"Hey honey. Have a good day at school?" I asked my child as I want to pick her up at the school gates.

"Yeah! Miss gave Gemma a new top!" She giggled.

'I knew she didn't leave the house like that.'  I chuckled to myself.

"Well that was very nice of her." I smiled. "Let's go home now. Okay?"

"Kay Kay!" Gemma smiled.

"Actually, Mrs Inmeg, could I have a word with you?" Gemma's teacher, Miss White, asked.

"Alright. Come on Gemma." I ushered my daughter to come with me as I followed her teacher.

Miss White lead us back into her classroom and sat at a desk.

My daughter and I followed suit.

"What is it you would like to talk about, Miss White?" I asked.

"It is about Gemma." She began. "I'm sure you know that Gemma seems to suffer from social anxiety and depression."

"Excuse me? My child most certainly does not. She is a very confident child. She is also, easily excitable and happy. Are you sure you are not talking about a different child?" I retorted.

"I am very sure. You child has harmed herself many times whilst at school. She also does not speak with any of the other children and rarely answers to get name. She closes herself off the entire time she is on the premises." Her teacher 'informed' me.

"I would like to see this for myself." I demanded. "Gemma is an extreimly sociable child. And I don't belive she would ever self harm. Also, if she did, where would she get anything sharp from? This is a school. Safety of the children comes first." I argued, annoyed with the teachers accusations.

"Very well then. Would you be able to come and watch your child tomorrow?" She asked in a calm voice.

"Fine then." I answered.

After that, I walked home with Gemma.

**************************

The next day, both Gemma and I went to her school.

I watched her for the entire day, in shock.

She did exactly what the teacher had said.

She excluded herself from any interaction and she wouldn't answer to her name.

At lunchtime I went with her to the dining hall, and she did the same thing there.

She got her lunch, then walked outside and at at a bench; by herself.

After lunch, there was art.

I'm the middle of art, Gemma asked if she could go to the bathroom.

The teacher gave her nervous and suspicious look, then sent me to the bathroom with her.

I waited outside the stall as she used the bathroom.

She was taking longer than expected.

"Gemma honey, are you okay?" I asked, putting my face close to the stall door.

She was silent.

But soon enough, I heard the toilet flush, then she walked out of the stall.

Her arm was bleeding.

I looked at her arm in shock, but then quickly hurried her to the sink.

After cleaning her cut, I saw that it wasn't only one.

She had 5 long cuts across her arm.

I got a bandage to wrap around her arm, because plasters wern't long enough.

She walked back to get desk and sat down.

No emotion evident on her face.

None had been there all day.

******************************

After that day I took her to a psychiatrist.

It didn't make sense to me how my child could be so happy some times, yet so depressed others.

That's when I was told.

My daughter.

My Gemma.

Had split personality disorder.

******************************

"Mommy?" I stared at her from behind the bars.

She came to drop me off.

She said Gemma would be happy here. That Gemma would get 'better'.

But Gemma didn't want to leave Mommy.

They put Gemma in a gray room, with a metal door, and said that it was supposed to protect Gemma from Gemma.

But Gemma didn't need to be protected from Gemma.

Gemma told them that. But they didn't believe Gemma.

They pointed to Gemma's arm and asked about the cuts on it.

Gemma didn't remember where they came from.

Gemma told them that, and they said that Gemma did it to Gemma.

"I love you." Mommy said as she walked away.

"Gemma loves mommy too!" Gemma smiled.

"When is mommy coming to pick Gemma up?" Gemma asked.

Mommy sniffled as they put Gemma back in the Gray room.

"I'm not coming back." Mommy replied.

They shut the door so that Gemma could no longer see mommy.

'Mommy is not coming back for Gemma?'