Disclaimer: I do not own anything having to with Lizzie McGuire the
cast/series/books/ or movie! Remember it!
A/N: This is the chapter in which Claire's secret is revealed. Maybe Kate's too! I haven't decided on that one!
Warning! This chapter deals with that SERIOUSNESS mentioned in chapter one. I'm trying to give a warning without ruining my surprise! But, eh, you're gonna find out anyway. This chapter contains sexual content, or at least the mention of it.
I woke up at three o'clock that morning, an hour and a half before I usually awoke. This meant that, despite the tiredness I was going to feel that day, I wouldn't be rushed. Unfortunately, it also meant that I would have more time to dread going to school, and that the minutes would pass by slower. I wanted so much to call Kate up. To have her meet me there, but I knew I couldn't. It would be saying that this whole thing was okay.
I was never the one to reveal secrets first. I was too afraid of being judged by the other person. Only if I was sure that the other person would understand would I mention my whole ordeal. Kate was the same way, only she made sure in different ways.
About three months after I met Kate, she started becoming suspicious about why we never slept over at my house. She started to question me about why I never wanted to be alone. She spilled first.
One night, at one of our nightly sleepovers, her mom wasn't home. Kate and I had the total freedom to discuss whatever we had wanted. She had to choose that topic. Kate told me that when she was ten, her fifteen-year- old next-door neighbor was babysitting her. It took her awhile, but she finally confided in me. Kate finally told me that her next-door neighbor raped her.
I had been expecting her to tell someone about me for awhile now. Kate's neighbor moved away shortly after that, so Kate didn't tell anyone. Not even her parents'. But then, about two months ago, he moved back into town. Kate had to face him daily. So she turned him in to the cops. It turned out that there were other little girls, victims, who had surfaced over the years. She told me how good it felt to finally be able to talk about. It wasn't the same though.
Now, It was time for me to catch the bus. It would be the first time in two years for me. Kate usually drove me. I hadn't realized how dependent I had become on Kate. I applied my finishing touches to my make-up and grabbed my backpack.
The bus stop was extremely uncomfortable. Everyone had already established their own little cliques. They were all talking about me too! If I didn't have an obligation at school that day, I would have already bailed. After forty something minutes, I arrived at school. Heading straight for the counselor's office. I was in line with several other people. By the time my name was called, it was second period.
"Claire, sorry it took so long." My counselor came in with a folder. I wasn't a folder, I was a person. Stop staring at the folder! Look at me! Look me in the eyes damn it! That was what I wanted to scream. Hell, I wanted to scream anything! But.
"It's okay." Was all that came out!
"Are you ready to talk about it now?" The question echoed in my ears.
"Umm." I was still thinking!
"Claire?" I'm right fucking here! What, What, What?
"I need Kate here! Get Kate!" Where the fuck did that come from?
"Okay, I just sent up for her. Can we talk in the meantime?" No!
"Yes." Uh, I feel like Cybil has just taken over my brain!
"Alright, good. I'm going to start by asking you some questions. Cool?" Is she trying to sound hip or something?
"Yea."
"I'm sure you already know by now that Kate has brought this to my attention." That double-crossing bitch!
"Uh huh."
"Oh goodness, I've never had to ask this before. Can you believe that?" Geez lady! Fine, I'll say it. Happy?
"Let me save you the trouble. I'll tell you what happened from the beginning, cool?" Okay, yes. Now I was patronizing her. But I was mad! I was hateful!
"Alright."
"I was eight when it started happening. My mom died when I was five. It was just me and my dad for awhile. He started. he um." Was I crying? Oh my god, I was actually crying. I hadn't cried about this in years. Even when it happened!
"Take your time!" Whatever.
"He started touching me. He had gotten drunk at some Christmas party that night. He came home smashed. I must've been asleep, because the next thing I knew he was on top of me, undressing me. I met Kate when I was twelve. I told her everything. My dad met someone when I was eleven. It stopped for a few years, until last year. She broke up with him. He doesn't just. touch me. anymore." I couldn't believe that I was spilling everything to someone that I hadn't even talked to before. Then Kate walked in. Unsure of what to think I guess.
"Okay. Kate, hi, please take a seat." Duh. I was so relieved to have her there. She was like a mother to me, you hate her sometimes, wish she was out of your life at others. But you know, deep down, that you will always love her. No matter what she does to you, you will always love her! That was what made us so close she wasn't my mother. So, I could confide things in her that I couldn't tell anyone else. I guess you could say that she was a motherly best friend.
A/N: This is the chapter in which Claire's secret is revealed. Maybe Kate's too! I haven't decided on that one!
Warning! This chapter deals with that SERIOUSNESS mentioned in chapter one. I'm trying to give a warning without ruining my surprise! But, eh, you're gonna find out anyway. This chapter contains sexual content, or at least the mention of it.
I woke up at three o'clock that morning, an hour and a half before I usually awoke. This meant that, despite the tiredness I was going to feel that day, I wouldn't be rushed. Unfortunately, it also meant that I would have more time to dread going to school, and that the minutes would pass by slower. I wanted so much to call Kate up. To have her meet me there, but I knew I couldn't. It would be saying that this whole thing was okay.
I was never the one to reveal secrets first. I was too afraid of being judged by the other person. Only if I was sure that the other person would understand would I mention my whole ordeal. Kate was the same way, only she made sure in different ways.
About three months after I met Kate, she started becoming suspicious about why we never slept over at my house. She started to question me about why I never wanted to be alone. She spilled first.
One night, at one of our nightly sleepovers, her mom wasn't home. Kate and I had the total freedom to discuss whatever we had wanted. She had to choose that topic. Kate told me that when she was ten, her fifteen-year- old next-door neighbor was babysitting her. It took her awhile, but she finally confided in me. Kate finally told me that her next-door neighbor raped her.
I had been expecting her to tell someone about me for awhile now. Kate's neighbor moved away shortly after that, so Kate didn't tell anyone. Not even her parents'. But then, about two months ago, he moved back into town. Kate had to face him daily. So she turned him in to the cops. It turned out that there were other little girls, victims, who had surfaced over the years. She told me how good it felt to finally be able to talk about. It wasn't the same though.
Now, It was time for me to catch the bus. It would be the first time in two years for me. Kate usually drove me. I hadn't realized how dependent I had become on Kate. I applied my finishing touches to my make-up and grabbed my backpack.
The bus stop was extremely uncomfortable. Everyone had already established their own little cliques. They were all talking about me too! If I didn't have an obligation at school that day, I would have already bailed. After forty something minutes, I arrived at school. Heading straight for the counselor's office. I was in line with several other people. By the time my name was called, it was second period.
"Claire, sorry it took so long." My counselor came in with a folder. I wasn't a folder, I was a person. Stop staring at the folder! Look at me! Look me in the eyes damn it! That was what I wanted to scream. Hell, I wanted to scream anything! But.
"It's okay." Was all that came out!
"Are you ready to talk about it now?" The question echoed in my ears.
"Umm." I was still thinking!
"Claire?" I'm right fucking here! What, What, What?
"I need Kate here! Get Kate!" Where the fuck did that come from?
"Okay, I just sent up for her. Can we talk in the meantime?" No!
"Yes." Uh, I feel like Cybil has just taken over my brain!
"Alright, good. I'm going to start by asking you some questions. Cool?" Is she trying to sound hip or something?
"Yea."
"I'm sure you already know by now that Kate has brought this to my attention." That double-crossing bitch!
"Uh huh."
"Oh goodness, I've never had to ask this before. Can you believe that?" Geez lady! Fine, I'll say it. Happy?
"Let me save you the trouble. I'll tell you what happened from the beginning, cool?" Okay, yes. Now I was patronizing her. But I was mad! I was hateful!
"Alright."
"I was eight when it started happening. My mom died when I was five. It was just me and my dad for awhile. He started. he um." Was I crying? Oh my god, I was actually crying. I hadn't cried about this in years. Even when it happened!
"Take your time!" Whatever.
"He started touching me. He had gotten drunk at some Christmas party that night. He came home smashed. I must've been asleep, because the next thing I knew he was on top of me, undressing me. I met Kate when I was twelve. I told her everything. My dad met someone when I was eleven. It stopped for a few years, until last year. She broke up with him. He doesn't just. touch me. anymore." I couldn't believe that I was spilling everything to someone that I hadn't even talked to before. Then Kate walked in. Unsure of what to think I guess.
"Okay. Kate, hi, please take a seat." Duh. I was so relieved to have her there. She was like a mother to me, you hate her sometimes, wish she was out of your life at others. But you know, deep down, that you will always love her. No matter what she does to you, you will always love her! That was what made us so close she wasn't my mother. So, I could confide things in her that I couldn't tell anyone else. I guess you could say that she was a motherly best friend.