Erika's POV I walked up to Mrs. Smith and we talked in low voices.
Smith: Erika what are you doing here?
E: I wanted to see what uh Jake was really struggling on so I could help him some during class.
Smith: well he's back there and just make sure to keep low voices.
E: yes ma'am.
I went back and sat next to Jake. (remember their using low voices)
J: what are you doing here?
E: I couldn't be alone not after reliving that.
Jake pulled my chair closer to him but made sure not to touch me. He could probably tell I was all jumpy. I grabbed his hand, Jake made me feel more safe than my own mother. He looked down at our hands then looked at me and smiled.
E: okay what do you need help with?
J: you should relax for awhile we'll talk about this later.
E: are you even paying attention?
J: it's kinda hard to focus on anything else right now so I'm just doodling.
E: can I see
J: yeah but I'm not finished yet
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E: this is beautiful
J: thanks
E: why is she crying?
J: I'm actually drawing this for you.
E: why?
J: you held that secret in for 10 years and you cried. You don't have to always be Ms. Perfect take a break and be Erika Costell this girl is crying but she is still as beautiful as ever. I haven't talked to you much but I know you aren't being who you want to be. You're a great girl. All of those people who call you names or write mean letters they do that because they want to be you or be with you. You are so nice, smart, and beautiful. People take advantage of how nice you are. David wrote that letter because he knew you wouldn't say anything. You can be nice that's who you are but you can't try to please everybody. I heard a guy hitting on you once and he said some pretty harsh things once you turned him down and you just smiled but I knew he was hurting you.
E: so you just watched?
J: I didn't want to cause a big commotion so I handled it after school.
E: thank you for everything you've done. You've been like a modern day super hero.
J: *chuckles* no problem
E: Jake can I tell you something?
J: what?
E: I like you a lot
Jakes POV I let go of Erika's hand.
J: no you don't, you like that I'm helping you with things other people won't. I'm a bad person Erika you know this.
E: Jake I've liked you since the 5th grade before you changed you weren't a bad person then.
Erika grabbed my hand and faced back to the front of the classroom and I just stared at her.
Sh•t is this where I tell her I like her too?
I turned her head towards mine and looked her in the eyes.
E: well hello there
J: I have another secret
E: if you tell me I don't have anymore secrets to tell
J: that's fine
E: okay what's up
J: this is something I really really didn't want to happen but it did.
E: oh my god did you kill someone
J: *laughs* no Erika I didn't kill anyone
E: *giggles* I know
J: I like you too but I pretended like I didn't and I did for so long I started to believe I actually didn't.
Erika looked at me shocked.
E: Sunny was right
J: what do you mean?
E: she would always tell me you liked me but I would always deny it because you used to just walk away each time you saw me.
J: because you made me nervous and I would embarrass myself when I talked to you
E: I noticed that but I didn't think you liked me.
J: neither did I
Smith: class dismissed
We picked up our bags and stopped holding hands.
E: um I know this is kind of a stretch but I was wondering if I could see a picture of your younger brother.
J: his name is Tydus and sure.
I pulled out my favorite picture.
E: he's so cute, looks just like you.
J: yeah my parents used to call him mini Jake Paul. He was my best friend.
E: he's still your best friend it's just like he moved to another state.
J: what?
E: imagine if me and you were best friends and I had to move to a different state. Would be still be best friends?
J: yeah
E: Tydus is still your best friend, he just moved away.
J: thanks Erika
E: screw it let's go to that police station
J: now?
E: yes now.
Me and Erika checked out for the day and went to the police station.
Police Officer=PO
PO: you kids need something
J: something really bad that should've been handled 10 years ago.
PO: let's talk in my office
We went into his office and Erika told him the story and he tried to put his hand on her shoulder trying to signal her that he was sorry that this happened but I stopped him before he could.
J: can you bring him in and lock him up or something?
PO: well we'll have to find where he is and we have to set a trial case but if we your medical files he'll most likely get the death trial.
E: he's in Michigan and I know he works at Starbucks.
PO: ma'am why didn't you turn him in when you were 8?
E: I hated the way people treated the other kids in my class whose parents got divorced or one parent died. I was already very fragile then, I couldn't handle getting bullied. I didn't want to break up my family I just kept telling myself that it was gonna get better but once he did what he did to me my mom said she was divorcing him but I made her promise not to call the police.....
