Song: Inner Demons By Julia Brennan

I didn't tell her, however she did take me home. We are at the red light and she keeps glancing over at me smiling.

"What?" I ask her in amusement.

"I need ice cream; you want ice cream?" She is smiling ear to ear.

"Uhm! I don't have any money but you can stop if you want." I tell her.

"My treat." She pulls up at one of the local ice cream shops. "Come on girl...we all need a treat every now and then."

I get out and walk in with her, amazed about how many flavors they have. It's overwhelming.

"What's your favorite?" she asks.

"Uhm....I've only had the kind at school so I don't really have a favorite."

She looks sad for a moment and then smiles, "Well look around, I'm sure you will find something yummy."

She orders a strawberry cheesecake while I am looking. Then I hear Weston talking beside me. "My favorite is the Key Lime Pie, you should try it."

"Too bad you can't taste it." I smile at him.

"What was that," says Mrs. Banks. "Sorry I thought you said something."

"Oh...no...just thinking maybe I'll try the Key lime pie." I smile back at her.

"Good choice, not many choose that flavor. I think I only had one student over the years to get that flavor."

"Really, do you remember who?"

"Of course...Weston." She smiles a sad smile, like she is trying to remember him.

"Really, interesting." I go to sit down beside her. As I take a lick Weston reaches over and licks it. I giggle.

"Mrs. Banks...you said he was in a nursing home right. Where is it?"

"It's on the other side of town as you are leaving out on the highway."

"Do you think anyone ever goes to visit him?"

"Well I'm sure his grandparents still do. I go every now and then. Why a sudden interest in Weston?"

"No reason...just makes me wonder if people visit that's all. I mean I would hope people came to visit me, you know."

I'm halfway eating my ice cream when I look up at the clock on the wall. It's already after five. I cringe at the thought of going home. I know she noticed my body tensing up.

"Cecilia what is it?"

"Uhm...I really need to get home is it alright if we leave now?"

"Sure we can go, come on."

We get back in the car and my scarf comes loose around my neck exposing the bruises. She pulls over on the side of the road. She looks over at me. "Cecilia what is really going on?"

"Nothing I swear, why do you keep asking me?"

"You have bruises all over your neck. Take it off let me look at it."

"Mrs. Banks it's nothing really." I tighten up the scarf.

"Cecilia I'm not moving this car until you show me."

"Fine I will walk the rest of the way." I open the door and get out. So does she and she walks down the sidewalk practically on top of me.

"Cecilia please." She sounds determined with concern.

I stop walking because Weston jumps in front of me. "Let her help you."

Her hand touches the scarf and she starts to take it off slowly watching me the whole time.

"Wait...just wait a minute. Don't freak out on me alright, it's just a few bruises." I turn my head so I can't see her reaction. I can't see her feeling sorry for me. I don't want to know what she thinks about the broken girl standing in front of her.

I hear her exhale. "Oh my God!"

I start to panic, "It's just a few bruises....I'm...I'm fine."

"Cecilia I know what abuse looks like...you are not just fine."

My eyes start to fill with tears. I don't want her feeling sorry for me.

"And your arms...he did that too didn't he? Is that all of it?"

I shake my head no.

"Let me see."

"That's enough for today. Can you please take me home?"

She shakes her head but then says, "Sure get in."

The rest of the ride is super quite, well except for Weston. He keeps telling me that everything is going to be alright.

We pull up to the house close to five thirty and he is standing in the doorway staring a hole right through me. He is also holding a beer bottle in his hand.

I take a deep breath and look over at her. I attempt to smile. "Thanks for the ride home and the ice cream."

You know that feeling you get when you know that you are in big trouble just by the look you get. My legs don't want to move as I force myself to walk closer to him. I feel nauseous and the closer I get to the house my heart races and my breathing picks up. I try not to look up at him.

But then the most unexpected thing happens Mrs. Banks walks right past me and right up to him. She holds her hand out to introduce herself, of course he doesn't accept it. "Hi, I'm Mrs. Natalia Banks. I'm one of Cecilia's teachers."

"Cecilia get your ass inside." He yells at me, looking right past Mrs. Banks as if she is not even there.

I pass by her and go in. I wait close to the door to hear her talk to him.

"Mr. Tucker wait...look please let Cecilia stay after school for my class. I will be responsible for her. I'll make sure she gets home safe."

I can hear him take a sip of is beer.

"Please, let her and I won't call the authorities."

"Why the hell would you call the authorities?" He is angry now...she pissed him off if he wasn't already pissed off.

"It's not hard to notice that you lay your hands on her."

"Really now did she tell you that?"

"No sir...she never speaks a word about it but I know what I see."

"And what do you see...Cecilia get your ass out here now." He yells.

Oh my God this cannot be happening, not now...not in front of her. A lump forms in my throat.

"Yes sir." I say as I stand beside him. He is so close that I smell that nasty smell of beer on his breath.

"Pull your sleeves up...show her your little secret."

"Wait...what?" I blink in confusion. He has got to be joking.

"Do I need to ask you again?" He glares at me.

"No sir." I slowly raise my sleeves up. She has already seen it though so I don't feel too exposed by it.

"You see Cecilia harms herself...There is no reason to call anyone."

She has her phone in her hand and her finger is so close to the send button.

"Mr. Tucker don't make me make the call." She warns him.

"So what do you think will happen if you do? They will either keep me one night and I will be back home tomorrow or they will take her and put her in a physic ward where she probably needs to be anyway."

"Mr. Tucker...just let her stay after school alright. I will take care of her and she will be out of your way."

"And her chores, what about them?"

"I will have her home in time to do them." She looks at me.

"You put up a hard bargain. So you're saying if I let her do this you won't call anyone?"

"No sir. I will bring her home every day. I won't call anyone."

"Sure why the hell not." He laughs.

"But there is one more thing Mr. Tucker, you also have to promise not to harm her anymore."

He laughs but then glares at her. He knows she is not playing his game.

"Fine I won't hurt the poor girl." He reaches over and pulls me into him hugging me. "You can go now." She doesn't know it but I know that tone in his voice. I wish she would just take me with her.

She looks at me and walks backwards to her car not taking her eyes off of me. I can't believe she fell for his stupid shit. His grips my arm so tight and it makes me sick to my stomach. I know the minute she is gone all hell is going to break loose.