The Little Scout: Sweet Justice
Chapter Two
Tessa's POV
"Hey, Tessa, can I talk to you?" Dr. Glass asked her. She turned around and followed her into the med bus. "Take a seat." Tessa sat in the soft cushion chair, facing Dr. Glass. "How have you been?"
"Fine, why..."
"And you and Ben?"
"We've been better, but we're making up."
"Anything you want to tell me..."
"If this is about the scars..."
"This is exactly about the scars, Tessa, it's dangerous doing this..."
"And killing aliens isn't?"
"Why do you do it?"
"Why do you care."
"Because, Tessa, I do." She sighed. "Why?"
"I don't know, I just...it's been so hard since Jimmy died. Ben says he cares but I don't think he does, I think he'd rather me be stood on by a mech."
"Don't say that, Ben cares about you, too much sometimes."
"Then why doesn't he just tell me?"
"You've been acting different towards him, he thinks he's lost you."
"Did he tell you that?"
"No but everyone can see it, you've been arguing with everyone, including yourself. Can I see your arm?"
"No."
"Please, Tessa, I have to see how deep..."
"I don't want you to."
"Did you do this before?"
"I didn't need to. I dated a jerk that hurt me...physically."
"How did he hurt you?"
"When he was angry he used punch me. I was his punching bag."
"Why did you still date him?"
"I was thirteen, I thought I could handle it. I thought I loved him."
"When you first came here, you were skinny beyond...belief."
"I suffered anorexia when I was maybes twelve, younger."
"Did your mom die then?"
"That's what brought it on. She lost lots of weight and I thought I had to. I used to get called ugly and fat and school. I guess I thought I was making myself more beautiful."
"Lourdes says you haven't been eating..."
"Don't start that, I just haven't been hungry, Dr. Glass. I'm not suffering from it again."
"Anorexia never really goes away, Tessa, you'd tell me...right?"
"Probably."
"What happened to you?"
"I spent a few months in hospital and then she died. Then I went out with Jake, the jerk."
"Then...this happened?"
"Yep."
"He's dead right?"
"I think so, he tried to use me as a human shield."
"Really?"
"Yeah, so I ran away, with my dad. Almost got harnessed."
"You've had quite the life. I just want one thing from you..." She handed Tessa a black book and a pen. "Whenever you feel upset and want to cut, write it in here, don't do it but write it in here."
"But what if I magically lose it?"
"You won't, you'll show me it at the end of the month."
"I have a habit..."
"Don't get smart." Dr. Glass rolled her eyes. "End of the month and Lourdes, remember, is my personal spy."
"Fine." Tessa moaned and walked out of the Med bus.
A group of kids on bikes came to a close stop next to her. She shrieked and jumped back. "Hey! You could've run over my toe!" She shouted. She looked up to see the bike's rider. He was tall, tanned, with deep blue eyes and short brown wiry hair.
"Tessa? Is that you?"
"Jake? You're...you're dead!"
"I'm not! Tessa, I thought you were dead!" He threw the bike to the ground and tried to hug her. She stepped back.
"Don't touch me." She warned.
"What's with the grudge?"
"You..."
"Hey, is everything alright here?" Ben asked. Tessa stared at him.
"Everything's fine, just two friends catching up..." Jake assured him. Ben put a arm around Tessa. "Oh, I see a lot has changed...Congratulations..."
"What for?" Ben asked. Jake put a hand on Tessa's stomach.
"I'm not pregnant, you idiot!"
"You've put weight on."
"Because I'm not the bony anorexic girl you used to beat up?"
"That was a long time ago, Tessa, I'm a changed..."
"You tried to throw me in front of a Mech!" She shouted.
"YOU WHAT?" Ben shouted at him. Jake gulped.
"Hey, hey!" Tom jumped in the middle of the two boys. "What's going on?"
"This...complete moron tried to throw Tessa in front of a mech."
"Is this true?"
"That was ages ago! I'm not like that anymore."
"Ben, let it go..." Tom told him. "Go and get washed, Tessa go and find Weaver, tell him I need him."
Tessa did as she was told.
