My Dawn

Chapter 20

A few years later, Dawn was now 14, Dawn is still living with the Bridges. She is in high school with Laura, Patrick, Jessie and their friends. Dawn has been playing sports more. She grabbed the football and looked at Patrick.

“Come on Patricia, come get me.” Dawn mocked.

The guys laughed. Dawn ran with the football and kicked it high into the post. She laughed and then hugged them. Dawn walked to the side.

Dawn and Laura were cheerleaders with Patrick and Jessie on the team. They played during footy season and basketball season. Dawn and Laura were always wearing their cheerleader outfits at school. They wore their blue and black cheer clothes and Dawn had black shoes while Laura had blue shoes. They were always together. But one day Laura noticed that Dawn was distracted in school.

“What’s up?” Laura asked.

“Nothing.” Dawn lied.

“Dawn, quiet.” Mr Leving said.

“Sorry sir.” Dawn said.

“I can tell something is wrong.” Laura whispered.

Dawn gestured her pen to her lips.

“Dawn, last warning.” Mr Leving said.

“I didn’t even say anything!” Dawn exclaimed.

“Stand in the corner.” Mr Leving said.

Dawn groaned as she stood up.

Dawn faced the corner and stretched. She stuck the finger up behind her and the class laughed. She tucked her finger back in.

“Stop making a mockery of this class. The next one to laugh at her disruptive behaviour will get detention.” Mr Leving said.

“So, how come I get the corner and they get detention?” Dawn asked.

“Because he likes checking you out.” Miles said.

“Detention this afternoon Miles.” Mr Leving said.

“Didn’t deny it.” Dawn said.

“Stand in the corner and shut up.” Mr Leving said.

Mr Leving started reading out loud and Dawn started fake snoring loudly. The class laughed.

“Want to stand there during lunch?” Mr Leving asked.

“Ooh, another 30 minutes. I’m scared. That’s long enough to bore me to death.” Dawn said.

The class laughed.

Dawn saw Jessie and Patrick out the window near her. They noticed her and pointed. She laughed.

“Hey! Get back to class!” Dawn shouted.

A book was thrown at Dawn. She ducked and it broke the window.

“Face the corner and shut up!” Mr Leving said.

Dawn rolled her eyes. Patrick’s friend Derek looked as well.

“Why is she standing in the corner?” Derek asked.

“The teacher just told her to.” Patrick said.

“Did she break the window?” Derek asked.

“He did, we saw it.” Jessie said.

Dawn was leaning her elbow on the wall next to her as she stood in front of the broken window and pretending to check her nails.

“Dawn, face the wall!” Mr Leving shouted.

“I am!” Dawn shouted.

“I’m losing my patience with you!” Mr Leving shouted.

“Stubborn old bat!” Dawn snapped.

Mr Leving walked up behind her and pulled her hair back. A gasp of pain escaped her lips. He pushed her hard against the wall and rotated her from the window. A loud thud echoed.

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Laura screamed.

Mr Leving threw a book at Laura. Patrick and his friends ran up to the classroom. They barged in to find Dawn on the floor in the corner sitting on broken glass with Mr Leving’s holding her now ripped shirt. He had a clear angle down her shirt. Laura had a scrape on her face and the class were backed off and against the back wall. It looked like Mr Leving’s was in the middle of hitting Dawn.

“Get out of my classroom.” Mr Leving said.

“Leave her alone.” Patrick said.

“Laura, get your things and Dawn’s things.” Jessie said softly.

Laura started getting their things. Jessie looked back at Mr Leving.

“The class might want to leave for this.” Derek said.

“Why are you hitting Dawn?” Patrick asked.

“He accused her of talking and sent her to the corner. He threw a book and broke the window. He wants to keep staring at her. Everyone else gets detention but she gets the corner.” Miles said.

“Is this true Laura?” Patrick asked.

“Yes.” Laura said.

Laura walked behind the boys with the rest of the class. The boys walked towards the teacher.

Derek carried Dawn out as Patrick and Jessie started hitting the teacher.

The other guys with them started beating up the teacher for being a pervert. Derek carried Dawn to the office and had the class come with him to explain everything.

Eventually Jessie and Patrick joined them. A while later Mark and Tate were called as well as the ambulance and police.

The students all said the same story, they left out her fake snoring and her middle finger. But they told them everything else. Dawn was being seen to by the same female paramedic.

She was tending to the cuts on the back of her thighs from sitting in glass. And then she saw the slight cut near Dawn’s neck and shirt strap. She added a band aid after cleaning it.

Dawn walked out. The paramedic tended to Jessie and Patrick’s knuckles and hands while praising them. They kept their eye on Dawn.

She was keeping her legs straight and walking weird. They thought it was funny. Mark walked in and saw the boys. He hugged them both then walked to Laura and Dawn.

Mark gave them both a hug. He stormed into the office and demanded they deal with this before he tells the papers. They nodded and fired Mr Leving while he was in handcuffs with his face badly beaten. He looked at Dawn with an angry expression.

“You just couldn’t do as you were told.” He snapped.

“We are going to press charges against him.” Mark said.

“Yes sir. We will be back for your contact details.” The male officer said.

Mark walked towards Dawn. He gave her another hug.

“Why didn’t you talk about the way he treated you?” Mark asked softly.

His voice was filled with worry.

“I didn’t think he would lash out.” Dawn said.