Investigation

I woke up feeling dizzy. I opened my eyes and I tried to focus on my surroundings and I felt a teardrop from my face. This is where my miserable life began. I saw that I am in a crushed car, unable to move. I also saw my parents and my brother, covered in blood and not moving.

‘No, not again. I don’t want to see this scene again.’ I thought in my head as I tried to get back to reality and I felt my tears drop one by one until I fully let go of my tears and start to cry.

“Mom! Dad! Kyle! Why?! Why did you leave me?!” I started shaking badly. I can’t wake up. “Someone, please help.” I can hear the sirens of the police cars and the ambulance coming. But they were too late.

I can feel myself being lifted by one of the medics and looked around. It was a mess.

I looked behind me and saw my parents and my brother. The medics were doing what they can to save them until they announced. “We can’t save them. Go help the girl, she’s still conscious.” They put me on the stretcher, put a BVM over my mouth, and put me in an ambulance.

“Please, don’t leave my parents.” I breathe out. “Girl, your family is going to be okay, we are bringing them to a hospital as we speak, alright?” One of the paramedics comforted me but I know that it’s a lie. “No, you can’t do this,” I started to struggle. “Girl, we need you to calm down.”

“NO!”

“Please calm down or I’ll-”

“Hey, wake up Martha.” I felt someone shaking me and calling my name. “Martha, wake up!”

I woke up and saw familiar faces in my sight. It was Jessica, Hayden, and the nurse.

Jessica hugged me when she saw that I was awake. “Martha, are you alright? We were so worried about you when you were crying in your sleep.”

“In my sleep?” That’s when I remembered that horrible scene. A memory that I want to forget. It was when my family died in a car accident a few months ago.

“I’m sorry if I made you guys worried. It’s nothing.” I held back my tears as I reassured them. “What do you mean it’s nothing?! Being beaten up by a guy is nothing?!” Jessica exclaimed. Oh right. “Please calm down, Jessica.”

“I can’t just calm down, Martha! This isn’t right, a guy beating up a female?! Like why did he do that? Is there something that I don’t know?” She looked hurt, but I can’t tell her the real reason why he beat me up. I don’t think I have the courage to do so.

“I tried to follow you at that time but I didn’t get to see where you went and so I just rushed to a corridor randomly then I heard a scream near our lockers and I followed it.” Jessica cried while holding my hands.

“When I arrived near the janitor’s closet, Hayden was already there and he tried to kick the door down many times before he finally managed to get it open and we found you being abused by a guy then Hayden punched him till he passed out and called me for help. I went up to the guy and kicked him a few times for you.” She smiled a little and caressed my hands as if to reassure me.

“If I may interrupt, why did you try to hide in the janitor’s closet?” Hayden asked sternly. “Was it because of the rumors about us? About Britney? Is that why you ran off to hide in the janitor’s closet?” My head drooped low in embarrassment and shame. It was because I was trying to hide that Hayden and Jessica had to save me from Robin.

“I-I-I’m sorry guys.” I kept my head down. This wasn’t supposed to happen, I feel so embarrassed about this incident but why should I? I should get used to it by now, getting beaten up by my schoolmates. “It won’t happen again.” I know that I can't keep this promise but I have to calm them down, especially Jessica.

“And besides, since when did you care about me that much Hayden?” I retorted but then I regretted saying that when I saw Hayden’s frown and he looked a little disappointed with my thought. “I remember telling you that I want to be friends with you. So why would you assume that I won’t care about you?” He left the clinic after speaking.

“Now off you go Miss Jessica, you still have classes left. I’ll take care of her in the meantime.” The nurse said while pointing at the door. Jessica smiled at me reassuringly then left me to my own with the nurse.

The nurse grabbed a chair and put it beside my bed. “Miss Martha, can you tell me why do you have so many bruises? There are even old ones that turned completely black due to the recent event.”

She sighed, “You know, this event has caught the attention of the principal and she’s actually on the way to investigate things. And you’re going to be questioned about what happened.”

“I advise you to be honest when answering her questions, okay? She will be able to help you to punish the guy who beat you up.” I just nodded my head at her but I know that I will be completely mute, just like when I was questioned before, after the accident.

“Take some rest now for your bruises to heal a bit and have energy later when the principal arrives.” She smiled and I thanked her in return. After a while, I dozed off.

#######

“Hello nurse, may I speak to Miss Sweetheart?” I could hear someone talking to the nurse. I guess it’s the principal since the nurse told me that the principal was on her way.

“Please, come in. She’s having a nap but I think that she’s going to wake up soon.” I can hear the both of them walking in and I opened my eyes to look at them. “She’s awake now, you don’t have to accompany me, Miss Pauline.” The nurse left us alone.

“Hello Miss Sweetheart, I have heard that you have a dispute with one of your classmates, correct?” She smiled at me reassuringly but I feel like something is about to come. Something bad. I did not let it bother me and I corrected her. “I did not ma’am, my classmate bullied me by beating me up. In fact, the whole school knows that Britney and her friends bully me every afternoon after class.”

The principal stood up and what she did shocked me. She slapped me across the face and the slap left a burning sensation throughout my face. I gasped and looked at her wide-eyed, I asked her, “What did I do?!”

“Dear, you better get your thinking straight, and don’t you dare try to damage the reputation of this school’s students!” She was gasping heavily and glaring at me as if I made a big problem for her. “I have enough of you students giving me a headache when clearly, IT’S YOUR PROBLEM!”

I only looked at her, confused, holding my cheek in my hand. I then realized something. “Madam Principal, excuse me if you may. But can I ask what is your name?”

She scoffed at me. Looking arrogant, she spoke, “My name is Patricia L. Whyte. I am sure, you’ve heard of this name. Don’t you, student of Boston High? Or did you just forget who your principal is?” And that is when I connected the dots.