"You should see the other guy," I joked weakly. This was sort of awkward. They were staring at me like I'd grown another head. Then, finally, someone spoke.
"This is Lisa. She's the social worker I had after my dad died and I wanted to be placed with Joey," Craig said.
"Did she know…know he was…" I trailed off. I didn't think Craig had told anyone before that his father had been beating him.
"No, I did not," she said, upset. "And if I had, you can bet his father never would have seen him again. But that's beside the point. You're Ellie, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't you tell me what's been happening."
"I…uh…" I had been completely willing to do this only a half-hour ago, but now that the time had actually come, this was really hard. "He…"
"Ok, here. Let me try to make this easier on you. Who is doing this to you?"
"My father."
"And what exactly is he doing to you?"
I looked at Craig for help. I didn't want to have to do this. But he looked back at me sadly and shook his head no. I was on my own for this one.
"He hits me. He pushes me around, he hit me, and he throws stuff at me."
"Then where'd you get the cut in your side?" Craig interrupted.
"Some of the girls at school who don't like lesbians. My dad, however, watched them do it. He's responsible for the hole in my head."
"The hole in your head?" Lisa asked.
I turned around, and showed her by pushing my hair out of the way. She gasped. "Didn't he get you stitches or something?"
"I don't know. I was in the hospital, because I had almost bled to death. But I don't know why they wouldn't have given me stitches."
"Ellie, I know this has been really hard for you. But I've got one last question about the abuse before we get on another subject. I want to know why. Why would he do this to you? Is he just evil? Did he think he had some sort of reason?"
"I'm a lesbian."
"So?"
"So, he doesn't like that. I'm going to hell for it, he said. And he had to try to fix me."
"Ellie, there's nothing wrong with you."
"That's what you think," I mumbled, but she didn't hear me. She moved on to something else.
"We have to get you a place to stay. I know Joey offered to let you stay here for a while longer, but we just can't do that. We're going to have to take you to a group home. Now I know you've probably heard really terrible things about group homes, but trust me, this on is different. I'm going to put you in the gay and lesbian group home. We created it because we got a lot of homosexual beating in the other ones. No one there will hurt you. Plus, it's in the area. Assuming you took the bus, you could still go to Degrassi."
"But I wanted…"
"I know. I know what you wanted. But we have to keep you safe."
"Fine. It doesn't look like I have much of a choice."
"I've got a car outside. I'll wait in there for you. The cop is going to take what you said, and pay a visit to the district attorney. And maybe after that, your father."
She gave Craig a hug, and headed out the door.
Angela came downstairs. "Are you leaving?" she asked me.
"Yeah, but I'll see you again."
"Ok," she said, hugging me. Then she kissed my cheek, and went upstairs. Joey hugged me too, and followed Angela.
Craig just stared at me. "I'm so sorry El. I didn't know they'd make you leave. I had no idea that they'd…"
I interrupted him. "Tell Lindsey, Marco, and Ash what's happening so they don't worry. And you don't worry either. I'll be fine, and I'll see you at school on Monday."
Craig hugged me, and I heard him crying. "Come on, don't cry. Everything's fine. Now, help me outside."
He got me outside, and into the car. As we drove away, he stood there, in the street, crying. I turned away, crying also. Lisa drove on without saying a word.
"This is Lisa. She's the social worker I had after my dad died and I wanted to be placed with Joey," Craig said.
"Did she know…know he was…" I trailed off. I didn't think Craig had told anyone before that his father had been beating him.
"No, I did not," she said, upset. "And if I had, you can bet his father never would have seen him again. But that's beside the point. You're Ellie, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't you tell me what's been happening."
"I…uh…" I had been completely willing to do this only a half-hour ago, but now that the time had actually come, this was really hard. "He…"
"Ok, here. Let me try to make this easier on you. Who is doing this to you?"
"My father."
"And what exactly is he doing to you?"
I looked at Craig for help. I didn't want to have to do this. But he looked back at me sadly and shook his head no. I was on my own for this one.
"He hits me. He pushes me around, he hit me, and he throws stuff at me."
"Then where'd you get the cut in your side?" Craig interrupted.
"Some of the girls at school who don't like lesbians. My dad, however, watched them do it. He's responsible for the hole in my head."
"The hole in your head?" Lisa asked.
I turned around, and showed her by pushing my hair out of the way. She gasped. "Didn't he get you stitches or something?"
"I don't know. I was in the hospital, because I had almost bled to death. But I don't know why they wouldn't have given me stitches."
"Ellie, I know this has been really hard for you. But I've got one last question about the abuse before we get on another subject. I want to know why. Why would he do this to you? Is he just evil? Did he think he had some sort of reason?"
"I'm a lesbian."
"So?"
"So, he doesn't like that. I'm going to hell for it, he said. And he had to try to fix me."
"Ellie, there's nothing wrong with you."
"That's what you think," I mumbled, but she didn't hear me. She moved on to something else.
"We have to get you a place to stay. I know Joey offered to let you stay here for a while longer, but we just can't do that. We're going to have to take you to a group home. Now I know you've probably heard really terrible things about group homes, but trust me, this on is different. I'm going to put you in the gay and lesbian group home. We created it because we got a lot of homosexual beating in the other ones. No one there will hurt you. Plus, it's in the area. Assuming you took the bus, you could still go to Degrassi."
"But I wanted…"
"I know. I know what you wanted. But we have to keep you safe."
"Fine. It doesn't look like I have much of a choice."
"I've got a car outside. I'll wait in there for you. The cop is going to take what you said, and pay a visit to the district attorney. And maybe after that, your father."
She gave Craig a hug, and headed out the door.
Angela came downstairs. "Are you leaving?" she asked me.
"Yeah, but I'll see you again."
"Ok," she said, hugging me. Then she kissed my cheek, and went upstairs. Joey hugged me too, and followed Angela.
Craig just stared at me. "I'm so sorry El. I didn't know they'd make you leave. I had no idea that they'd…"
I interrupted him. "Tell Lindsey, Marco, and Ash what's happening so they don't worry. And you don't worry either. I'll be fine, and I'll see you at school on Monday."
Craig hugged me, and I heard him crying. "Come on, don't cry. Everything's fine. Now, help me outside."
He got me outside, and into the car. As we drove away, he stood there, in the street, crying. I turned away, crying also. Lisa drove on without saying a word.