Erika's POV
I can't keep it secret anymore.
E: uh Jake
He stopped picking up trash and looked at me.
J: yeah
E: can you sit down?
J: alright what's up?
E: so I overheard a conversation between your friends today
J: o-kay
E: I know about your little brother and you trying to end your life
J: oh god
E: I'm not gonna push you to tell me anything but I do want to tell you that you can talk to me if you ever need too. Also....you shouldn't blame yourself I'm sure he's in a much better place.
J: you don't know anything Erika
E: Jake I know what I heard I know it's none of my business but I'm just trying to help.
J: fine you know one my secrets now you have to tell me one of yours.
E: I-I don't have any secrets
J: yeah and I'm good at math
E: what?
J: oh I thought we were lying to each other
E: you don't have to be rude Jake
J: I'm not being rude I want to know one of your secrets since you know two of mine.
E: I can't tell you anything someone could end up in jail. I'm so sorry but I can't
J: yeah okay let's finish cleaning I got stuff to do tomorrow.
E: I have to tutor you tomorrow.
J: we can do it on Monday enjoy your weekend
E: what's more important than your education?
J: can't tell you it's a secret
Jake ignored me the rest of the time we were cleaning.
J: bye Erika
Jake left and I felt bad. The secret I can't tell him I'm protecting a very bad man that deserves to be in jail.
*Monday*
I'm with Sunny at my locker
S: Erika you've been sad all day what's wrong
E: somebody's mad at me and I feel so bad
S: who?
E: Jake
S: what happened?
E: I know two of his biggest secrets and he asked for just one and I shut him down immediately.
S: Erika you have one secret, you've been protecting a horrible person who did you wrong. Jake is the only guy that treats you like a normal girl not like Ms. Perfect. He's never even called you that. You know two of his biggest secrets you kinda owe him that and maybe he can talk some sense into you because that man deserves to be in jail. He won't tell anyone Erika. He doesn't even give the names of the girls he slept with.
E: fine I'll go now.
I walk up to Jakes locker and he was with his friends of course.
E: hey Jake can I talk to you?
J: about what or is it a secret?
E: please.
J: fine can you guys go away or something
E: can we go into a classroom
Jake followed me to a classroom and I closed the door and sat on a desk.
J: c-can we keep th-that open
E: I actually can't because I'm gonna tell you a secret my biggest secret my only secret.
Jake took his jacket off
J: it's getting kinda hot in here
I went and opened a window then sat back down. Jake stood in front of me.
E: my real dad would abuse me not my mom just me. The first time he pushed me down the stairs and I was in a coma for 3 weeks, I didn't tell anyone because I saw how the other kids got treated when someone found out they had only one parent. I thought he would stop after him and my mom got into a fight for pushing me down the stairs and that I was only five, sh-she was so mad that he put his hands on me. After all o-of that I
I had never talked about this I had tears streaming down my face.
J: Erika you don't-
E: yes I do
I took a deep breath.
E: after all of that when my mom wasn't home he started beating me up because he was upset because he got fired that day. I got a crack in my skull, a broken jaw, and a broken leg. He pushed me down the stairs after all of that to make it seem like I just fell down the stairs causing this, which ended me up in another coma for 2 months. That continued until I w-was eight years old he was in my room with me and locked the door m-my mom was banging on the door trying to get in. He told me everything was okay he said this is what daddy's do when their little girls were becoming big girls. He forced himself into me and knocked me out while he did it. I know where he is but I just can't tell anybody I don't know why.
Jake just hugged me tight. I was balling my eyes out.
J: oh my god I'm so sorry Erika I'm so so sorry. I-I'm so sorry.
Jakes POV
I couldn't get any words out all I could say was sorry. I forced this out of her because she knew my secret, her secret is so much worse than this.
J: we are going to the police station right now
E: I can't miss school.
J: Erika-
E: can we just stay for the rest of the day I cannot miss school.
J: *sighs* are you good to be alone?
E: yeah I'll meet you by the doors after school.
I walked Erika to class then went to mine.
Erika's POV
After telling Jake that stories it brought back so many bad bad memories every little sound every time someone would walk past me I would flinch.
E: Mr. Jackson
Jackson: yes?
E: since I'm ahead can I go to Mrs. Smiths class I'm tutoring someone in there and I would like to see what they're struggling on.
Jackson: yes you may just don't forget to sign out at he door.
I signed out then went to Jakes class.
I went to Mrs. Smith and we spoke quietly.
Smith:.....