Story Of Her Life.

Memories.

Memories flooded back from the days when her father lived with them. He was an alcoholic who hit on his wife and daughter, and tried to sexually assault Beth, and kill Martha, all in the same day. She knew when she was about nine that her father was not the same person he had been. When he was layed off from work he turned to drinking due to the genetic disease of alcoholism. By the time she was twelve, and that faitful night the alcohol finally pused him over the edge, she knew she didn't want him in her life anymore. She called the cops, and he was swept way from her and her mom, and out of their lives for good. Until now that is. Tears streamed down her face.

She could feel herself begin to hypervenalate when Mr. Conklin quickly edged to the back of his room, dumping his lunch from a brown paper bag all on his desk. In seconds he was by her side, guiding her to breathe into the paper bag. He ran his fingers softly along her back, a comforting mechanism he used when she was frightened as a child. He had always been there for her, babysitting her and keeping her safe when her mom was at court, or being questioned by the police.

After several moments he sat in front of her once again. "You okay?" he asked softly.

"H-How? W-Why?" she cried out.

He took a deep breath and explained all that he knew.

"Your mother called me several weeks ago, asking for help. She'd received a phone call from your father- from Al, where he said he was coming back to claim the house and daughter that were rightfully his, and that if she called the police, he'd know, and she'd pay. So she had no where to turn to but to me, since I am pretty much the only one who knows about the situation. So, I decided to buy the house. I had planned on buying it anyways, but I figured if i did it now, I could keep an eye on you. I could make sure you were safe. I wasn't going to tell you because I thought you'd be worried... and when I saw that expidition parked outside your house, I thout maybe some how he'd conned his way into making you let him live there secretly, in the guest house. And when you told me your mother's 'friend' was staying there, I told you I'd race you to school to see if I could snoop around and see who was living there. Obviously it isn't Al..."

She smiled and touched his hand. "Thanks for always being there for me," she smiled through her swollen face.

"No problem, you're like the annoying little sister I'd always had," he ruffled her hair a bit. "So... who's staying in the guest house anyways?"

She chuckled. "Mr. Inman."

His eyes bulged. "What?!"

"He's living there... Mom rented it to him, failing to asking the simple question 'Hey, you wouldn't happen to be one of my daughter's History teacher's, right?'" Mr. Conklin laughed at her sarcasm.

"Wow." was all he could say.

She stood from the desk and hugged him. Just as she wrapped his arms around his neck, the door slung open, and Mrs. Paslay stood against the frame, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Woah, Ben, we wouldn't have an Ezra Aria situation on our hands now would we?" she questioned, refering to the oh-so-popular and taboo Pretty Little Liars television show. She was the science teacher, she was married, she obviously had a huge crush on Mr. Conklin, and was serious with her accusations.

"Yo, Chill out Sarah." he said inching away from Beth. "This girl's like my little sister. She came to me with a personal problem, outside of class, and I was only helping her deal with it."

"Right." she rolled her eyes. "Lucky I was the one who saw this, and not a principal. Cut it out you too." she signaled for Beth to leave the room and chatted with Mr. Conklin about a stupid topic, that obviously could have waited for another time.

Beth padded lightly down the hall and walked straight into Mr. Inman.

"You obviously don't watch where you're going much, do you?" he asked, his eyes gleaming. He caught the worried look in her eyes and put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I just need to go call my mom," she mumbled through her tears.

"Why? What is it?" This kid never know's when to stop!

She shrugged out of his grip. "I'll tell you at home." she pushed past him and scurried to the girls' restroom. She stalked back to the handicaped stall and settled onto the cold tile floor.

She sobbed into her lap as she thought back about the terrible memory of when he left. That day was by far the worst day of her entire life.

She had just turned twelve years old when it happened. It was eight or so at night and she was silently watching cartoons on the couch. Her mom had just gotten off from a long shift, so she was already in bed. Her dad banged through the door and turned on the livingroom light.

"Heeey!" Beth protested in a small voice as he stumbled over to the recliner.

"Shut up." he called. "Turn this shit off, I want to watch something esle." he mumbled. His words slurred and he was a bit dazed. She knew he was drunk, but she did as she was told, not wanting another beating like the night before. Her arms and thighs were still bruised from where he'd kicked her and slung her around her bedroom.

She clicked the channel to something 'useful' and handed him the remote. She was walking toward the staircase when he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him.

"Hey," he said cupping her tiny chin in his hand. "You know you're beautiful, just like your mother." he spoke in an almost-softer tone.

She curled her nose at his comment. She knew he was lying, she almost mirrored his features. Her mother was a petite blonde with bright blue eyes and a killer smile, and her Hair hung in layers around her shoulders. Beth, petite as well, had dark almost-black-locks that flowed down her back and deep brown eyes. She knew she looked nothing like her mother.

He hoisted her up on is lap and held her arms on her leg with one of his hands. She could feel his other hand travel up beneath the light night gown she had on, to the inside of her bare legs. She wanted to scream but she didn't know how. He was the adult, she had to liten to him.

"Allen!" Martha's voice startled him, sending Beth into the floor where she collapsed in a heap.

This is where the arguing began. Beth sat in the corner of the livingroom, using her long brown hair as a thin sheild to what was going on. Her parents were yelling at eachother again, and she couldn't take it anymore. She dialed 911, and spoke to the opporator in a clear, adult-like voice. She'd called them just in time because as soon as they kicked down the door, a gun was drawn and he held it to Martha's face, right in front of his little girl.

Beth shook the memories from her head. The bell had rang, she had no idea how much time had gone by, because lunch was over. She exited the bathroom, receiving a few stares from the girls washing their hands, and continued on making a B-line for the office.

There, Mr. Inman and Mr. Conklin stood chatting with the only secretary and the two Office-Aids helping out that period, who were obviously swoonign over the two.

"Bug, I need to call home," she quickly asked the secretary, calling her by her nicname. "Alright sweety, what's wrong?"

She shook her head slightly and could feel Conklin and Inman's eyes on hers as she dialed her mother's cell phone number.

Mr. Conklin quickly mouthed "Family Problems" to Bug, avoiding causing upstir with the seniors sitting next to her, distracted by Mr. Inman's butt.

She silently signed out and made her way out to her car. She slid in the driver's seat and made her way towards the interstate, headed to the Hospital.