by Naomi Amanda
“You’ve got to calm down,” I whispered to her fiercely. “You’re amazing, okay? The scholarship is as good as in your hands already. Even if we don’t win the competition, it’s fine but you’re going to get that scholarship.”
“You really think so?” she asked, finally peeling her eyes off the court and looking at me with hope.
I nodded, squeezing her hand but when I tried to pull away, she held on, not letting me go. I smiled, shaking my head. But at least her nail biting and knee bouncing had stopped.
I turned to my right and noticed Ava and Marika. They had their eyes on the team performing but they didn’t look nervous at all, just determined. So when our team was announced and Laura jumped to her feet, looking all pumped up, I couldn’t help but feel relieved. Except when I started walking onto the field with them, pain started shooting up in my knee again. I tried not to wince since Logan had his eyes on me and he’d know something was wrong.
I took my place in the center of our formation, held my pompoms up in the air and waited for our song to blare on the speakers. Once it started, everyone shifted to their next positions and I followed suit, doing the cartwheels with Laura. When we were back in formation, she was in the center and I smiled as she started the cheer. Her voice was loud and clear and everyone chanted after her, no voice mismatched.
As my body did the routine on its own after practicing so many times, I started to feel the pain in my knee increase. The stunts must have put additional pressure on it. I tried my hardest to push the pain to the back of my mind. We were already halfway done with the routine. I had to hang on. I felt my stomach swirl with anxiety at the thought of me messing up the routine. I swallowed the fear and tried to let the determination take over my body. I had to continue – for Laura. She needed this. She had done so much for me and I had to pay her back somehow.
Laura and I continued with our stunts as Marika took the lead on the dancing. More and more determination filled me as we neared the end of the routine and we quickly pulled up into the pyramid. That was our ending and I had made sure to put Laura on the top of the center pyramid. I took her usual spot on the left pyramid and Marika on the right. And at the last beat of the song, all three of us threw our pompoms into the air. As the music stopped, everyone broke into applause and whistles. I watched as Logan stood up, clapping and hooting and I smiled, the nausea leaving my stomach. We stayed in form until the judges gave us the white flag but before the girls could put me down, I felt my knee wobble. Panic rose in my chest and I tried not to look down. If I looked down, I’d just ruin everything by falling but I was wrong. I didn’t have to look down to fall.
My knee gave way underneath me and even though the girl underneath me had a strong hold on my foot, I fell forward. I felt a wave of emotions as I fell – fear that the other girls would get hurt, guilt that I had ruined things for Laura even though we had completed the routine, worry for Logan because he had a front row view of me.
I heard a few gasps as I fell off the pyramid. I felt my chest contract in fear but before I could react and catch myself like I had countless times during practice, I was already on the ground.
My shoulder collided with the ground at the same time my head did. I felt a sharp pain shoot through them but I didn’t have time to react. Dizziness filled my head and panic swirled in my stomach as my eyes blurred out the image of Logan and everyone’s parents watching from the sidelines. I heard Laura’s voice ring out and her worried expression appeared in front of me but my vision was starting to darken around the edges. The sounds of people gasping and screaming faded away as my eyes closed and I lost consciousness – thrown into darkness once again.
Chapter 28
I woke up to the sound of machines beeping next to me and when my eyes fluttered open, I was blinded by the white room I was in. As soon as my mind replayed the moment that had led me to the hospital room, I felt panic, fear and a suffocating feeling fill my body. Tears burn my eyes as soon as I remembered falling off the pyramid, ruining our chances to win the competition and Laura’s chance at the scholarship.
“Chey!”
Logan and Laura rushed to my side and I felt the tears escape my eyes. Logan wiped them away as Laura hovered over me, looking torn. Logan pressed his lips to my forehead, unafraid of who else was in the room.
The burning sensation hadn’t left my knee and my shoulder throbbed in pain and it felt like it was spreading from the side of my head to everywhere else. But I didn’t say anything to my two best friends as they teared up at the sight of me. I had hurt them enough.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Logan whispered to me, kissing the side of my head. “I was so scared.”
I couldn’t comprehend his words because I had my eyes on Laura who stepped away from my bed to pace the length of the room. She had one hand on her hip and the other running through her messed up hair.
“We lost, didn’t we?” I whispered and Logan’s eyes widened.
“That’s what you’re worried about?” Laura asked, turning to shoot me an icy glare. “You fell off the pyramid and hit your head so bad, you passed out. Do you know how scared all of us were? You’ve fallen before and landed perfectly. I lost it, Chey. When you wouldn’t respond, I couldn’t breathe-”
“Laura,” Logan intertwined. “She just woke up. Go call the doctor.”
Laura huffed but did as she was told and Logan turned to look at me. He wiped my tears again and kissed my cheek. I felt warmth fill my body and I held onto his sleeve, making sure that he wouldn’t leave my side.
“Okay, listen,” he murmured. “Laura’s right. We have other things to worry about right now. You injured your shoulder and when you got here, they had to check-”
My eyes widened in fear as he spoke. I already knew what he wanted to tell me and I was starting to freak out. They knew. They saw the scars. I was screwed.
“They saw everything and Laura tried to cover for you, saying you were clumsy and fell down a lot,” Logan explained, turning at the sound of footsteps. “They didn’t believe her, Chey. I’m sorry. They called the cops and they want to talk to you.”
I tried to remain calm while the doctors did their customary check-up to see whether I was okay. Logan and Laura stayed in the room, standing in the corner and I could feel the tension in the air. Logan was trying to be strong but I could feel him breaking apart – just like Laura who couldn’t hide it. She knew I wasn’t going to be able to lie my way through it. Not to the cops.
I went through several scenarios in my head as they shone a torch in my eye and checked my temperature, pressed my shoulder and head. But I couldn’t come up with a believable lie.
“Cheyenne Fator,” the doctor spoke and my eyes met his.
He was tall with dark hair and even darker eyes. He looked intimidating but then he smiled, making it less so. He wrote something down on the clip file he was holding and then looked at me again.
“So we found some scars on your body,” he said and I felt my breath hitch.
I watched as Laura and Logan quickly took their places beside my bed, ready to give moral support. But what moral support could they give when I knew I was done for?
“She’s just really clumsy-” Laura started and I nodded. “There’s not much to it.”
“That might be so but most of the scars don’t seem like wounds she could have gotten by falling down,” he retorted and as the conversation continued, I felt more and more nauseous.
“Good afternoon, Doctor-” A police officer entered the room and I heard Laura choke behind me.
Logan’s hand came around my shoulders lightly but I already felt deflated. The doctor didn’t look very convinced of Laura’s lie so how were we going to convince a police officer?
“Good afternoon, sheriff.” The doctor nodded. “I think I’ll go check on my other patients.”
We watched as he stepped out of the room and the sheriff took his place in front of me. His eyes met mine and recognition filled his expression.
“You’re Mayor Fator’s kid, aren’t you?” he asked and I nodded slowly. “Okay, let’s cut to the chase. The doctor said he found some scars on your body, some old, some new but none related to your fall.”
“I’m clumsy,” I stated lamely. “I fall down a lot. I fell down the stairs a few weeks ago. That’s where the scars are from-”
“Are you sure you’re not being bullied?” he cut me off and I shook my head.
Laura let out a laugh, trying not to sound as nervous as all of us felt. “She’s the most popular girl in school. No one would dare to bully her.”
“Is that right?” he asked, not sounding convinced but Laura nodded.
That was when we started hearing some commotion from outside. I think I felt my heart die a little when I heard Susan’s voice outside, demanding to see her daughter.
I looked up at my friends in alarm but then I heard someone tell them that they couldn’t come inside because I was talking to someone. Lucky for me, they didn’t mention that it was the sheriff otherwise I would have been a goner.
“Is everything alright?” the sheriff asked at the same time Cody burst through the room.
“Cheyenne!” he exclaimed and I felt my chest contract as he rushed toward me and jumped onto the bed.
“Cody,” I managed to choke out. “Say hello to the nice police man.”
“Hello.” Cody nodded at him and he nodded back, looking confused.
“Listen, you need to go outside,” I told him softly.
“But I want to stay.” He pouted and I sighed, frustrated.
“Hey kid, why don’t you wait outside with your parents?” the sheriff asked him politely. “I just need to ask your sister some questions.”
“What questions?” Cody asked, looking at me and I tried my best to contain my composure.
“Just some adult questions, kid,” he answered for me.
“Is he asking why mommy hits you?”
I felt the world shift underneath me, coming to a halt just like my heart. Suddenly, I felt like someone had squeezed all the air out of my lungs, tied my stomach in knots and sucker punched me in the throat. Logan and Laura froze beside me, too, and I couldn’t look away from Cody’s face. I knew the officer was staring down at me, willing me explain but I couldn’t get the words out.
“What’re you talking about, Cody?” Logan stepped in.
“Mom doesn’t hit me,” I choked out even though calling Susan ‘mom’ made me want to puke. “Tell him she doesn’t, Cody.”
“But I’ve seen her hurt you,” he shot back and I felt the urge to clap a hand over his mouth.
I looked up at the police officer and let out a shaky laugh.
“Kids, they say the most random things,” I murmured and then gave Cody a look which he ignored.
“Explain, kid.” The sheriff ignored me, too, waiting for Cody to speak up.
“He’s just a child,” I blurted out, panicked. “He doesn’t know anything.”
“You better speak up before I go ask your mother,” he told me and I felt a tremor shake my body.
And suddenly I was crying. I felt someone’s arms come around me from behind. Cody looked up at me, tears in his eyes, too and I felt like my heart was breaking. His chubby hand cupped my cheek and he tried to wipe away my tears which only made me cry harder because I was the big sister. I was supposed to be protecting him, not the other way around.
But he was such a bright child. He had seen what was going on and he didn’t know what to do. Then he found an opening and he went for it, even if he didn’t know what the consequences would be.
“I can’t take it anymore,” Laura announced from behind me. “I’ll tell you everything.”
She looked at me for permission and I stared straight ahead. I couldn’t hold back the secret anymore. Cody had let the cat out of the bag, knowing how wrong Susan’s actions toward me were. He was smarter than we had been when we were his age. I knew when he saw it happen that no one should be treated that way and he did something about it.
Laura took the sheriff to one side of the room when I didn’t respond and I watched her as she explained the whole story to him, dazed as everything crashed down on me. Everything was out in the open. There was no fixing this in any other way. Susan was going to be punished and I didn’t know what was going to happen to my father, me or Cody. Especially sweet little Cody.
I looked down at my half-brother and he smiled up at me, completely innocent even after the terrors he had seen me go through.
“You don’t have to be scared to come home anymore,” he said and I burst out crying again. “Don’t cry, Chey.”
“I-I wanted to protect you.” I cried. “I’m the big sister. I’m supposed to keep you safe. How did you even-”
“When I saw it first, I didn’t know what was going on,” he cut me off. “But at school, they always taught us not to fight and never to hurt anyone. And I saw her – I saw mommy hurting you.”
“You must have been so scared.” I pulled him to my chest and hugged him, feeling Logan’s hand on my back, rubbing in circular motions.
“She never hurt me,” he whispered. “I was scared – for you. I didn’t know who to tell-”
“You did the right thing, Cody,” Logan said, sitting next to me on the bed. “Thank you.”
Cody smiled at Logan and Logan stroked his hair before pulling us both into a hug. But then Susan and my father barreled into the room. Her eyes landed on me and Cody and she charged toward us. Cody hugged onto me tighter and I closed my eyes in the fear that she might hit me again. When nothing happened, I opened my eyes to find her smiling up at the sheriff.
“Andrew and Susan Fator?” he asked and they nodded. “I think we should have a talk down at the station. If you would follow me-” He pointed to the door but they didn’t budge.
My father’s expression remained impassive but Susan’s eyes widened when she looked at us, realizing what we had done. She stepped forward, fire in her eyes and I watched as her face twisted in anger. She was going to lose it in front of everyone.
At the sight of her expression changing, reflecting her anger, my mind flashed to the night before. I felt the same suffocating feeling rise in my throat. My hands got sweaty and my stomach churned. I remembered the darkness. I remembered opening my eyes to the feeling of being crushed under someone’s weight. I could feel the cold hands surround my neck again, squeezing the air of out of me, making me choke.
I blinked back tears as I realized that it hadn’t been a nightmare at all. It had really happened. Susan had tried to strangle me in my sleep.
I felt panic rise and I bit down on my tongue to keep from screaming but Logan was already on his feet. I watched as he caught Susan’s hand mid-air, the shock evident on her face. He let go of her hand, shoving her back lightly as she glowered at him.
“Back off,” he growled. “If you touch her-”
“Susan Fator, you are under arrest for the physical and emotional abuse of Cheyenne Fator.” The sheriff grabbed both of Susan’s hands, pulling her backward. “You have the right to remain silent. If you do say something, what you say can be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you.”
I felt Cody cling onto me tighter and my grasp tightened around him, too. Laura sat down behind me, hugging me from behind and Logan kept his stand in front of us, protecting us still.
“You whore!” Susan screamed. “You think you’re going to get away with this? This is not the end of it.”
He pulled her backward, creating a bigger space between us but she fought him, pulling forward to spit the words out.
“Cody – my baby!” she cried. “You can’t take him away from me. Andrew! Say something!”
“Cheyenne.” He looked at me and my eyes met his. He looked guilty and almost sad. “Call my parents and tell them everything. They’ll take care of the two of you.”
“What’re you sayi
ng, Andrew?” she hissed. “It’s like you’re admitting to everything.”
“I am admitting to everything!” he screamed back and everyone froze. “I was a horrible father but I won’t let you hurt her anymore. I can’t save us, Susan. It’s over.”
“It’s not over!” she shrieked, making us flinch. “I will not hand my baby over to anyone. I will come back for you, you slut. You just wait-”
“That’s enough.” The sheriff yanked her back, unafraid of hurting her anymore. “You’re done here.”
I watched as my father trailed behind the officer as he shoved Susan ahead of him, forcing her to walk. Logan turned around to look at us, his chest collapsing as he let go of the breath he had been holding.
“I’m sorry.” I hugged Cody to my chest. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I’m sorry.”
I didn’t hold back the tears that day. I cried and cried until I almost passed out. Logan held Cody and me while I cried. Cody stayed unmoving, fear probably coursing through him. And Laura took my phone, calling both my father’s parents and my mother’s. Then she went outside to convince the nurse to let her parents in to see us.
“It’s over,” Logan whispered in my ear. “You’re not in danger anymore.”
“I’m sorry,” I cried into Cody’s hair.
“I’m not,” I thought I heard him whisper. “We can finally be okay.”
Chapter 29
Child Protective Services didn’t have to do much because our grandparents arrived shortly after Laura’s call.
Susan’s parents were informed about what had happened but couldn’t be our legal guardians because they were aware of the abuse their daughter had put me through. So my father’s parents automatically became our legal guardians because we didn’t have any other family to take us in. Plus, they wanted to take care of us.