7. Broken
Mrs. Everson watched us everyday after school when Carlisle went to school, and she ate dinner with us at least 2 days a week. The more she came over, the less the bruises showed up on her arms. But every Monday she would have new ones covering her. In the middle of October, she had one covering her eye.
"I fell down the stairs" she told Carlisle, but he was not convinced.
Alice continued talking to everyone at school for me, and eventually people stopped expecting me to answer. The adults still watched us as if our lives were pitiful, but at least nobody talked directly to us about the accident.
Alice was out of her cast by the middle of October, and I was out of my foot cast and arm cast by the last week of October.
"Will you be able to come by tomorrow after school for the Halloween party?" Mrs. Everson asked Carlisle one night during dinner.
He dropped his fork "Oh no. I forgot about that holiday…. Where can I still get them costumes? I can't believe I forgot"
She smiled at him, "I can make them costumes. Drop them off early on the 31st and I will even do their makeup"
"You are a lifesaver. I don't know what we would do without you"
Alice danced around the classroom in her Piglet costume during the party, while I hid in the corner in my Eeyore costume. Mrs. Everson never pushed me to participate in social events, which I was relieved about. After Alice continued to ignore Carlisle, he came and sat next to me.
"Can I sit next to you?" He asked
I nodded
"I brought you some blueberries since I know they are your favourite"
I smiled as I nibbled on them. Even through wordless conversations, Carlisle seemed to know me. We sat in silence as Alice chased the other students inside and Mrs. Everson chatted to the other families.
"You know, it's okay to be like Eeyore. Everyone loves him even if he feels sad"
I rolled my eyes, but he continued, "You might feel better if you talked about... What happened. I'm always here to listen, and so is Mrs. Everson. Mr. Everson is a psychologist, and he wants to meet you next week on Monday during school."
I glanced up at him. I didn't want to talk to anyone.
"You don't deserve to feel all this pain, kiddo. Mr. Everson wants to help you feel better"
I looked away from him as he said the word pain. He looked at me like he understood.
Almost every night I woke up in the middle of the night screaming. Alice eventually learned how to sleep through it, but Carlisle always came in to make sure I was okay.
It was always the same vision. I would always see the airplane coming for me, and I would always hear the screams of my parents.
Then I would be trapped in a small place, and I would try and try and try to escape. When I did escape, there was nothing but an empty white field. Nobody else existed.
We went trick or treating that night close to the university. I wasn't into it, but Alice insisted we go to every house along the block. I don't understand why; none of the candy was vegan, and Carlisle didn't like candy or chocolate.
It took only 5 minutes for me to hate Mr. Everson. He came in to the classroom the day after Halloween and looked at Mrs. Everson with disgust. She immediately looked away, but Mr. Everson continued to stare at her when she turned around.
I didn't like how he looked at her. Carlisle looked at her with affection and she always smiled when she caught him looking at her. This was different though; she was obviously uncomfortable when Mr. Everson watched her.
"So, Eddie" He asked when we were alone in his office, "Why are you not talking?"
I ignored him. My name isn't Eddie.
"Okay" he said with anger, his eyes growing, "You need to talk to me"
I looked at him and stuck my lips out in a pout.
"Talk," He rose from his chair, his eyes glared into me like he wanted to activate lazerbeams and kill me.
I refused. He couldn't take anything away from me.
He raised his hand so it was just above my cheek. A spasm of fear and anger moved through my body as I realized what he was going to do, but I couldn't force myself to talk.
"Now" he said
I stuck my tongue out at him, allowing the anger to control me.
I heard the sound of his skin striking me before I felt the ripple of pain extend down my face.
"Talk, or I tell the social worker that you told me the medical student is abusing you"
I stared up at him. Seriously? He's going to take Carlisle away from me? Would Alice be taken away from me too? I started to cry.
This time I immediately felt his fist in my eye. I screamed as loud as I could.
"Nobody is coming for you. Nobody loves you. Nobody cares"
It was like my nightmare all over again.
I realized he was lying. I wasn't alone like I was. I had Carlisle and Alice. I knew they loved me. Even if I died, they would still love me. He couldn't take love away from me.
His hand then collided with my nose. I screamed again.
"Charles!" I heard a familiar voice scream. Mrs. Everson.
She picked me up as the anger I felt floaded to her.
"Oh Esme, he told me the doctor was hur-"
"Don't you dare even say it. I know Carlisle would never hurt anyone, and I could hear Edward screaming from my room! You hit a child." Mrs. Everson sounded like she was in shock, despite her voice being barely louder than a whisper.
Mr. Everson walked towards Mrs. Everson. His eyes were locked to me, and for an instant I wondered if I turned invisible.
"Esme, if you don't let me finish my meeting and my report then you will be feeling the pain tonight I am planning on inflicting on this child unless he talks." His voice was clear, but it was full of intimidation.
Mrs. Everson shaked and she pulled me towards her body. Mr. Everson came closer to us until he was inches away from her face.
She looked down at me, and I knew she was deciding in that moment whether she was going to risk her own life for mine. Why would she risk her safety for mine?
"Good" She said and she spun around and walked out the door.
I stared up at her in shock. She stopped and leaned against the wall, tears dripping from her face. I wanted to thank her for saving me, and I wanted to apologize for causing her pain, but her face was in pain. I was sure she was going to send me back to Mr. Everson.
"Oh Sweetie, look at you…" She spat out, her voice breaking. She wiped the tears off her face as she ran to the office with me in their arms.
Maybe her pain was caused by the pain I was in. It dawned on me that she loved me too, and my pain was causing her pain.
"Benjamin!" she yelled as she entered the nurses room
His eyes widened as he looked at me.
"Tia, call 911" He called in a steady voice.