A FEW WEEKS LATER
"Mom, I really think you should speak to Candy," Matt said, a worried frown creasing his forehead. "It's the third time running her grades are so low. She topped the class easily in the first few tests. I just KNOW there's something wrong!"
His mother smiled across the table at him.
"Maybe she just needs a little more time, Matt. She's been through a lot these past few months, and it's understandable her grades should suffer. I don't want her to feel we're pressurizing her on top of everything, that's all."
"No, Mom, she topped when she was going through the worst possible time – what with her uncle and aunt, and – and me and my friends," Matt insisted. "And – and I just know there's something she's not telling me. I've tried asking her, but she just changes the topic. Maybe if you talk to her, she'll tell you what's bothering her."
"Hmm." Melinda remembered Candy promising her she would do well in her studies just a few weeks back. "Now that you mention it, it does seem a little strange. Okay, I'll speak to her," Melinda promised.
Later that evening she tapped on Candy's door.
"Candy, it's me – may I come in?" she called.
"Oh, of course, Aunt Mel."
Candy was sitting on her bed, surrounded by her school books.
"I thought you and Matt had finished off your homework earlier." Melinda smiled at her as she sat on the bed near Candy.
"Yes, yes, we did. I was just – just studying…" Candy's voice trailed off.
"Is something the matter, honey?" Melinda asked gently. "You seemed to be doing so well and enjoying your classes so much. Did something happen at school?"
"I – I – n-no, Aunt Mel, I – I just – I'm just having trouble focusing right now. I'm sorry about my grades, I really am. I don't want to disappoint you and Uncle Rich after all you've done for me. It's – I -" Candy's eyes filled with tears.
"Candy, honey." Melinda pulled her into a hug, patting her back soothingly till Candy relaxed. "Sweetheart, you're not disappointing us in any way. All we want is for you to have a normal life like other kids. I'm not worried about your grades, Candy, but if there's something bothering you that you're not telling me about, then I'll feel we've failed you. Sometimes there may be stuff you don't know how to deal with on your own, but talking about it to someone might help."
"Aunt Mel, I -" Candy hesitated.
"If you're not comfortable telling me then maybe Dr. Davies? Or Ms. O'Neill?"
"No, Aunt Mel, I feel comfortable talking to you. It's just – I don't want to tell tales, or – or get anyone in trouble." Candy looked troubled.
"Honey, why don't you just tell me what is bothering you and then we can decide what to do?" Melinda suggested. "It's not telling tales if you share a problem you don't know what to do about with someone, dear."
"Okay…It happened after the last test where I got good grades…"
Melinda listened, horrified, as Candy narrated the sequence of events leading to her poor performances.
"She – she said she'd plant drugs in my locker and tell Ms. O'Neill I'm dealing if – if I didn't do badly in the tests," Candy said in a low voice. "She said the other kids would back her up and Ms. O'Neill would expel me." Candy sat, head bowed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Oh, my dear."
Melinda put aside her anger and sorrow at the unfairness of Candy's life and held her till her tears subsided.
"You were right to tell me, Candy," she comforted her. "I'll take care of things now."
The next morning Melinda called Ms. O'Neill. The Principal listened in silence as Melinda narrated Candy's story.
"To think of all that that poor child has endured," she said when Melinda finished. "I wondered why her grades had dipped so drastically, but I too attributed it to everything she was going through." She paused. "We'll need proof though, Mrs. Kane, before we can take action."
"As to that, I have an idea," said Melinda.
"Candy, you understand what you need to do, right? And more importantly, why you need to do it?"
"Yes, Aunt Mel, but I – I feel like a snitch," Candy said unhappily.
"Candy, stopping someone from doing wrong is not snitching," Matt said firmly. "And besides, she could do it to someone else tomorrow because you kept quiet today."
Candy nodded, her face clearing.
"You're right," she said. "I need to do this."
A week later, Candy was in the washroom when Nora came in, slamming the door behind her.
"Think you're very smart, do you, bitch?"
She advanced and Candy cowered instinctively.
"Nora, I – I -"
"I told you what would happen if your grades are good. I warned you."
Nora shoved her hard against the marble counter.
"Looks like you need to be taught a lesson."
She spun Candy around, twisting her arm behind her back with one hand. She turned the tap on and pushed Candy's head down towards the water. Candy was paralyzed with fear, unable to resist or fight Nora off as years of submitting to the Clarkes' abuse took over, dictating her reaction.
"Candy!" Layla and Hayley burst in.
"Let her go!" Layla shouted, grabbing hold of Nora and pulling her back.
"I'm gonna report you to O'Neill!" Hayley said furiously.
"Hey, it was nothing – we were just fooling around, right, Candy? Tell them." Nora glowered at Candy.
"Uh…yes, it – it was nothing," Candy stammered. Though it was part of the plan to keep Nora as unsuspecting as possible, she did not need to pretend the fear she felt.
"Candy, we should -" Hayley began, but Candy shook her head.
"Let's just go – please."
Matt was standing right outside the washroom door.
"Candy, baby, are you okay?" He caught her hand anxiously.
Nora pushed her way past them, glaring at Candy. Candy understood that look, which promised retribution. She shivered, even though she knew Nora could not harm her now.
"That bitch was gonna dunk her head in the basin!" Hayley said angrily. "We ought to report her!"
"I – I -" Candy trembled, and Matt pulled her into his arms.
"It's okay, baby, I've got you," he said softly, kissing the top of her head.
With Matt's strong arms wrapped around her, Candy's trembling slowly stopped. She let him hold her a minute longer, then pulled back and turned to Layla and Hayley.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I wimped out like that in there."
"Hey." Layla gave her a hug. She and Hayley were the only kids besides Matt who knew Candy's history.
"It's okay, Candy, we got your back," Hayley said, squeezing her hand. "It's a good thing Matt sent us after you."
"That's it – I'm not letting you out of my sight now until this whole thing is done and dusted," Matt said once the other girls left. "You're not to go anywhere alone, do you hear me?" He put his arm around her shoulder and drew her to him protectively.
"Washroom?" Candy teased.
Matt set his jaw. "You go to the washroom, I'll be there outside," he said stubbornly. "She's not getting another chance to touch you, baby."
It all went down three days later. Nora planted a drug baggie in Candy's locker and was caught doing so on the CCTV installed specifically for that purpose, as per Melinda's suggestion. Nora was expelled and Candy felt relieved. At last, she was free!
Later that evening at home, Candy smiled gratefully at Matt. "Thank you, Matt, this was all because of you. If you hadn't spoken to Aunt Mel that day…"
Matt smiled back warmly at her. "Babe, I told you - I'll always be there to take care of you."