.
"Why didn't you say anything?" She asked with tears in her eyes, when the detective and captain left the room to give us privacy.
"I was scared." I wiped my face for the hundredth time.
"But Darian said that-"
"It's not about what he said. I was still scared. He's hours away. What could he really have done?"
"You could have told mom." She wiped her eyes.
"You think she would have believed me?"
"Probably not...I'm sorry that was happening to you. I feel bad because I didn't know all of this time." She said sounding guilty
"It's okay." I wiped her eyes. "You have no reason to feel bad. I'm glad it was me and not you." Solange attacked me with the biggest hug ever.
"I'm happy that you said something. I don't know what would have happened... It could have happen to me."
"I couldn't let that happen."
"Hopefully mom to leave Tim after this."
"Ha. Don't count on it. Don't hold your breath."
"Wishful thinking, right?"
"Yeah." Solange sat next to me, and grabbed my hand.
"You know.. I never get a chance to tell you, but you're a great big sister. I really appreciate everything you've done for me. Thank you." I smiled at her.
"That's my job."
--
"Okay. Everything is set up, Bey." Detective Johnson said into my small ear piece. "Pretend we aren't here."
There were camera's set up everywhere in the house. My room- obviously, my parents' room, Solange's room, the garage, and living room. They used my mom's room to set the computers screens up.
"Guys." I said flipping through the channels as I was laying in the bed. "I'm really scared."
"I know." Johnson said. "Try you best to relax."
I sighed and closed my eyes to "relax". An hour passed and it was now ten o'clock. Nothing has happened. Neither of their one of them has left the garage. They gotta know what's up! They're gonna kill me when this is over!
"They know! They know you guys are here!" I said panicking.
"They have no idea about anything. Take a deep breath." The captain said.
"No!" Bey replied on the verge of tears. "They're gonna kill me when you leave!"
"No one is going to hurt you. You'll be perfectly fine, don't worry.." The detective told her.
"Chico, just left the garage." The Captain said. "Stay calm. Act like nothing has changed, and we're not here."
"Okay." I said softly.
"Damn." Johnson said in disappointment.
"What! What's happening?" I asked.
"He went to bathroom."
Bey sighed. "I just want this to be over." Nothing. Nothing is happening.
"John is coming, Bey. Remember what I said." The captain said then there was a knock at my door.
"It's open." I said and John walked in.
"Hey, uuh. Where's the toilet paper?"
"Underneath sink."
"Good lookin'." John closed Bey's door, and went to bathroom. Literally everyone sighed at the same time.
Suddenly, my door flew open and John was walking inside. He closed and locked it behind it.
"Here we go." I heard one of the detectives say
"Why you look scared?" John closed the door and locked it. Thankfully, there is a police men in the closet.
"Sorry." I said with my head hanging low.
"Better be." John look around my room as if it was his first time. "You know.. I've never seen your clothes." He open my underwear drawer and I cringed internally.
"Why don't you ever wear these for me?" He held up some Victoria Secrets boy shorts.
"I- don't know."
"You will tonight."
"O-okay."
"I've never be inside your closet either." He said walking to me closet. "You prolly got a lot of this pink shit in there."
"Shit!" The Captain groaned in frustration.
"Nothing special." I told him.
"I'll be the judge of that." He took a step to the closet.
"Run, Bey." The Captain instructed, I knew that I had to get attention off my closet. I abruptly hopped out of my bed and ran for the door. But John grabbed me before I could even get close to it.
"Where the fuck you think you going?" He looked at her angrily. "Take your clothes off!"
"No."
"There it is." The detective said referring to me saying no.
"What! Don't fuck with me! I had a long day, now make it better!" He took his shirt off and I followed suit.
"Lay down." He demanded then stepped out of his sweats. The police man popped out of the closet, and John jumped.
"John Williams, you under arrest for sexual assault." The police man manhandled him.
"You're gonna regret this, Bey." John clinched his jaw.
"She isn't gonna regret anything, but you, you sick bastard. You will." The officer said as he arrested him. "You're gonna have a set of busted ribs your first night."
In prisons and jails, sexual predators are frowned upon, as crazy as that sounds. Neither John or Chico will not last when other prisoners find out what they're in for.
"Get that nigga Chico too then!" John said angrily.
"We will." The officer read John is rights, but as stupid as he, he'll probably sing like a canary.
I sighed in relief. It's all over! I'm no longer afraid. I thought I'd be scared after they were arrested. I'm not. The chains that were wrapped around me, they broke. I'm free, and it feels so great. Seeing John and Chico being thrown into those police cars was the best thing ever. I don't have to walk on egg shells anymore.
Everyone in this nosy ass neighborhood stood outside. I guess they saw the flashing police lights shining through their windows. They whispered to other neighbors. Their eyes stayed glued on our house. Nosy ass black people, man. They asked questions, but we ignored them.
"Good job, Bey." The Captain shook my hand. I don't know what came over me, but I hugged the man that saved my life. He chuckled.
"If you ever have any questions, or need to talk to someone. You don't be afraid to call me, or come in."
"Okay." I smiled. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"No problem. You guys take care." He said before leaving.
"Man, BB!" Solange threw her arms over my shoulder when we got in the house.
"I wanted to rock his shit when he pushed you!" I laughed at her because she was so serious.
"Solange, you better stop cussing." My mom told her.
"Mama.." Solange replied. "Girl.." Either I'm just really happy, or that was hilarious. The look Solange gave my mom was funny.
"Beyoncé." Tim called. "I'm really sorry. If I had known that was going to happen, I would have never let them move in."
I really didn't care too much for his apology. He can apologize a million times, and I wouldn't care. The best apology would be him going to rehab and then getting a job. Until then, I don't care.
"Okay." I said. He nodded. I mean, was I suppose to say "it's okay"? It's not okay. It never is. I talked to my mom before I went to my room. It wasn't really in depth or anything serious. To me at least.
She apologized for neglecting me and Solange. I didn't take that to heart, because I know deep down that she'll keep neglecting us. It's all talk because of what happen. By next week, she'll be asking for money. No doubt about it.
I'm happy that I can leave my sister home and not worry about her. Tim won't do anything, that man doesn't leave the room. Literally. She's safe, and that's all that really matters to me. She'll be taken care of, thanks to me. We talked a little bit too. Then she went to her room. I decided to call Matt and tell him.
"Hello." Her answered in a groggy voice.
"Wake up, nigga!"
"What you want, ugly cuh?" He yawned.
"Guess what?!" Dammit! Him yawning made me yawn.
"What? You saved money on insurance?"
"No, stupid!" I laughed. "Guess again!"
"Uuuum. You talked to your counselor, right? How'd that go?" Oh, now he's awake.
"They got arrested."
"Stop lying!"
"No joke! They just did not to long ago."
He kissed his teeth. "You gassing me, man?"
"I'm so serious. I talked to Ms. Maldonado and she convinced me to go to the police."
"Wooooow!! I'm so proud of you, Gis! For real, man."
"Thank you. I wouldn't have gone to her if it weren't for you."
"You know... I was really close to tellin' the police myself."
"I know. I had a feelin'."
"How do you feel?"
"I feel so good, Matt."
"That's good. I can hear it in ya voice, lowkey."
"I just.. I'm finally free." I said happily as tears formed in my eyes again. "I don't have to live in fear anymore. Whatever I'm doing at home, I won't look over my shoulder while doing in. You get what I'm sayin'?"
"It's like the weight on your shoulders has been lifted. I getchu, I'm so happy for you."
"Thank you." I wiped my eyes and took a deep breath.
"Them niggas ain't gone last a day in jail. They're gonna be in the infirmary the first night."
"Good!" I told him how everything went down. Play by play, word for word. He kept saying that he was proud of me.
"Thank you for being there for me, Matt. If I didn't have you to talk to, I don't know where I'd be."
"That's what I'm here for, Gis. I always will be." I smiled lightly. Me and Matt stayed on the phone until we were dozing off. I don't know how much time had gone before we fell asleep. But I woke up with drool everywhere. A sign that I slept really good.
--
The following day, and I just finished talking to Ms. Maldonado. I told her what happen last night and she was relieved. I thanked her for helping me. If it wasn't for her, John and Chico would still be messing with me.
There is no practice today because coach is sick. I'm glad because I'm tired. Solange is hanging out with her friend, I'll pick her up later. I'm going home. I made my way to my car. My phone rang and it's Shawn. I'm shocked he's calling me. Should I answer it, or naw?
"Hello."
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Are you busy?"
"Maybe. Why?"
"I wanna talk to you."
"Okay, so talk."
"I mean in person."
"I guess, where at?"
"I'm at home. You can come over here."
"Kay." I hung up. I don't know what this is about, but I'm about to find out, I guess.