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“Why are you wearing such a heavy coat today? It’s gotta be like ninety degrees outside.”
“Dunno, just felt like it.”
“Hey bud, can you look at me?” He’s been hiding behind his long hair and I can tell he doesn’t want me to see why.
“Jesse, you aren’t yourself and you won’t even look at me. What’s going on?” I press on.
“Nothing, just leave me alone,” he huffs.
He’s getting frustrated with my insistence.
“Well, I won’t do that but let’s see what you have for homework that we can work on. Whatcha got?”
“Just some math, no big deal,” he shrugs.
“Well, get it out of your backpack and let’s take a look and make sure you understand what you guys are studying in class this week.”
He just sits there, but once he realizes I’m not going anywhere he gets his binder out of his backpack and flops it on the table awkwardly.
On a heavy sigh, he says, “I don’t have a pencil.”
“Here, borrow mine,” I say handing him mine.
Out of habit when he starts to write he pushes up his sleeves on his jacket and cringes. I can just barely see the burn on his forearm but it’s enough to send a protective rage through me.
“Jesse, look at me,” I order and all the sweetness has left my tone.
Still refusing to look at me and sounding exhausted, he pleads with me once more. “No Miss Jacobs, just leave it alone.”
Standing from the table I announce, “Jesse is gonna help me run to get some supplies, Mrs. Colyer, We’ll be right back. Austin, have her look at your essay when you’re done if I’m not back in time.”
Jesse doesn’t move.
“Would you like me to cause a scene in front of the whole class or would you like to go sit in the Commons and talk to me?”
With that, he abruptly gets up and the screeching sound of his chair gets everybody’s attention while he storms out of the classroom ahead of me. We don’t say anything until we reach the Commons. He throws himself into a chair at the nearest table and I sit across from him.
Because we’re out in the open and anybody that walks by can see and hear us he whispers, “Miss J, you don’t understand. I can’t let you get involved in this. I have to stay in my home with my brother and if they make me leave I won’t be there to protect him.”
He finally lifts his head to me and I can see that his left eye and temple are severely bruised. He lifts his jacket sleeve and shows me burn marks. I try my very best not to gasp out loud, but inside I am cursing and trying to catch my breath.
“Jesse, did your mom or dad do this to you?”
“My mom isn’t around.”
“So, it was your dad.”
No reply.
“Are those cigarette burns, sweetie?”
With tear-filled eyes, this six-foot-plus boy who scares most of the other kids in school away with just a look pleads with me. “Listen, you can’t take me away. Who will watch over William?”
“Jesse, let’s see what we can do to help you. Let’s go on up to the counselor’s office and talk to somebody. As an employee, I have to report any abuse that I see, but hopefully, we can get both you and your brother somewhere safer.”
“Do you really think we could both get out?”
“I can’t make any promises, but I am sure there is always a chance, Jesse.”
