"Jessica? Are you home?"

Jessica quickly threw her clothes in the washer and made it out to the living room to greet Suzanne.

"Hi. I'm home."

"Good. Help me with the groceries."

"Sure."

"What's wrong with your eyes?"

"I don't know.. I just.. I have a headache."

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Jessica never made eye contact with Suzanne. She felt she would immediately give everything away.

Jessica knew eventually she'd have to tell her foster parents about Edwin, she just didn't feel like it now. Jessica never wanted to speak about what happened again.

**

Dinner.

"So.. how did the kids like your clothes?"

Jessica looked down to her plate and shrugged.

"Jessica, Bill asked you a question."

"No one said anything."

"Alright. So anything new?"

Jessica moves her food around her plate with her fork. She nods her head and stays silent.

"Jessica, what is the matter with you? Usually we can't get you to shut up!"

"I.. I.."

"Yeah?"

"I have to tell you something."

"Okay.. go ahead."

"So.. everyday I hide out in the cleaning closet so that I can have a break from the mean kids."

"That's so dorky, Jess!" Bill chuckles.

"I-I just wanna get away from everyone.... There's this.. janitor man named Edwin. He gives me food and talks to me."

"Okay?"

"Today after Samantha threw food at me I ran to the closet and.. and he was there." Jessica's voice shakes.

"He said he cared about me and.. he asked if I cared about him. He told me he liked me and.. and.. and he told me I made him feel different. He made me touch him, he.. he.. he-" Jessica cries.

"He what?" Suzanne asks.

"He said if I screamed he'd kill me. I couldn't leave and he.. he was so strong!" Jessica then explained what exactly Edwin did to her. By the end she was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Is this all true?" Suzanne asked.

"Yes! What? You think I'd make this up?!"

"I'm just asking!"

"What did you do to make him want to do this to you?" Billy asks.

"I'm twelve! I know nothing about this stuff! He did things to me! He hurt me! Why are you blaming me?"

"We're only asking questions, Jessica. We have to make sure you're telling the truth and that this isn't just for attention."

Jessica looked at Suzanne and froze. It was at this moment she realized there was no hope. If these people didn't believe her, no one would.