Chapter 40

The library is empty as usual this early in the morning; the librarian isn't even in yet so I must be earlier than normal. I walk to the back of the library, where the most private reading areas are. They’re in the history department, so no students come here unless they are told to. I sit on one of the stuffed comfy chairs, pull the book I have been reading the past week out of my bag, and start to read it.

After an hour or so I have read over two chapters of my book. My eye is sore and I'm finding it hard to see out of it. I sigh and lean my head back, closing my eyes. My neck is as stiff as an ironing board. I let out a small groan and go back to my book.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know anyone was here," I hear a girl say. I look up to see Julie Silver standing looking at me. She's a senior and short with long brown hair, tan complexion and hazel eyes. We’ve been friends for

about three years but haven’t spoken much over the past couple of months. We’ve had the odd night out together though.. "Are you ok?" she asks, tilting her head.

"Yeah I'm fine," I say and look down at my book.

"What are you reading?" she asks, moving closer.

"Throne of Glass," I mutter quietly. I’m not trying to be rude but I don't want her to see the bruise around my eye. She is an old friend and she is always one to see through people, she's too observant.

"Oh I've started reading that," she says and sits down next to me in the other comfy chair. "Are you sure you're ok Megan?" she asks.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about something," I say and glance at her through my hair. She leans forward slightly and moves my hair away from me.

"You aren't," she pauses. "You're always staring off into space and looking as if you're about to burst into tears," I tilt my head up a little "and it doesn't take a genius to work out that you're a little depressed," she states.

"I...I'm not depressed," I stutter out. She sighs and moves my hair out of my eyes and tucks it behind my ear.

"You have another bruise," she points out.

"Really," I say in fake shock "oh wow I really didn't know." She laughs at me then takes a more serious face. "Some boys were having a stone war over the park yesterday and well one of them hit me," I lie.

"Ouch," she says and then observes me more "I saw you yesterday," she informs me. I give her a confused look, "I saw you coming out of my apartment building with Mr Peters," she adds.

"You live in the same building?" I ask.

"Yes I live about two floors down, maybe three I'm not sure," she says "but I know he lives in one of the two top floors," she states.

"Second to top," I mutter.

"Are you and Mr Peters close?" she asks.

"No, he's just nosey," I huff "way too nosey," she laughs.

"Yeah ,but he's allowed to be, a man as good looking as that," she says with a small smile "he wasn't in yesterday and neither were you," she states.

"How do you know?" I ask.

"Because Melanie was in a mood and on her own at lunch, and I have Mr Peters for English," she explains and then stands up "You walking to class? The bell is going to go" she says. I nod and put my book in my bag and stand up. "I feel very small now," she mutters. I giggle and look her up and down.

"You should grow then and you won't feel so small," I say smiling.

"Well, we can't all be a giant," she retorts. I smile slightly and walk with her out of the history department. I walk with my head down so no one will see my eye and just talk quietly to her.

Once we get to my class we say our goodbyes. I walk in and sit down in my usual place behind Melanie. She turns and as soon as she does her eyes widen. I sigh and look away from her "Don't bother" I say.

**Mr Peters**

I stayed with Stephanie all night and had fallen asleep holding her close to me. We talked about everything in my life. She always wants to know what I'm up to and what I do when I'm not here with her.

"Logan," I hear someone say, nudging me slightly. I open my eyes and I’m suddenly blinded by the brightest light in the world. I jump and feel myself hit the floor and then a laugh erupts in the room.

"Fucking hell," I groan, rubbing my back and look around to see I'm in Stephanie's hospital room.

"Are you ok?" she asks.

"Yeah I'm fine," I say getting up and looking down at her to see she is still smiling at me. I move a bit of hair from her face and smile.

"What?" she asks.

"Nothing," I say smiling and leaning to kiss her. I love her smile. I only see it rarely and when I do it is like sunrise. So beautiful it could stop anyone's heart.

"Shouldn't you be going?" she says, pulling away from me.

"Why?" I ask.

"It's Thursday and ten AM," she states.

My eyes widen,"Shit," I repeat several times as I get off her bed and put my shirt on "damn it," I curse and run my hands through my pockets checking if I have my car keys and some money. "I have to go," I say looking at her, she just smiles at me. I lean in and kiss her. "I'll come and see you Saturday or Sunday ok" I say. She nods and I kiss her again "I love you"

"I love you too," she replies. I smile and walk out and run down the stairs through two corridors to my car.

Once in my car I reversed out of the parking lot and onto the main road. I speed to work making sure I slow down when I see a police car. The roads were pretty clear so I had missed morning traffic so I'm getting there a lot faster. I had no time to go home to change so they would have to do with me in my jeans and DC's.

I finally get to the school and I run into the office and the headmistress's secretary looks me up and down and then gives me a confused look.

"Urm could you log me in, I slept in," she gives me another confused look, "I was at hospital all night my-" I'm cut off by the headmistress.

"Mr Peters," she beckons. I look towards her door and then slowly walk into her office. She looks at me then smiles. "Are you feeling better?" she asks. I nod and walk in fully and shut the door behind me. "Is there a trip I am not aware of?" she asks.

"No, I um have just come back from the hospital," I state "My aunt was rushed to hospital last night. She had a panic attack," I lie. I know it's not a very nice lie but my aunt does suffer from panic attacks so it could have happened.

"Well ok," she pauses. "I suggest you try and keep yourself hidden for today," I give her a confused look. "The girls in this school seem to be swooning over you and well the last thing we need is a girl attacking you now," she says with a small smile.

"I feel like you've just undressed me with your eyes," I mutter.

She laughs "No but I was a teenage girl and well it doesn't take a genius," she says with a small smile.

"Ok um thanks for the heads up," I state and walk out of the room and to my classroom.

I walk into my classroom to see my students already in the room. I let out a deep sigh as I know they are going to taunt me for being late.

"Aww sir you're late, that's a week detention," one of the girls says loudly.

"I know, I know, and I am sorry for it," I say, holding my hands up and walking to my desk. "And for it I will let you all go early today. Is that fair?" I ask, turning to look at them and smirking ever so slightly. The girls look me up and down then smile.

"Sure sir," they all say at different times. I sigh slightly and look down at myself.

"So what did you do yesterday?" I ask.

"We did nothing, because we had a sub. He didn't know what to do," Adam says looking over at me.

"OK," I sigh. "Well seen as I'm letting you go early and well now we only have half an hour what would you all like to do?" I say sitting on my desk, they all shrug and look at each other.

"Ok, how about we have a debate," I say and glance to the door to see the guidance counsellor walk past. "In fact just talk amongst yourselves I have something to do," I say and rush out of my classroom and catch up to her.

"Louise," I call. She turns and gives me a warm smile "Urm can I talk to you?" I ask.

"Yeah sure," she says

"It's about a student," I state. She nods and holds the file she is holding to her chest "Megan Wright", I say

"Yes I've heard of her. I spoke to her when her mother died," she says, flipping her blonde straight hair back.

"Well um I'm a little worried about her," I pause and put my hands in my pockets, "I have noticed some cuts on her arms," I state. She nods slightly, "Deep cuts and well, I don't know if I should be telling you this,"

"Go on," she says, leaning against the wall slightly.

"Urm, she was off school a couple of weeks ago because she is in hospital and well my uncle who lives opposite her went with her dad and I went with him," I explain. She nods "Well it turns out she wasattacked and is raped," I say looking down at my feet.

"Ok," she says quietly "that is quite a story," she says

"It's not a story," I say frowning at her "It's what she said to the doctors well not that she remembered much, but after they examined her they found she was raped," I say.

"You know quite a bit for someone outside the family," she states suspiciously

"Well her dad told my uncle, and my uncle told me," I state. I could tell her the truth but I have no proof and from how Megan acted when I told her I phoned in for her and got her the day off. I'm guessing she would stick by her dad.

"And you're positive that all this is true?" she asks "and you're positive you have seen self harm on her?" she asks

"I'm positive," I say with a nod of my head "when I first saw them I wasn't sure so I was waiting until I saw them again and also hoping I wouldn't but I did and now I'm telling you about them," I state.

"Well I have to admit, you are not the first teacher that has come to me worried about her, and how she is in lessons" she explains "does she seem distracted to you in class?" she asks.

"She's always staring out the window if that's what you mean," I state.

"Well, ok, leave it with me. I have her down in my diary to make an appointment with her," she states and gives me a smile and walks off "thank you for informing me Mr Peters." She calls back as she walks off.

I feel like I'm helping her now. If I don't have enough evidence to say what her father is doing to her I can get people to sniff around by telling them what I can. It will only take a few weeks for someone to find out what is happening to her and save her from him. I know a few weeks is too long but this is all I can do for now.