(A/N): So, here's the the last "segment", if that's what you'd call it, of Two Years Gone. Hope you guys enjoy!
Two Years Gone
Chapter 8: Bigger Than Us
Todd and I stayed in each others arms until the manager came back the next morning.
"So, you're still here?" she asked.
"Yes mam." Todd told the manager.
"You two stay here while I go look at the tape." she was gone a few minutes and then came back and pointed at me. "Where did you go for like 3 minutes?"
"I changed from my jeans to a skirt. You can look on the tape I was wearing pants before I went to the restroom and came back out in a skirt."
"Why?"
"She was hot." Todd interrupted, "Do you really need to know what we did at every second?"
"If I want that extra thousand, yes."
"Ok, how about this, I'll give you 750, to leave us alone."
"Deal." she said, Todd then writing another check.
"Thank you, let's go Miles." he said, grabbing my hand and us both walking out of the door. "You ready?"
"For what?"
"To go to the station."
"Yeah…I guess, wait, we have no car."
"Oh right, Les and Taylor took it home. I guess we'll have to walk."
"I'm so cold though Todd." I said, pouting
"That just means I'll have to hold you closer."
"Aww, man." I said, snapping my finger.
"Now come here." he said, bringing me to his chest, tickling my sides.
"No, no, Todd…"
"Ok, I'll stop…one more." he said, tickling me one last time.
"Haha, thank goodness that's over."
"And let's head to the police station."
It was about a 2 mile walk away, so it took close to a half hour to arrive at the station.
"Hello and welcome to the Tampa Police Department. How can we help you?" said the woman at the counter.
"My girlfriend was ummm…personally violated by her ex."
"And you'd like to report it?"
"Yes, please." I spoke up.
"Sir, could I speak to your girlfriend alone?"
"Of course. You'll be ok, right Miles."
"Yeah, I might cry but I'll be ok."
"Ok, see you in a minute."
"Bye." I said, as she was leading me out a door on the side wall into an interrogation room.
"I haven't formally introduced myself, I'm Officer Young. And you are?"
"Miley Cyrus." I said, shaking her hand.
"Very nice to meet you, please sit." After we both sat down, she continued, "So, Miley, how long has this been going on?"
"About a year and 7 months, actually it will be 7 months on the 23rd."
"So when exactly did the harassing start?"
"April 23rd."
"Ok, and who is doing this to you Miley?"
"My ex boyfriend, Justin."
"And how long have you been broken up?"
"About 2 and half years."
"So this started after you broke up?"
"Correct, once I started dating Todd, my current boyfriend."
"Ok, can you please describe what first happened?"
"If I get a little emotional it's because I only told Todd yesterday and I'm still a little cautious."
"I understand, Miley."
"I was walking down the hallway at my school, I don't remember the exact time but the next thing I knew, I was in the janitor's closet and a knife was to my throat. Justin told me that if I wanted Todd to be alive, if and when we got married, that I needed to do what he told me to, exactly what he wanted. And that's when he started…umm…I was wearing a skirt, like the one I'm wearing and he placed his hand on my thigh and told me to get used to it because he would do it during class and then he squeezed it softly and said that this would be the sign for me to be absolutely silent unless told not to. And then…" I said, before placing my head in my hands, crying.
"Ok, Ms. Cyrus, you're doing fine. Just calm down and finish the story."
"Ok…" I said, wiping tears away, "He then started going up my skirt and just touched my thigh."
"No where else, just your thigh?"
"Yes, he said he didn't want to violate me, so just my thigh. He said that if I moved and made it seem like he was doing something he would cut me and placed the blade of the knife about 4 inches from the bottom of my skirt and cut me."
"Do you still have a scar?"
"Yes, mam."
"Would you mind showing me and me taking a picture of it for evidence?"
"No." I stood up and barely lifted my skirt while she took picture.
"Thank you. Is that all?"
"Yeah…but he does it everyday, or every school day during Math class, which luckily is the only class we have together this year."
"Ok, and why has it taken so long to come and tell us?"
"I didn't want my boyfriend to be in danger."
"And what were the scabs on your leg?"
"That's from where I scrub. Every afternoon, I scrub the pain of the day off and it takes off so many layers of skin that this is what is left."
"Is there anything else you'd like me to know?"
"Not really, but if you are not going to arrest him until after Monday, I have to go to school."
"I really can't put you in harm Miley."
"But if I don't go, he'll know something is wrong.
"Ok…I have an idea…we might be able to send in a detective portraying a new student or substitute teacher. We can arrest him for harm with a dangerous object, but not for indecency unless we catch him doing it."
"So I have to do it again?"
"One last time, Miley, what do you say?"
"If it gets him caught, I guess I'll do it."
"Ok, we'll keep in contact with you. Just go back up front and I'll be there in a minute for you to fill out some paperwork."
"Thank you."
"No, thank you." she said, opening the door for me to go back to foyer and still sitting in the chair was Todd, staring at the door I would come back in from.
"Hey, babe. Did everything go alright?"
"Yeah, I told her and I'm going to school tomorrow."
"Why?"
"They can't charge him for all the crimes unless they catch him in the act."
"He has to touch you again."
"Yes…but there going to have a private detective and officers in the building.
"Ok, that makes me feel better." he said, giving me a hug then whispering in my ear continued, "You feel better?" I just nodded, making him hold onto me tighter.
"Ms. Cyrus." Officer Young said, coming out with the paperwork. "I need you to fill this out."
"Ok." I walked over, picked up the forms and then walked down to the seat next to Todd.
"Sir, may I talk to you for a few minutes?"
"Of course. Be right back babe." he said, walking to the back room as well.
"I'm Officer Young, you?"
"Todd Lewis."
"Nice to meet you Todd, sit please."
"Now, how long have you known Miley?"
"We've been dating almost 2 years and 2 months."
"And when did you find out about the alleged crime?"
"One, it's not alleged, I believe my girlfriend and please don't accuse her of lying."
"Justin is innocent until proven guilty; I have no doubt that she's telling the truth though sir."
"Ok…sorry, I'm just really protective."
"Please answer the question."
"Last night, like midnight or 1 o'clock."
"Ok, and who's idea was it to come to the station?"
"Mine, she didn't want to come, because she though I would be killed."
"And why did you decide to come here?
"Because I couldn't stand seeing her hurt that bad again, days that Justin hurt her really bad, she'd come home yelling and screaming but she wouldn't tell me why she was screaming."
"Until yesterday?"
"Until yesterday."
"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"
"Please catch him, he needs to be caught, for her sake."
"We'll do our best."
"Thank you." he said, then standing and opening the door for the Officer.
"Thank you, Todd."
"No problem, mam."
"Miley, may I speak to you up here for a moment?" Officer Young asked Miley.
"Yes, you may."
"Have you finished the paperwork?"
"Yes." I said, handing her the papers.
"And one more thing."
"Yes…"
"Don't let that one go. He really cares about you."
"What did he say?"
"Mam, that is confidential information. But we'll be in contact correct?"
"Yes, absolutely."
"Goodbye Miley and you're a strong girl."
"Thank you for your time Officer."
"What was all that about?" Todd asked, once we began to walk home.
"I guess you just can't ask some questions."
"Oh, ok…so tomorrow he'll be in jail?"
"Yeah…"
"Do you know if you'll have to testify?"
"It said on the sheet I filled out, to be ready to testify."
"Are you ready?"
"I don't know if I can."
"Don't worry about it now, you have time."
We arrived home about 20 minutes later and we decided to watch a movie. Half way through, my cell phone rang.
"Be right back." I said to Todd, then stood and went to the restroom to answer the call. "Hello."
"Is this Miley Cyrus?" asked a man's voice
"Yes, it is. May I ask whose calling?"
"Officer Bloomberg from the Police Department."
"And what do you need?"
"I'm just here to tell you the procedures for tomorrow."
"Procedures?"
"Yes, tomorrow you need to act as normal as possible, you can't give anything away to Justin, it could jeopardize the situation. You're sub tomorrow will be Ms. Johnson; she will call you to the desk saying, 'Miley, your teacher asked me to give you something.' If you'd still like to go through with the operation say, 'Is it about the last project I did?" If you don't want to go through with the operation say, 'Is it about the last test?' Either way, she will respond yes and hand you back either the test or the project depending on which answer you give. After that we will proceed. Is that clear with you Ms.
Cyrus?
"Yes, sir.
"To go through with it what do you say?"
"Is it about the last project I did?"
"And to not go through with it?"
"Is it about the last test?"
"And remember this information is confidential, revealing it to anyone will be against this department."
"Yes, sir, I understand."
"Ok, thank you and we'll see you tomorrow, goodbye."
"Bye."
I then hung up and walked back to my living room.
"What was that about?"
"Just tomorrow."
"What about it?"
"I'm not aloud to tell you."
"Why?"
"It could jeopardize the operation."
"Ok, whatever you say. Let's finish this movie then watch 'Transformers'"
"Ok Todd…you know I don't like that movie."
"But I want to watch it." he said, whining.
"Fine, fine, three hours of pain, I can live."
After we finished Transformers, it was around 6, so Todd decided to make us dinner.
"Where's your dad?"
"In court, with mom."
"That's today?"
"Yeah, but I didn't want to go and take sides."
"You ok with that still?"
"It's gotten better, still in shock though."
"I understand what you mean. Now let's eat."
We both sat at the table and finished the spaghetti. Once done, I decided I was ready to sleep. Even though it was only 7:15, after some convincing, Todd decided to come up as well.
"Who's bed tonight?" I asked. Todd and I had been sharing a bed for about a month now, nothing going on, just liked being in each other company.
"Your mattress is more comfortable."
"You're right."
"Are you saying that mine is uncomfortable?"
"Maybe, baby."
"That's offensive."
"But, your mattress deserves it." I said, jumping onto my bed.
"It did nothing to you."
"Except hurt my back."
"Fine, my bed's uncomfortable, it hurt my girl."
"Haha. Ok, now let me change." I finished, Todd leaving the room. Once changed, I knocked on his door and like always, Todd came out in his boxers.
"I'm so tired." he yawned.
"Me too." I yawned back.
We both went and laid down on my bed.
"So you ready for tomorrow?"
"I'm still scared."
"You shouldn't be. He's going to be locked up for good, come this time tomorrow. Hopefully for a long, long, time."
"Let's hope so."
Todd wrapped his arms around me and as usual, whispered in my ear until I fell asleep, "Miley, I am so proud of you. You showed me today what real strength is, you, babe, are so inspiring. I have no doubt in what's going to happen tomorrow, Justin will never hurt you again and like always he will never get between us. You've always needed someone to believe in and today that person was you. Today, going to the Police proved something, not only to me, but to yourself as well; you're fear for Justin isn't bigger than us.