Telling Mrs. Fitz

Stacy was finally going to tell her counselor today, she was just waiting until lunch like she always did, and slithered to the counselors

office. She didn't want Shelby or Brandon to see her, or to tell Kelly that she had gone to the counselors office. When she finally reached the

door she knocked hearing a come in she opened the door.

"Hi Mrs. Fitz I know we don't have a meeting scheduled for today, but I can't keep going on like this…" Stacy paused "I need to talk about this with someone, someone that can't tell anyone." Stacysaid sitting in the chair in front of Mrs. Fitz

"What is going on, Stacy? When we have our visits you never tell me anything. Are you alright dear?" Mrs. Fitz asked her, eyes filled

with concern for Stacy. She cared about her students.

Stacy took a deep breath not trying to hyperventilate, she was so scared to tell anyone what was going on "You promise not to tell

anyone?" Stacy asked she needed reassurance that she was safe.

"I swear Stacy now tell me what is going on." Mrs. Fitz told her watching Stacy's breathing she gave her a stress ball to squeeze. "Deep

breaths hun."

"Well to start off…." Stacy paused and squeezed the stress ball… She felt like her chest was going to explode.

"My step mother hurts me… Sometimes she won't give me food, other days she will make me do everything for her... dishes cleaning, she has

me eat these really hot peppers. Sometimes I go a week without eating." Stacy's eyes filled with tears and her voice cracked, her hands were

shaking, she hadn't even gotten to the worst part she was afraid to even speak about it… Would she believe me? She thought in her head..

"Stacy... chores are normal, now peppers, not eating... are very serious it's called child abuse and that is not ok. What else is going on at

home Stacy?" Mrs. Fitz said eyes were filled with anger and concern, she never wanted a student to go through this.

"It's not just chores… Sometimes I have to sleep in the basement closet… She will lock me into the closet… I can't take much more…"

Stacy's voice broke and she broke into tears as the bell rang lunchtime was over she would have to get back to class. She couldn't let them know she was here and she didn't want them to call if she didnt show to a class "I… I have to go… Stacy said running out of the counselors office she couldn't risk missing class nor being seen in the counselor's office on an unscheduled day someone would tell her step siblings, it was such a small town- everyone knew everyone.

Stacy's whole trembled now, she was shaking as she walked into her classroom taking a seat in the back of the class. She had stared off into space not thinking about anything reguarding what she had just done. What if Mrs. Fitz called Kelly or her dad. She didn't get to mention that it wasn't just her step mother that had been hurting her, she was so afraid of someone finding out that she told. Tonight she would finally see her mother again for the second time, Kelly couldn't keep her away from her mom, right now. She didn't hear the teacher call on her; she was so lost in her own thoughts…

"Yo freak-show loser!" The boy in front of her called her "Didn't you hear the teacher call on you. Come back to earth." He said and the whole class laughed.

"Enough students!" Mrs. Hastings said and all the kids stopped laughing. "Now can you please come up here and solve the problems

Stacy?" She asked. Stacy went up to the front of the class the problems were all easy 7+7=14, 6-5=1 and lastly 5*2=10 she wrote down the answers and they were surprised that she could solve the problems on the board, they were just barely starting multiplication, yet Stacy had already known the answer. "Very well thank you. Take your seat dear."

Mrs. Fitz was in her office and she knew she had to do something she couldn't let abuse go unnoticed, or let Stacy keep being abused. She didn't even get to tell me what else was going on at home, so Mrs. Fitz decided to go get Stacy from her class as if they had a scheduled meeting that way no one would know about her telling.

"Mr. Ryan, hi I was wondering if I could see Stacy for a little while we had a scheduled meeting but I had another person in my room, so I just want to check on her and do our daily meeting." Mrs. Fitz explained and Mr. Ryan agreed and let her go. Most of the teachers knew that Stacy had counseling and were worried about her well being. Stacy got up and got her things and went with her, once they got to the office Mrs. Fitz had locked the door to make sure noone would interrupt them.

"Can you tell me who else is hurting you Stacy, and how they're hurting you please?" Mrs. Fitz asked nicely and her eyes focusing on how Stacy was reacting.

Stacy took a deep breath remembering everything brought tears to her eyes and she explained what her dad did to her, and what he did this morning, she explained how he said it was because he loved her, and how she had blood in her underwear. She explained her peepee hurt, and she didn't know what to do. Her voice was shaking and crackling as she explained the whole story and how she wasn't sick. Mrs. Fitz looked at her with horror in her eyes. She was about to break her promise of not telling anyone and she would make sure Stacy got to a safe place.