The family secret

Shelly's POV

Shit. This could not be happening! What was my cousin Julian doing here? Here at my high school dance. He didn't even go to school here. Our eyes meet for a long second before I turn around and run. I run as hard as my legs allow it. I had to go away and fast. I push people away on my way to the the gym doors. Some shout insulting things after me. I don't care. I had to go away.

I made it outside somehow. The moon is high and shining on me. I have no time to look at the beautiful moon, that I never saw so bright before in my life. I start running again, but in the hurry, my legs dysfunction and I fall. Before my face hit the ground a strong arm wraps around my waist and holds me prevents me from falling.

'Be careful, Shelly. You could hurt yourself.' I know instantly who's holding me.

'Sam, let me go. I have to go home.' He let me go and looks at me from head to toe. I was wearing a long black dress with tights and my old Nike shoes. It was the only dress I owned. I tried to look nice for once.

'Already leaving? You didn't even dance with me.' Sam lowered his lip, looking sad at me. He was one of my two friends at school. He wasn't in my class because he was two years older than me. We met during detention and we started talking. He liked my drawings. For someone who doesn't trust people easily and doesn't talk at school at all, he made me feel safe somehow. He liked me for me. Not in a sexual way, but in a brotherly way. Sam was gay and was secretly dating someone.

'Sam? Sam, honey, where did you go?' A boy with black hair and a hat on walked outside. I looked up and our eyes met. I now noticed he was wearing fake glasses and the black hair was a wig. I recognize the eyes instantly. We had the same eyes. Julian. My blood leaves my face, making me paler than I already am. 'Shelly?' he whispered.

I just shake my head and ran away again. Julian is Samuel's mystery date. Sam is dating my cousin. Could this day get any worse?

2,5 hours earlier....

Nobody was home. This was my only change and I had to take it. This could be my only change to ever go to a high school dance. I grab the hatch in my closet wall and pull it away. I found the hatch last month in the laundry room. I let a bottle of fabric softener fall behind a small chest. The ledge wasn't even closed off, because I was never meant to find it. It leads all the way to my closet. I press myself into the small space and crawl to the laundry room. I close the hatch behind me. If you were wondering why I didn't just go through the door, well I wasn't allowed to leave my room after 5pm. My doors have a time censored lock on it and only could be opened from the outside or by someone with a key. Locked up in my own room since the day I was born.

I clean myself from all the dust, got my backpack I left in here this morning and walk into the hallway. The hall was a long sort of balcony that leads to a big staircase in the middle of it. Yes the kind of staircase you only see in houses of millionaires. My family is rich, very rich. I don't think they are even millionaires, I think they could be even billionaires.

When I come downstairs, the first thing I see is the alarm on the front door. Shit. I didn't even think about that. For a moment I think my plan was stupid and I should turn around. How could I forget about the alarms? Now I was never going to make it. Think. Think. Think Shelly. With my eyes closed I think and when I open them I type in the first thing that comes to mind. 5222000. The red tiny dot turns into a bright green. 'Thank you Harley.' I whisper.

My brother Harley died before I was born. The alarm code was his birthday, May 22 2000. I had never met him, but somehow it felt like he was here with me, helping me get to my high school dance. My first and maybe my last. I just turned fifteen years old, I never thought I would make it this far.

I put my warmest jacket on. I open the door and walk outside in the dark for the first time in my life. It kind of scared me to be in the dark. I had seen a lot of it. But this darkness was different. All the stars in the sky, it was so beautiful.

I hurried to the back of the house. My family owned a large estate and the house I lived in was one of three. It was surrounded by a fence. I couldn't go through the gate. One of the guards would call my mother or uncle in seconds if they saw me. Thankfully I was really thin and I could fit through the bars at the back of the garden. The garden looked so much different in this time of day. Walking through the bushes and three's I found the spot where the bars were further apart from each other. I pushed the bag I took with me first through the fence before I stepped through it. I was actually doing this.. There was no going back now.

I rode my bike in the dark and without bike lights, but I got at the school safely. Now how was I supposed to find my best friend Tia? I had no phone, no way to contact her, I only knew she was wearing a pink dress. So was half of the girls at the school I noticed when I walked into the gym where the dance was. I went to the restroom first. I was wearing black sweats and a black sweater, not something I would wear to a dance. Thankfully the restroom was empty and I took off my sweater and sweatpants hiding my black tights and dress underneath it. The dress was too big for me. It was a second hand dress, one I got from my sister. It was a simple knee length black dress. I pushed my sweats into my backpack, then I walked outside and went to the teacher's dressing room and dumped my backpack and jacket there.

I couldn't believe what I saw when I walked into the gym. There were balloons and there were streamers everywhere. Because it was almost Christmas, there were huge Christmas trees that were decorated with twinkling lights. For a high school that didn't have money for good books, furniture or even laptops to work on, I was surprised how well decorated the gym was. I had never seen something like this in my life. The lights were mesmerizing and I was frozen to my spot for a few seconds before I remembered I had to find Tia.

'Hi, stranger.' a familiar voice said next to me. I squealed because he scared me, what made him laugh. 'I didn't think you would come. Safe me a dance will you? I have to find my boyfriend outside. I think he is lost somehow.'

I softly giggled. Samuel was the only one that made me giggle. He always found trouble, now it seemed his boyfriend was the same. I never met his boyfriend, because he wasn't going to this school. I was happy for him. He seemed happy.

Before I saw Tia, I heard her scream from the other side of the gym. I grinned as I saw her pushing someone aside to get to me. She ran towards me and wrapped her arms around me. I tried so hard not to flinch when she touched me. I had a sore shoulder and had some bruises on my upper arm what she didn't know of. No one knew.

'I am so glad you made it!' Tia screamed over the music. I just smiled and nod. I never spoke out loud, not even to her. There was no way she would hear me over the music, so I didn't even try. 'Come, I will take you to the front. Soraya and Lauren are there. Do you want something to drink? Oh, I'm so excited.' Tia was jumping up and down. She had ADHD and I think she drank some kind of energy drink, because I never saw her this hyper before.

Special Needs High School of San Fransisco (SNHS) not only took teenagers with ADHD or dyslexia, but also had deaf children or with special needs. Someone like me. I just didn't talk at all. I'm no mute. I just didn't talk. That's it. They have tried me talk for years, they even learned me sigh language to communicate. I didn't even like school that much, but I was grateful I got to leave the house during the day.

Tia twirled with light pink dress. Her dark arms and legs were bare. In her black hair she had glitters, feathers and little diamonds. Her mother's African roots made her a dark beauty. She was my only friend. My best friend since the day I met her a few years back. I was actually held a year back and she was a year younger than me. Before that I never had a friend. Now I had even two.

Together with Tia I walked to the front. People were staring at me. Probably because I never went to a high school party before. There was a small stage where some girl from school was singing. A boy was playing guitar and another was playing on a keyboard. Soraya gave me a soft smile when she saw me and Lauren hugged me. They were Tia's friends but sometimes I sat with them during lunch.

I was afraid to dance. Afraid someone thought I looked stupid. I never danced before. I never listen to music either. Suddenly this felt like a stupid idea. Why did I even come here? Tia noticed I wasn't moving and took my hands in hers.

'Just feel the music and move.' She showed me some moves and I copied them. She smiled and her smile made me smile. Somehow we danced for a hour. Then I had to pee. Lauren got us drinks every ten minutes. I never drank that much and tried to stop her from getting drinks for me. She didn't though. I made my way to the restrooms. I peed, but when I tried to go back, I was pressed against the wall brutally.

'Look Silent Shelly is here. Since when do you come to high school dances?' Zeth McCain, my high school bully and one of a twin had pushed me against the wall. He kept watching me head to toe. He grinned wide at his twin brother Ty.

'Did you have fun?' Ty asked. I didn't answer. I just stared at the ground. 'You did, haven't you? Where is your Black Shadow?' He meant Tia with Black Shadow. A name she didn't deserve. They only gave her that name because she was friends with me and actually tries them to stop bullying me. But I was alone now. They knew it, I knew it. Leaving was no option. Suddenly the door of the restroom went open. One of the popular girls walked out, greeting the boys. She had a really short dress on, making them stare at her legs and breasts. I pushed myself off the wall and walked away without them noticing.

I walked through the busy hallway and stepped back into the gym, but was frozen to the ground. My eyes met one that where green as grass. It was only for a long second, but I knew instantly who they belonged to. My cousin Julian was here. My whole family had green eyes, including me. So, I ran.

Julian POV

I rode on my scooter to my boyfriend's high school. It was the first time going here. I didn't even know where it was. With my navigation in my hand I made it to the school. I parked my mat green Vespa somewhere no one could see it or steel it. I got the wig and hat out my backpack and put it on before I text Samuel that I had arrived. With the wig and hat I tried to blend in. One night not being recognized was all I hoped for. I walked towards the school, but somehow took a wrong turn and stood in front of a basketball field instead of the gym. I called Sam I was lost.

'You're just lucky I love you, because you are really dumb for getting lost, Jule.' Sam kissed my lips for a sweet second. He grinned and took my hand. Oh, I love this boy. Even though my parents would never allow it, I loved him.

'I'm kind of nervous.' I truthfully say to him.

'Yeah, I can feel that. Your hands are all sweaty.' Sam smirked.

'You like it sweaty.' Now Sam laughed out loud an pushed me playfully away from him. I ran after him when we he started to run to the gym. He motioned me to follow him. He opened a door in the hallway and closed the door behind us. Before I could ask where we were going, he pressed his lips on mine again. This time it was a long kiss, soft and full of love. 'Just wait for tonight.' I whisper when the kiss ended and we were both gasping for air.

'Can't wait.' he whispered back. I tried to open the door of the dressing room we were staying in to get to the high school dance, but Sam stopped me from going. 'Wait I have something for you.' With his back turned to me, he took a backpack from a bench and opened it. He grinned when he returned to me. 'I got you fake glasses to match with that awful wig you're wearing.' He grinned when he put the glasses on my nose and took a step back to look at me. 'Hmm, not even that bad. You look nerdy now. I kind of like it.'

'Take that back!' I try to yell at him, but fail when I see him smile at me. His smile made me forget what he just said and this time I kiss him with need. 'Where we even planning on going to this dance or did you ask me to make out in a dressing room?' We were both panting and the wig I was wearing was beginning to itch. I couldn't wait for this dance to be over and to get to my boat and make out some more with him.

This stupid dance didn't even let us drink alcohol. So different from my high school. They didn't even notice when a fourteen year old was drinking beer. Sam took me to his friends. Three boys who's names I didn't remember seconds after they were told. I didn't care. I had only eyes for Sam. His brown eyes were sparkling in the disco lights, making him more and more attractive.

'Guys, this is my boyfriend Julio.' Sam introduced me.

'Beer, Julio?' A blond guy took a bottle of beer from his backpack.

I grinned. They brought their own drinks. This made the night better. 'Friends of Sam can call me Jule. It's what he calls me.' I take the bottle and open the lid with my teeth. I spit the lid on the ground and put my hand in the air. 'Beer!'

'Beer!' they all yelled together. I couldn't even deny I liked Sam's friends. They were all straight and in Sam's football team. I played football at my school or soccer or whatever you like to call it. We had fun that night.

When we were getting drinks for all the boys, suddenly Sam walks away from the gym. I said to the guy behind the bar that I will be back and follow him. 'Sam? Sam, where did you go?' I see him talking to some blond girl. She looked up and when our eyes meet, I recognize my cousin instantly. I thought I saw her before, but that wasn't possible, right? 'Shelly?' I whisper. She went pale and ran away from me. Shit.

'You know Shelly?' Sam asked me. I totally forgot he was standing next to me. He heard me whisper her name. Shit. Shit. Shit.

'Kind of.' I say truthfully. She looked behind her one last time, before she went around the corner and out of sight. 'Does she know, she isn't wearing a jacket?' I regret following Sam outside. Shelly was a special child in need of special care. She had to go to the hospital a lot. I spooked her off. Does her mother know she was here? I guess not. Do I need to report it to my aunt Shelly was here? I had no idea. I never been in this situation before.

'Seriously, how do you know Shelly?' Sam asked again. He wasn't letting it go, like I hoped he would.

'I will tell you an other time. Can we please go back inside? I'm freezing my ass off here.' Sam couldn't say no to that. It was really cold outside. The rest of the night we danced with Sam's friends and we totally forgot about Shelly.

Shelly POV

Was I stupid to leave my backpack behind? Probably. It was so cold outside, I could see my own breathing in the air. I didn't even have my jacket on. But I had to go back before someone noticed I was gone, or before Julian would tell my mother I was gone. I really hoped he didn't tell his father though. I didn't want to be punished by my uncle again. I regret not saying goodbye to Tia. She was probably waiting for me to come back. No, I regret coming in the first place. It was a stupid idea. I was stupid.

I found my bike and drove it back home like I never had done before. The cold air penetrated my few clothes I was wearing. I was shivering from the cold. I was chattering too. Tears were stinging my eyes. I kept going faster and faster on the paddles. I had to get home. Normally one of the guards brought me to school with the car. I only went on my bike to school a few times. I hoped I knew the way back in the dark. Thankfully I got out the residential areas without any problems.

The last part of the ride, was a busy road through the forest. The cars drove hard around here. I had no lights on my bike and I was scared of being hit. I heard a car drive way harder than the speed limit so I jumped off my bike and I continued on the roadside with my bike in hand. Lights were getting closer. Damn this car drove like an idiot. Light were swaying like the car was out of control, like the person that was driving was drunk. I stopped walking when the car turned around the corner of the forest rode. It was a black car and it was driving right towards me. Before I could even react of what was going on, I flew over the car. With a crash I land on the ground, rolling further till I came to lay still on the middle of the road. I heard the car come to a stop with screeching brakes.

I lay still on the road with my face plastering to the ground. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't move either. I knew that wasn't right. When you were hit by a car, you must feel something, right? I closed my eyes. All I wanted to do was sleep right now. The cold didn't bother me anymore.

Footsteps of a unfamiliar person come closer. With force I was turned from my belly to my back. Soft hands were wiping away my hair from my face. I didn't open my eyes. I couldn't even if I wanted to. The smell of alcohol wasn't hard to miss. This person was drunk as a skunk.

'Shelly?' A man asked. I recognized the voice, but couldn't place it. He knew my name. 'No, not again, not again.' The man started to cry out loud. For a few minutes he was crying next to me. Right at the moment I was passing out fully, I was lifted off the ground and I woke up a little. Warm strong hands were holding me. I was floating for a few seconds, then I passed out.

Julian POV

I woke up with Sam's arm draped over my bare chest. I loved waking up next to him. We didn't got to spent much time together. He worked a lot at his uncle's workshop. That is how we met actually, here at my boat. The motor didn't work when me and my best friend Brent were going away on a boat holiday for three weeks this summer. We tried six different mechanics, but they were all closed because of the hot weather. Then Sam showed up, fixing the problem within a minute.

'What do I owe you?' I asked when he fixed it.

'Nothing. I didn't do much. This one is on the house.' Sam smiled and I blushed. His smile was amazing. His bronze skin was glistening from sweat. It was really hot outside and he had taken off his shirt. I couldn't stop staring at his amazing body.

'Ask if he wants to come along.' Brent suggested whispering in my ear. He knew I was struggling with my feelings of being gay or not. I had a few girlfriends before, but they never last longer than a few weeks.

Me, Brent and Samuel spent three weeks together on the boat. It was an amazing time. A week after we returned he asked me to be his boyfriend. I said yes and lost my virginity that night with him.

'Hey, sleepyhead.' Samuel whispered, while softly caressing my belly abs. 'What time is it?'

'Not even 8am. What time did you have to go to school again?'

'10. My stupid school is making us come to school even after a dance. Oh, I hate that place.' He sighed. 'Can't I stay here with you?'

'I wish we could stay, but I have to meet my family for lunch. My brother JJ is coming back today. I'm sorry.' I closed my eyes for a few seconds. 'I wish I could stay here with you too.' We ended up in the shower together. The very, very tiny shower on the boat. Sam got even late for school. He said it was okay, he was already supposed to stay for detention after. Sam was a badboy and I liked it. He was my badboy. I never asked why he had to go to SNHS. I didn't need to know anyways.

When I got back home, my family was already there. I was late too and I didn't even noticed the time. I hadn't seen my brother JJ for almost three months now. I was happy to see him, I mean he is my brother after all. I actually have three older brothers. Justin is the oldest, he is 26 years old. Then there is JJ, he is 22 years old. My brother Jaden is 19 years old. Then there is me and I'm 17 years old. The youngest of the family is my little sister Avalyn or Ava like she wants to be called, she is 14 years old. I was never close to my other brothers, but I loved JJ. Then he moved to play basketball at the Los Angeles Lakers Basketball team. He barely came home now.

We ate, we laughed, we cached up. The whole family was together. My aunt Kendra and cousin Kelsey came to eat with us. My nephew Gus, the two year old son from my brother Justin, was running around, tickling everyone. We ended up watching a film. My brothers JJ, Jaden, my sister and cousin all sat on the couch eating popcorn and salty nuts. As if we didn't just ate lunch together. If you looked at us, you should see a normal family, minus the four people shadowing us with camera's for our realityshow. Yes that's right, we had our own reality show for fourteen years now. That is why I had to wear a wig at the party.

'Kendra!' Someone was shouting in the hallway. 'Kendra! Jack!' We all jumped up to see who it was. I ran with the rest of the family out of the living room.

'Cut the camera's.' My father yelled. This couldn't be good. The camera team walked outside to give us some privacy. 'What is going on?' My father Jack asked with aunt Kendra on his heals.

'The school director called why Shelly didn't go to school today. We didn't bring her to school today, because she wasn't in her room to begin with, so we asked around and no one had seen her since last night.' Our head of security said out of breath from running.

'My office now.' My father spoke. He, Conner and Kendra all followed him to his office.

Shit. What if Shelly never got home last night?

Julian POV

Shelly was official missing. She never got home after the party. I left right after my father called the police, asking to look out for her. I couldn't stay at home. I had to think for a minute, so I drove on my scooter to the marina and stepped on board of my boat. I stayed there from Friday till Sunday. My mother kept asking me to come home over and over. I ignored everyone. I didn't even speak with Sam. This was my fault. I should have brought her home. She didn't have her jacket on.

I lay on my bed when I woke up from loud voices. Then my bedroom door opens. My mother walks in, followed by JJ and Kelsey.

'Like what you have done with the place.' JJ said way too loud. I should not have drank all that beer last night. I had a huge hangover. I turn away from them and hide myself underneath my covers. 'Oh, come on Jule. Doesn't my little brother want to hang out with me anymore?'

'Go away!' I manage to say.

'Well, we are not leaving.' The bed dips as JJ jumps on the bed. It hurt my head a lot and I growled a little.

'Why are you here Jule?' my mother asked. She sounded hurt. I was a mother's child. I called her every day when I went on my holiday. No, I didn't miss a single day. Now I ignored her from the moment I left home. 'Talk to me son. Why are you hiding in here?'

'Yeah. Why sleep in here? The boat isn't even going to move.' JJ was actually right. It was winter and the boat was inside a huge barn for it's Winter check up.

I groaned, pushed my covers away and turned around to look at my mother. 'It's all my fault okay. I needed to be alone. I'm sorry mom.'

'What is your fault? What are you talking about?' Mom was staring at me with a frown between her eyes. 'What did you do?'

'No, it's not what I did, it's what I didn't do.' I groaned again and sat up. My head was spinning for a moment. 'I went to a party last Thursday. Just me with some friends I met some other day. I knew them from football and they asked me to come.' I just lied to my mom, but there was no going back now. 'I didn't know it was at a high school when I got the address. It was actually a nice party with some students that sang and a kid that was an amazing DJ. When me and a friend got some drinks, I recognized someone. It was Shelly.'

'Shelly?' my mother asked. She sat down at one of the chairs in my room. 'What was she doing there?'

'The party was actually at her high school. I was really surprised to see her there. I scared her and she ran away. I followed her outside, but she kept running. I should have stopped her and brought her home. She didn't even had her jacket on.'

'Oh, Julian. You are too good for the world.' mom said. JJ was making barf noises on my bed. 'No, listen to me. This was not your fault. Shelly probably ran away from home. That is what your father is thinking. He thinks maybe she is with one of her friends. Jack's police friends are looking for her. There is no way she isn't going to be found.' For a minute it relaxed me thinking that the police was on it and looking for her, but I couldn't stop thinking how she was laying in the forest somewhere, dead or something.

I shook my head. No, this was my fault. 'I should have brought her home.' I say again.

'Could you subscribe what she was wearing? I mean for the police, so they know what they are looking for.' Kelsey said. I totally forgot she was here too.

'That is a great idea, Kels.' JJ said, badly needing to be part of this conversation too. Like always.

'A black dress and black tights.' I suddenly remember.

'Hmm. I have never seen Shelly wearing a dress. Must have been from on of her friends.' my mom said.

'No, I gave her one of mine two years back.' Kelsey told us. 'She never wears it because she is never allowed to go to the party's.'

Then I remembered mom saying that father thought she was with one of her friends and Sam asking me if I knew Shelly. I couldn't ignore Sam any longer. It was time to talk with him.

Shelly POV

I woke up hearing the sound of my own heartbeat. It wasn't my first time waking up in a hospital. I could say I was here often. I broke so many bones over the years and had a few concussions. I had two surgeries to fix my ankle when I was nine. Teachers call me clumsy, but they don't know what's happening at home. They don't know the truth.

The question was now, where am I? If I was at the hospital close to home, Doctor Gerard would probably be here. Doctor Gerard has been my doctor for ever. He even stopped by during his lunch break when I was sick with the flu last month. Doctor Gerard was one of Jack's friends, if he knew I was here, than I was brought back to the tiny room, hidden in the hospital where only he knew the existence of.

I slowly open my eyes, thinking I was in that tiny room, but I wasn't. I look around to find three more beds in the room. There was a young boy sleeping in the bed in front of mine. Next to him was an older boy sleeping. The bed to my right was empty. I watched them sleep for a while. I wasn't tired, so I watched them sleep instead.

'Good morning everyone.' A young nurse in white scrubs walked inside the room, pushing a trolley. She walked towards the windows and opened up the curtains. 'Wake up, Jaimy.' The boy next to the window covered his face under his pillow. 'Wake up, Timothy.' The other boy moved a little but kept on sleeping. Then the nurse noticed me sitting up and she smiled bright. 'Well, good morning to you. How are you feeling?'

I didn't say anything back. I don't like strangers. I don't trust anyone.

The nurse frowned at me, but didn't ask me anything more. She walked to the trolley and gave me a tray with food and a glass of milk. 'You must be hungry. If you want more food, don't be afraid to ask.' She walked towards the other beds and yanked the covers away from the boy that she called Timothy. He screamed like a girl, what made me giggle. The nurse followed the sound and she smiled at me when she saw me laughing. She did the same to the boy next to Timothy, the boy she called Jaimy. His reaction was quit similar. I couldn't help but giggle from their reactions. 'I will come back to pick up the trays.' She left the room, leaving me alone with two boys.

'Hi, I'm Jaimy and this is my younger brother Timothy.' The eldest said. They didn't look alike. I never should have guessed they were brothers. Jaimy's skin tone was a lot darker than his white-blond brother. He probably saw my reaction, because he started to explain: 'Timothy is my foster brother, but he will be adopted soon.'

'Jaimy is fourteen years old and I am nine.' Timothy said holding up nine fingers in front of him. Only his thumb was down. He was smiling at me and I saw he was missing a few of his teeth. 'What is your name and how old are you?'

'I'm Shelly.' I whispered. 'I'm fifteen years old.'

'Did you say Sally?' Jaimy asked. 'I'm sorry, you were speaking really soft.' I just nod. Sure my name was Sally. 'Oh, hi Sally.'

The boys began eating like animals. They were making awful noises with their mouths. I wasn't that hungry after hearing it. I only took the cup of jelly and ate it. Doctor Gerard gave me a cup of jelly a few times when I behaved. I loved jelly.

When the nurse came back, she took the empty trays from the boys and than turned to me. She was actually disappointed in me, when she saw I only ate the jelly. 'You didn't eat much. Please eat something.' I shook my head. She sighed and took my tray. 'You sure don't want anything else? Maybe..' She gave a look over my tray. 'Some more jelly?' I nodded.

Not a few minutes later, the nurse came back with three more jelly cups. 'Thank you.' I whispered.

'Don't thank me yet. I called for the doctor to give you a check up. It's not healthy to be this thin at your age. You didn't even eat the pancakes.'

I lowered my head. I didn't like pancakes. Grandma made me always pancakes when I was little. I loved them actually. She was the only one that really cared for me in my family. Not even my own mother did care for me. I haven't spoken to my mom since before Halloween. It was now December.

The nurse asked me my name and I told her it was Sally. Yeah, I was going to stick with that for a while.

I ate the cups of jelly, while the boys were picked up to visit their parents in another room. I was alone for almost a hour before the doctor came to visit me. He sat next to my bed on a chair. The doctor was old and gray and he had round glasses hanging on a cord around his neck. He was wearing a white doctors coat with a tiny bear inside his pocket. It was clear to me that I was in the children's wing of the hospital.

'I'm doctor Hobart and I'm not going to lie to you, Sally. I never had to deal with a case like yours.' The doctor started. 'You almost died. You were lucky the man found you while walking his dog on the beach. He almost didn't see you, but the dog kept on barking and found you.' Wait what? What was I doing on the beach? I was close to home when I was hit by that car. Did the person move me? 'You had a fracture in your scull, but that wasn't the biggest issue. There was somehow a piece of red glass sticking inside your left leg and you almost bled out to death.' The man glared at me, but my face was neutral. The person that hit me, dumped me on the beach to die. Was it too hard to bring to a hospital? I was lost in my own thoughts, until I heard him say: 'I spoke with the police and they want to talk with you. They want to know how you got at the beach in the first place.'

I shook my head. No. No police. This was bad. My hands found their way to the IV sticking in my hand and I pulled it out. The clip holding my finger to monitor my heart rate I also got rid off.

'NO. Stop.' The doctor looked at me with concern. 'You can't leave. You can't even walk.' He stopped me from moving. 'I have seen your scars and bruises.' He said. My head fell back down on the pillow. 'Some were really old and others new. I know you must be terrified right now. But I promise you, the police can stop the person that did that to you.'

I shook my head again. 'No one can stop him.' I whispered. 'He will find me and bring me back.' Tears were rolling down my face. I found myself finding it hard to breath and the pain in my chest was getting stronger with every deep breath I took. Oh no, not again. I closed my eyes and tried to keep my breathing even and slow. I was having a panic attack. I hadn't had one in months, but I didn't take my medicine in I don't know how many days. I heard the man next to my bed trying to keep me calm, but it didn't work. I started to hyper ventilate and before I even knew it, I passed out again.