A To Z

Page 6

"Angelo, I was just trying to protect you. What he's done is wrong." Mom says. I close my eyes and ignore her.

"Jane come on just let him alone."

"He's my baby... I..."

"I know come on." He says. I hear her voice trail off and my door shuts. It was two days before anyone came again. It was the same detectives. They had a third man with them.

"This is Doctor Wen." I rolled my eyes. Great, I was guessing psychologist to see if I was being taken advantage of or something. Sure enough he asks to speak to me. In my room maybe? I just lead him up and offer him the chair at my desk. I sit on my bed and wait for him to start asking questions.

"So, how are you holding up. You missed school today?"

"Yeah I wasn't feeling good."

"Why not?"

"Oh probably because people think I'm too brain dead to have a love life and Zach is some kind of pervert."

"He's not?"

"No he's not. Look Doc I know you are here to find out my psychological status and how I really feel about Zach, did he take advantage of me? The simple answer is I love him and he did not take advantage of me. I knew what I was doing and I wanted him. I still do. But even if everyone figures it out his life is now ruined. He'll lose his job, he'll not be able to get another one. What's he going to do? I know he loves his job. I know he'll tell me that he loves me more but I still feel guilty about it."

"Do you blame yourself then for staying in the relationship?"

"I keep thinking that if I'd left him it wouldn't be like this but you know what I wouldn't even if I knew this would happen I wouldn't. I might decide that having sex at school was a bad idea but I'd still see him."

"Why?"

"Because he's great. He's sweet to me. We talk all the time and I never get tired of it. I love that he gets my sense of humor. It's hard to describe someone when you just click with them. You know what I mean?"

"I do. Did you ever worry about him leaving you?"

"No. Not until recently."

"What happened to make you change your mind?"

"This shit happened. How do I know this won't ruin what we have and he'll stop loving me."

"What would you do if he did?"

"Probably never speak to my parents again. Go to college and try to move on."

"What if this all blows over what do you think will happen between you two?"

"I have no idea. I'm going to college next year, maybe. I thought about going straight to work but I'd like to go I've got applications already in. I know he'll support whatever I want to do but long distance is hard and his job is here. Though with all this he's probably lost that so who knows where he might have to go for work. Long distance is hard for a perfect relationship let alone one with this tacked onto it. At this point who knows anymore. I'd like to think we'll weather this and be together but I know that it might not be that easy."

"Do you think he should lose his job?" I sigh heavily.

"No but he probably will. I'm over eighteen. It was consensual. He's not going to go on some pervert rampage and seduce all the guys at the school. But the school board will bow to parent pressure which won't listen to reason and he'll get canned." I wonder. "Have you talked to him like this?" I saw him smile.