A loud rap on the door Wakes me up.
"Michael. Amelia and I have to leave for work now. Can we trust you to get yourself to class?
"Yeah." I mumble from underneath the blanket.
"Ok, don't be late and I'll pick you up at two o'clock, remember Katherine is coming round. Behave and don't let us down." He continues.
"Ok." Is all I manage to say in my sleepy state. It's my first day back at class, and I have a meeting with Katherine to discuss the baby. I get up and do my normal shower and dress routine, which is quick. I skip breakfast, and start my walk to class, which is a half an hour walk. Arriving exactly on time, I am given a warm welcome.
"Hello, Stranger." Nicole smiles, she leads me to the room and I walk in and take a seat. Lauren hands me English and History work. Which I do, so I don't disappoint my parents. Lunch flies in and I'm hovered over to make sure I eat. Then before I know it, it's two o'clock. I walk outside to meet my parents, who are speaking to Lauren. I begin to pick up the conversation as I get closer.
"Such an improvement." Lauren finishes.
"That's great! Thank you." My Father says enthusiastically. They all turn to look at me as I join them. "Well done, Mate." My dad says, patting me on the shoulder.
"I guess a congratulations is in order, Michael." Lauren suggests, I nervously chuckle.
"Thanks." I mutter. I say an awkward goodbye and then we all walk out to the car.
*************************************
The loud doorbell echoes through the house, Oscar goes mad, barking at the door as I try to open it. When I do, Katherine is standing, with her blonde hair scraped up in a ponytail, and her thin, rectangle glasses, sitting high up her nose. She clutches a large folder and a bag, which both look heavy. I welcome her in, taking the folder off of her and carrying it through. Hayley sits in the kitchen, looking nervous. We all sit down and I wait for Katherine to speak first.
"Michael?" She sighs. "You never fail to amaze me."
"To be fair, it's not just me involved."
"I gave you loads of talks and warnings about it." My dad adds.
"There's nothing we can do now. My job is to make sure that you and Hayley can cope, and look after a child. You're both only fifteen. It's such a big responsibility for you both." She explains.
"You can make sure no one takes it away from us." I throw in, sarcastically.
"That's not what we do, Michael. I will make sure to give you both all the help I can with coping as parents, and as children, because you still are." She tells us. After half an hour of chatting about the baby and Amelia's babies, we turn to the topic of accommodation. "Now, Are you both going to live here? Or are you going to live separately?"
Katherine asks, getting ready to write down notes.
"We've agreed they're going to live here." My dad says, grasping Amelia's hand. "All of them." He's finishes, meaning me, Hayley and the baby.
*************************************
After walking Hayley home, I take a slow walk back to mine, in no rush to get back to reality. I decide to phone Jacob, we haven't spoken in a while. He almost lets it ring out, answering on the last ring.
"You alright?" I greet.
"Yeah, Man. How are you?" He asks, I've been dreading this question. I decide to come clean.
"Hayley's pregnant." I mumble out.
"What!? Are you serious?" He shouts through the phone. "Congratulations, Mate!"
"Thanks, I'm terrified."
"No wonder, it will be ok though. I know you're young, but you'll be a great Dad. You know loads about this world already, more than most people your age. Let's not forget you've got an amazing Dad yourself, he'll teach you everything you need to know and I'm always here if you need anything, I promise."
"Thanks, Dude. I really appreciate it." I hang up and continue my journey home. I still have another twenty minutes before I'm home, so I cherish this alone time. A blue Peugeot 206 comes to a halt in front of me, screeching it's tyres, disturbing my silence. I begin to walk past it, however, a tall, slim man gets out. I recognise him instantly.
The taste of blood fills my mouth, and I begin to feel faint, I close my eyes and attempt to shake it off. The feeling refuses to leave and I Remember the pain pulsating through my body. His scruffy, grey, beard standing out. He takes his hood down, and smirks.
John.
"You've grown." He spits with a patronising tone. I try to ignore him, it doesn't work. "Don't you remember me?" He asks, stepping right up to me. He is now only a few inches taller, but smaller than my Father, I wish he was here right now. "Remember what I promised I'd do if you told anyone? I'm here to keep that promise." Just as he finishes his speech, another man gets out the car, he's the same height, but with a lot more muscle. He stays hidden, with his hood up, behind John, who comes forward even more. I'm met with a powerful blow to the face, and then a second one. Instead of falling to the ground, I fight back. I take a swing at him, hitting him in the jaw and another, hitting him in the same place. The unknown guy steps forward, presenting me with another hit to the head and I fall to the ground. I lower my arms and wrap them around my stomach, protecting it from the blows that follow. The taste of blood fills my mouth and I spit, releasing the red liquid. The strong stranger lifts me by my t-shirt and throws me in to the back of the Peugeot. I try to fight back, but the door opens from the other side and the strong man forces my hands down, making me unable to move, I wriggle my legs, but this only makes it easier for him to take my jeans down. The pain is excruciating, and I cry out in pain. I cry for my Father, and I cry for Amelia, I know none of them can hear me, this only strikes more fear in to me and I cry out again, letting out a sob every time he rams his body against mine. After ten minutes, I am thrown back on to the street.
"Don't tell anyone, or I'll be back. Learn your lesson, Kid." He threatens. I am given one last blow to the head, which is followed by darkness.
*************************************
"Hello?" A woman's voice calls softly in my ear. I groan in pain. "Can you hear me? I'm a paramedic, I'm here to help." The same voice calls. I let out another groan and open my eyes. Looking around, I see a red-headed woman, who looks friendly, I assume this is who was speaking. She's holding a round bowl shaped container. I sit up, only to be guided back down gently. "You should stay lying down." She says. I ignore her instruction and sit up again, wincing in pain as I do, the same hand clashes with my body again, I push it away. The room spins and I sit for a moment, making out my surroundings. "You're in an ambulance." The woman explains. "Do you remember what happened?" I ignore her and stand up, waving off the dizziness, however, I can't, and my body lurches forward, vomiting in the bowl shaped bucket.
"I want to see my Mum and Dad." I demand, in my incoherent state. Her hand pushes against my shoulder.
"They're outside speaking to the police. You should really lie down so I can assess you."
"I just want to see my Mum and Dad, I'm ok." I protest, my voice getting louder. "Mum!" I shout from the ambulance. No one responds so I shout for my father this time. "Dad!" My voice echoes, my throat hurts and the noise makes the thumping in my head worse. A male paramedic appears at the door, just in time to stop me from leaving the ambulance.
"Lie down, please." He orders.
"I just want to see my Mum and Dad!" I shout, repeating myself for the third time. Before anyone else gets to say anything, a wave of nausea hits me again and I throw up but the female paramedic manages to catch most of it in a bowl. I stand shouting for another minute or so when the male paramedic wanders away, I hear him speaking to people outside. "MUM!" I scream louder, hoping she will hear me this time. Almost immediately, Amelia appears at the door of the ambulance. I wave of relief washes over me as I see her.
"What's all this noise?" She asks me, our faces close to one another.
"They wouldn't let me see you. I just wanted to see you." I reply, relieved to see a familiar face. I fall in to Amelia's arms, sobbing loudly. She rubs my back, comforting me only slightly.
"There's not a lot of room in here, and the paramedics are trying to help you, your father and I would just get in the way, wouldn't we?" She reasons. "You need to lie down and let them help you." She tells me, kissing my forehead. I sit down and hesitate to lie back. I look to Amelia who gives me a reassuring smile and nod, with her reassurance, I lay back, just as my Dad appears beside her. He doesn't speak straight away. I watch the paramedics work away, sticking monitors on me.
"Michael, keep looking at us, don't watch what they're doing." My father suggests, trying to distract me. I focus my eyes on my parents, and Amelia smiles at me, I smile back, but soon resume my worried look as I turn back to the paramedic, who is moments away from sticking something sharp in my arm, I pull my arm away in protest. My body jerks and I throw up again, in to the container the male paramedic is holding.
"Michael, keep your eyes on us." Amelia says, she keeps looking at me, although my dad is focused on the paramedics, wearing a very worried look on his face. A sharp pain shoots through my arm, although it's not as bad as my already aching body, Amelia smiles reassuringly as I writhe in pain, although she doesn't seem panicked and she keeps reassuring me that I'll be ok, which calms me down.
"Michael, you might feel like you want to sleep, but that's ok, it's just the medicine I'm going to give you." I look at the female medic as she speaks, her hands are preparing a syringe full of liquid. I pull my body away from them.
"I don't want to sleep, I want to go home." I say, stating my wishes. My father comes closer and squeezes past the male paramedic. I keep my body still, within safe distance of the people trying to stick things in me.
"You can't go home, you're hurt and they need to help you." My Father says, I look at them both and they smile back. I move slowly towards them again, wary of their objectives. My dad lightly holds both of my arms still, allowing the paramedics to do what they need to do.
"We don't tell you enough, but we are both extremely proud of you and how far you have come in the last five months. You're going to make a great Father." Amelia says. I look at her and smile - taking my eyes off the paramedics and their actions
"Well I have the best examples." I say back. A wave of dizziness hits me, and my eyes feel heavy. My eyes flash around to the paramedic who is now holding an empty syringe, I'm guessing the contents are now inside of me. My father has moved back to the doorway, with Amelia. He has his arm around her, comforting my new mother. The top part of the bed is lowered and I'm lying flat, warm hands hold my head steady, making it hard for me to see my parents or move around to find them. I feel more monitors being placed around my body. I've lost sight of my parents. "Where's my Mum and Dad?" I ask in my incoherent state, my eyes can't focus on them, I wriggle my body, trying to sit up but the paramedic has a tight grip on my head and shoulders. I give one last push to sit up straight, but I am held firmly down.
"We're over here, try to relax, Mate." My dad encourages.
"We're here, Sweetheart. We love you so much." Amelia reassures, her voice gets weak towards the end of the sentence. I relax instantly, and lie down.
"I love you too." I say, letting the medicine take hold. The male paramedic then puts an oxygen mask over my face. I hear my parents talking amongst themselves over the sound of the heavy oxygen flow.
"He called you "Mum"." My dad comments. Just after that a wave of darkness washes over me.
*************************************
I try to make out voices, but it's mumbling. My eyes flicker open and are met by the harsh hospital lights. I try to make my voice heard, but nothing comes out, I lie in silence. The room is crowded with nurses and doctors, writing things down and checking machines, one by one they leave the room, I stay silent until my Parents walk in. Amelia, who has obviously been crying, hands me a cup of water and I take two gulps from it, refreshing my voice.
"When can we go home?" I ask quietly.
"Soon. People will be coming to collect evidence and take a statement." My father tells me. "It was him, wasn't it!?" My father says getting angry. I scowl at him, but I ignore his question.
"I'm sorry." I say, tearfully. Amelia rushes to my bedside, stroking my forehead.
"Don't you dare apologise, this is not your fault, and you shouldn't feel sorry, or guilty about any of it." She hushes.
"I don't want any of that done. I don't want to speak to anyone." I argue, referring back to my dads comment.
"Well, they need evidence to arrest him. It was him wasn't it!?" My dad repeats, getting even angrier.
"I don't want him caught, I want to go home." I spit back.
"You almost died, do you understand that?" He asks, with a hint of annoyance in his tone. I nod, silently.
"Why would you want to let someone who almost killed you get away with it?" I shrug this time, unable to give him an answer. Minutes later, police officers walk in, with two female nurses and a tall, male brunet Doctor. The nurses are pushing a trolley with a number of items on it.
"These police officers are here to take away any evidence and to take a statement." Says A small, brunette nurse with a friendly smile. She places the trolley beside the other blonde nurse and the police take over. A tall, female police officer stands forward and begins to speak.
"We need to take a number of pieces of evidence. Things such as, clothing and DNA samples. Hair samples as well. First, we'll need you to take off your clothes. We have everything already, apart from your T-shirt and underwear." She says softly. I look down at my half naked body, the only things I'm wearing are my t-shirt and boxers, so I assume they took the rest off in the ambulance. I shake my head and refuse, but a gentle pair of hands reaches towards me and lifts away my shirt. I look over to see my dad putting it in to an large envelope. He reaches for my boxers next and I use my hand to cover myself up, watching not to expose myself to a room full of people as he slides them down my legs. He attempts to put a clean pair on, that he brought here. I take over, slipping them on. I pull my legs up to my chest and rest my head on my knees, the doctor starts to touch my head, I wince in pain and he turns his attention to me.
"I think you might need some stitches." He says. The blonde nurse picks up an already filled syringe and moves closer to me.
"I'm going to give you this medicine, so you won't feel the doctor putting in the stitches. It will make you feel faint and tired." She says, her voice is not as friendly as the others.
"I don't want to go to sleep again." I say, putting my foot down.
"You won't, it will just make you not notice what we're doing. You'll be relaxed." She explains to me. I don't believe her and I keep protesting. My parents both look over at me and Amelia is the first to speak.
"It's like medicine for the pain, you won't feel anything, but you won't be asleep." She says, trying to calm me down and reassure me. I shake my head, still refusing. My father walks over to the bed where I lie, and puts his mouth close to my ear.
"It's a drug, mate." He says, confident that it will make me give in. "It's like all the ones you used to take. It will make you feel good." He whispers, I don't think anyone else in the room hears it properly, but I relax a little and look to the nurse. She moves forward and wastes no time administering the liquid in to the tube in my arm, I let her. Soon, I begin to doze off, only noticing the soft kiss Amelia places on my cheek.
"We love you so much, Sweetheart." She whispers softly in my ear.
*************************************
"Michael?" A soft voice asks loudly. I try to respond and groan. "Are you with us?" The same voice asks. My eyes open slowly and I look around the room. My face meets with a friendly looking nurse, with red hair. "Do you want to see your Mum and Dad?" I nod instantly, hoping I can go home. She turns round and nods her head, then moves to my left side, checking my wires and machines. Two familiar faces appear on my right, smiling.
"Can we go home yet?" I ask, hopeful.
"Not quite yet. You just need to give a statement." My dad says. I sigh, and groan in pain. The nurse leaves us alone, but only for a few minutes before the same police officers walk in, followed by a familiar blonde haired woman, her eyes were focused on me, through her rectangular glasses. Katherine.
"Michael, these officers just want to know what happened. Remember - like last time?" She starts.
"What happened?" The female officer says softly, I look at my Dad, who nods and smiles, signalling me to go on.
"I was on my way back from my girlfriends house, I was walking her home." I begin, I wait for the officer to stop writing and then I carry on. "Then a car stopped and he got out."
"Do you know what kind of car it was?" The Male officer asks.
"Peugeot 206, blue." I recall.
"Did you see the licence plate?" He pushes.
"No, sorry. I was busy being beaten." I say, sarcastically.
"Do you know who attacked you?" He asks, ignoring my comment. I stay silent, looking at my hands.
"Do you know his name?" He asks after a minute of silence. I shake my head and after more silence, the police officer, starts again. "Son, you're father tells us that this is happened before, was it the same man?" He asks softly. I keep silent, remembering the moment he told me not to tell anyone. I continue the silence for a minute or so.
"Was it John?" My Dad asks quietly, speaking only to me and breaking the silence. I look at him, and shake my head refusing to give him up. "You can tell me." He presses, his voice is quiet, almost a whisper. I whisper no, replying to him and forgetting anyone else is in the room. "Say his name, Mate. If you tell us then he'll get put away again. He can't hurt you anymore." My dad tells me, emotion building up in him. My head shakes yet again and it takes another ten minutes of my father persuading me. "Look at me." I do as instructed and my father asks the question. "This is just between me and you. " he tells me, I take my eyes and concentration off of everyone else in the room. "Was it him?" My father asks. I nod my head. "Say his name."
"John Summers." I say out loud.
"Can you describe him?" The officer asks. I look to the rest of the room, filled with shame.
"He was wearing a black jumper, with a hood and ripped jeans. I didn't see his shoes." I swallow some more water and carry on. "He doesn't have hair, only a grey beard, really thin."
"What happened next?" The female officer asks, looking up from her book.
"He told me he was here because I sent him to prison and he was going to do it again." I remember. "He punched me, so I punched him back. Then some other guy starting punching and kicking me. I don't know who he is."
"Did you see what he was wearing?" She asks, still scribbling.
"A red jumper with a hood and black trousers, grey shoes. I didn't see his face." I admit, feeling guilty.
"What happened next?" She continues.
"They threw me in to the back of the car and the guy held my hands down." I say, hesitant to continue.
"Where was John at this point?" He asks, sensing my feelings.
"I don't know." I lie
*************************************
The car ride home was long and awkward, no one really knew what to say. I spent the entirety of the journey looking out the window. It's only six o'clock, so it's still light. I don't talk to anyone when I get home, I make my way straight to the shower.
"Leave the door unlocked." My dad commands from behind me. When I'm alone, I start to think about everything properly and I don't realise what I'm doing. I let the scalding hot water meet with my body and using every single drop of soap, I vigorously scrub at my body, every inch is red before I'm finished. Turning the water off and climbing out, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My bruised and beaten body stands before me, I crumble to the floor, numb. I don't know how long I'm there for, but a knock on the door doesn't phase me. I bring my knees up to my chest, resting my naked body on the cold, bathroom tiles. The door opens and before I even know what's happened, I'm in Amelia arms, my head against her chest and neck, leaning my entire body against her growing bump, she's holding me as I sob silently. I feel another pair of hands wrap a towel around me, it stays in position until it is replaced with pyjamas. I look up and meet my Fathers gaze, we don't smile or frown, we just stare. Time passes as a blur and I somehow managed to get to bed, tucked in with Amelia still holding me.