So, I hope you liked my last chapter, now here's the newest one (: I hope you like this.
"For the benefit of the tape, could you both please state your names, and your relationship." The police officer asked. I panicked once he said relationship, but then I realised he only meant what Alex was to me.
"Alexandra Russo. Mitchie Torres. I'm her stand-in art teacher, her normal art teacher's on maternity leave." Alex told him. He nodded, and carried on. He asked me questions, and Alex questions, he asked how long they'd been abusing me for, how often they did it, etc.
Once the interview was over, I was made to take all my make-up off, and then go into a room where a woman took pictures of all my bruises, cuts, and scars. They said it was evidence, and that it was important. After that, I was taken to a room which was full of cute pictures, pillows, toys, and a couch. I sat on the couch, next to Alex. I knew there would be camera's in there, so we didn't do anything.
A woman came in, she didn't look like a police officer, she had a white blouse on, with the top 2 buttons undone, black tight trousers, and black stiletto shoes on. She had her blonde hair pulled into a tight bun, and despite the fact that she was dressed like a strict person, she smiled at me, and she seemed really nice.
"Hi, Mitchie, I'm Jasmine, I'm a social worker. Your parents are going to be put away, so you're going to have to come to a children's home. Most of the kids there have been taken there by their parents, because they couldn't look after them, others have been taken there because their parents died, and one of the girls is there because she was abused, they're all nice kids, and you'll hopefully get along well with them." She explained. I was about to say something, when Alex butted in.
"What?! No! She can stay with me, she's got stuff at my place, she gets along with my daughter, and I'm fine with supporting her financially. Why does she have to go live in some kids home?" She asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
"I'm sorry Ms. Russo, but there are forms that need to be filled out, and stuff like that, so for the time being, Mitchie will be living at the care home. You're welcome to visit any time." She said, looking to me, silently asking me to get up to go with her.
"Okay, well, I guess I'll see you later, I'll bring all your stuff around for you. What's the address of the home?" Alex asked, turning her head to Jasmine, who reached into her trouser pocket and pulled out a little card, which had an address and phone number on it.
"Right, Mitchie, lets go." Jasmine said, walking towards the door. I quickly hugged Alex, and whispered a goodbye, before following Jasmine out of the police station and to a 7-seater car. I got in, and she drove for what felt like ages, but it turned out it was 45 minutes. It was only 10 minutes away from the school, so I Figured I would be able to stay at the school I was in.
"Mitchie, Hi, I'm Spencer. I'm the chef here." A large man with black hair said, shaking my hand. I said 'Hi', and was then greeted by another adult.
"Mitchie, I'm Kara, I run this place, Jasmine comes by occasionally to help out, but she works at lots of other care homes as well, so I'm basically the boss of this place." Said a woman with pale blonde hair, shaking my hand and smiling at me.
"I'm Rob, but the kids call me Rocky, I'm the cool guy that entertains you kids and basically just has a laugh with you." He said, shaking my hand.
"Right, Mitchie, I'll show you to your room. You'll be sharing with a girl called Danielle. She's the same age as you, but you wont have seen her at school, because all these kids go to the school around the corner, but you can stay at the school you're at if you want to." Kara said, leading me up 3 flights of stairs, and down the corridor to a big room, which was tidy. It had bunk beds, the bottom one looked slept in, so I guessed the top bunk was mine.
"Here's a copy of the rules, they're not to strict, but we do ask that you'll follow them. There are no TV's in any of the rooms, because it would be un-fair on the other kids that didn't get one from their parents when they came here. Take a look at the rules, and Spencer will bring you some lunch up in a bit." She said, leaving the room, I looked down at the sheet of paper.
Rules of Francho house.
Curfew 8pm Sun-thurs, 10pm on Fri & Sat.
Lights out by 10pm Sun-Thurs, 12Am Fri & Sat.
No boys in girls rooms after 7pm
Do not bully other children
Have fun, treat it like your home.
Well, they seem pretty reasonable. I thought to myself.
I sat in the room, on the top bunk bed. I saw Rocky come up carrying a tray with a sandwich and a can of Pepsi. He put it on the bed next to where I was sitting and smiled at me.
"Thanks. Has Alex called yet?" I asked him, he looked confused.
"Who's Alex?" He asked me.
"My art teacher." I said, which made him look even more confused.
"Why would your art teacher call? And why do you call her Alex?" He asked with a small, sad smile.
"I was staying with her since Friday, she was the one I told about my parents first, And she wouldn't let me go back to them, so she told me to come stay with her, she took me shopping on Saturday, and brought me clothes and stuff, she said she was gonna bring them round for me." I explained.
"Why do you call her Alex then?" He asked.
"She told us all to call her Alex, she doesn't like being called 'Ms. Russo' for some reason." I explained. He nodded, and then hopped up onto the bed to sit next to me, not using the step ladder connected to the bed.
"You know, kiddo? I've worked in 3 other kids homes before this one, and not one of the kids I've worked with had been through what you've been through. It must've been real tough for you." He said, putting his arm comfortingly around my shoulder. I smiled at him weakly, and nodded my head.
"It was really horrible, Rocky, I used to love being at school, putting up with all the bitches, just because I knew I wasn't in any real danger there. I hated 2.30, because I knew it meant going home, and I knew that meant at least one more bruise to cover up." I explained, tears coming to my eyes, just from talking about what happened, for the second time that day.
"Why did they do it to you, Mitchie? You seem like a really nice girl, I can't imagine why they'd do that to you." He said. I guessed the police hadn't told them why.
"Because they found out that I'm gay." I said.
"Oh… that's horrible, Mitchie. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. I may be the fun one and stuff, but I'm also the one the kids come to when they have a private problem… unless it's girl stuff… then you should go to Kara." He said jokingly. I smiled at him, and without another word, he left me to eat my lunch.
2.45, and the first kid had gotten back. I found myself sitting by the window in my room, watching the people that came past. Rocky came up and got my tray from me, and offered to play a game with me of some sort, he said that we could play on the playstation, or something like that, but I said I'd rather just sit in the room.
A few more kids came back, and by 3.00, around 30 kids had come back. I stopped looking out the window when I heard a voice behind me.
"You must be Mitchie." She said, sounding quite proud that she knew who I was. I nodded and walked up to her.
"You must be Danielle." I said, just as proudly.
"Danni." She corrected me.
"Right. Erm… I kinda got told I had to stay in this room… I hope that's okay." I said shyly.
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine, My last roommate got moved because she was found in bed with one of the boys, so I've been kinda lonely at night." She said, tossing her school bag on her bed.
"Oh, okay." I said. She smiled at me, then went and lay on her bed.
"So, tell me a bit about yourself, why are you here?" She asked, pulling a magazine out from underneath her pillow and flipping through the pages. I explained to her all about my parents, and that I was gay, and that I'd been staying with my teacher. I also ended up telling her other stuff, like my age, what kinda stuff I was into, etc.
"So, why're you here?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders.
"My mom died in a car crash, and I never met my dad, I've been here since I was 5. I'm not that bothered by it, you tend to get used to it. I'm 15 now, and I don't think I could live anywhere else, with a different family, because these kids and the adults are like my family." She explained.
"Cool, I guess, although, I'm sorry about your parents." I said, she smiled at me, and shrugged again.
"Mitchie, Your teacher's here." Kara said from the door, interrupting our conversation.
"Great, thanks… is there a private room where I can talk to her? Somewhere without any cameras." I added quickly.
"Mitchie, there's no cameras anywhere here, that'd be a total invasion of your privacy. But there is a private room, it's called the cool down room, Danni'll show you where that is." Kara said, looking towards Danni, who jumped up from her bed and lead me downstairs to a room which was full of pillows, it also had a punch bag, which I'm guessing was for the angry kids. A couple of minutes later, Alex showed up, lead by Kara, who left us. I walked behind Alex, and quickly locked the door, then before I'd even turned round completely, I felt her lips attached to mine.
"Hi." She breathed, her head resting against mine, and her hands on my waist. My hands were wrapped around her neck, and we were leaning against the door.
"Hi. I missed you." I whispered to her.
Hope you liked it :Dx