Chapter 26

**Logan**

It is my last lesson of the week, and to tell the truth, I can't wait to go home and relax. Since I saw Megan this morning, my mood has lifted. She seemed fine, but then again," fine" to me for her is what I've seen since I've known her. She came back at the end of the lesson and unfortunately had to sit and wait for me while I told Melanie and Ethan off for arguing over nothing. In the end, I just told her what page she had to get to by Monday.

I finish doing the art register and look around to see everyone working away. My ears perk up once I hear Tyler's voice raise ever so slightly. I turn and look at him and Megan.

Megan looks obviously distressed over Tyler fussing over her. I sigh and walk over to my Bluetooth speaker and put on some music like always. If they don't like what is playing, they can listen to their headphones, but they have to make sure no one can see them from the door window.

"Sir," I turn and see Tyler standing with an angry look on his face. "Is it okay if Megan and I just go outside to sort something out?" He pauses. "We'll keep our stuff here, so you know we will be back...we're only going to be a few minutes; we just need to talk." I nod and turn to another student in the class who has their hand up. "Thanks," and he leaves. I watch as Megan reluctantly walks out with him.

"Melanie," the girl I had gone to help, called to get her attention. Melanie turns and looks at her "are they back together?" she asks. Melanie shakes her head and I feel a sudden rush of relief wash over me "why'd they break up?" she asks

"I don't know," Melanie says and goes back to work. It sort of takes the girl by surprise that Melanie doesn't know. The girl mutters something under her breath, which makes Melanie turn around. "I don't see how it has anything to do with you," she states.

"Well sorry for asking," the girl says sarcastically.

"Ok, ok both of you chill," I say holding my hands out "I don't want this arguing over something so petty," I snap. "Both of you chill out. Or I will march you both to the principal's office," I say harshly. The room goes silent and the only noise came from my stereo and that is Green Day Boulevard of Broken Dreams. "I'm off to go get something from the resource cupboard and I hear a peep out of any of you and you will have detention straight after school do you understand?" every head in the room nods and I walk out of the room.

I take a deep breath to calm myself down and take a step forward but stop once I see Megan and Tyler both sitting on the steps. I quickly walk behind a wall and listened to them.

"C'mon tell me Megan," I hear Tyler say to her.

"I can't," she says. I can hear her crying as she says that.

"You can," he pauses. "Megan, whatever he says, it's not true," he says.

"Yes, it is," she hisses. "He will be taken from me and I will have no one," she pauses, and I hear footsteps. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Megan, please," I hear him beg. "I'm worried sick about you, and you keep pushing me out. Just tell me, please."

"Tyler, we're over. I don't see why you still care."

"I don't even believe what you told me is true," he says. "And I'm going to care for you regardless if you're my girlfriend or not," I hear him say.

"I can't tell you," I hear her cry.

"Trust me, Megan," he says. I push myself off the wall and look to see that they are both standing, and he is holding her close to him, trying to comfort her.

She sighs and I watch as she looks away from him "What I told you isn't true no, I didn't go to a party and sleep with some guy I don't know. I didn't even go out that night," she says and sits back down on the steps, her back facing me. He sits down beside her and takes her hands "but I did have sex that night," she sobs. I gulp slightly hearing these words and I hear him curse "he raped me," she cries. I feel my heart sink into my stomach and I feel physically sick.

"He what?" I could hear the anger in his voice but also the sympathy for her.

"He came into my room about an hour after he had finished hitting me. I'm not sure," she pauses "and I prayed that he wouldn't wake me up so he could carry on like he has done before. But he doesn't even try to wake me up even though I wasn't asleep. And well his hands were all over me and I for once fought him back but little that did really as well he bit me,"

"So that bite I asked you about the day after is from him?" he asks, she nods and continues.

"Mr. Peters asked about it. I just told him I got it at the fake party I made up," I sigh slightly at how dumb I was to believe what she said to me when all the signs were there. "But anyway, I kicked him in the groin and then I ran, but I'm stupid and he caught me and threw me into a wall, causing me to pass out," she takes a deep breath and I hear her cry "I woke up the next morning naked and in pain."

"And he's been...ever since?" he asks.

"Yeah," she says with a nod of her head.

"That bastard," Tyler says, hitting the door. I quickly walk off to the resource cupboard, knowing that he will have caught someone's attention by doing that. I pick up some paints and some paper and walk back to my classroom to see some of the lads and lasses standing at the door, looking at them both. Since I'd been gone, he has punched it a couple more times.

"Tyler, please calm down," she says standing near him. He growls and I notice the blood dripping from his hands and she notices too "you're bleeding," she says quietly. He just looks at it and shrugs.

"Tyler" I call. His head turns slightly to show he is listening. "I think you need to calm down a little," I say "come with me," I then turn to the students that are out of the classroom "I'm guessing you all want detention?" I ask. Their eyes widen and they all quickly walk back into class. Tyler and Megan follow me into the classroom and then into my office. I shut the door and turn to look at them both.

I watch as Megan puts her head in her hands and then Tyler hugs her telling her he is sorry he got so angry. His reaction is the same reaction I would have had but the door would have been her father's head. How could any dad do that to his own daughter? He is worse than scum.

Putting the paints and paper down on the floor, I hear her start to blame herself. My fists clenched automatically. How is it her fault? This is nowhere near her fault. The worst thing is I can't even tell the principal what I hear because she hasn't come to me and said it directly, and well, rape is a serious accusation. What am I to do?"