Tangled Love

"We think you should go back to live with your mother. You're not eighteen yet and we don't think this is the best environment for a young teenager."

I stare at her dumbfounded, my mouth hung open unattractively. For so long I always questioned whether the police would really help me or not and today I found out the answer. . . They wouldn't.

"Trevor beats her and you want her to go back to that hell hole?" Jake says, breaking the silence. I blink a few times, unable to believe her words.

This can not be happening. No way.

I sit there in silence, my body frozen as the sound of Jake's protests float around me. How can the system designed to keep me safe recommend that I go back to the abuse? I don't understand it. I feel my lungs tighten and it becomes difficult to breathe. A grey fog builds inside my mind and I stand to my feet, wavering a little.

"Excuse me," I mumble under my breath, my words shaky and barely audible. My feet begin to move involuntarily and I find myself storming up the stairs, wanting to get away from the officers as much as possible. My hands glide against the walls, keeping me standing upright as I stumble across the landing. My breathing hitches and I suck in harshly, desperately needing the tight hold on my lungs to loosen.

door and stumble inside, blinking to remove the fog from my vision. My back hits the wall and

hell are you doing in my room?"

on his face and I open my mouth to respond but no sound comes out. The buzzing inside my ears intensifies and once Tobias notices the expression on my face, he stands up. I watch as he walks towards

can hear the officer shout

walking over to close his door. I take the chance to slide down onto the floor, pulling my knees towards my chest. Images of Trevor and Mum cloud my mind and

It's growing increasingly harder to breathe

Tobias asks, his voice full of unease. I'm aware of his presence but it does nothing to calm me down. Instead I'm embarrassed by Tobias seeing me like

vision restricted from the tears in my eyes. Tobias leans down

away from passing out. I vaguely hear

to shield them from the bright sun that's streaming through the window. The light bounces

so

lifting it, groaning louder from the sudden pain