Valeria's Future (private with Ishigreensa)

[valeria]

"But thats not fair i been registered at the school for a long time and no one at all noticed anything about my file and i was getting by just fine and i doubt that would be a good idea as i don't really know him that well and i doubt he would be ok with that idea"

[Ishigreensa]

"Well, if he doesn't take you, and no one else in the district can take you," the social worker told her, "Then you are going to have to repeat the year.  The fact you can't stay at this motel has already been decided.  If you've been here on your own for any amount of time, then the system has failed you.  You should have been rescued within the first month your parents dumped you here."

Her teacher put an arm around her.

"Honey, I know everything seems unfair now.  Honestly, people have been complaining about your slipping grades for a long time, but not knowing the cause of it, no one knew what to do.  So many times, we'd call social services, only to cause more stress on the child and the wrong family that was actually doing right."

"Baby, let's just call your volunteer guide and see what he says.  If he can't take you, then you'll just have go into the system."

[valeria]

I get annoyed as i shove away from the teacher as i say "so what if the system failed me i don't care i never knew my parents anyway and it never stopped me for getting my education"

[Ishigreensa]

"Well, be that it is, we are in a situation right now, and so I guess you'll just have to fail this year and pick it up next year at your new school then."

The social worker nodded.

"Okay, you can get her in the car," she told the officer since it seemed settled.

[valeria]

"I am not going anywhere i can't fail thats not fair i don't want to end up at some new school where i don't know anyone and i don't even know if the teacher from the program would take me in and i wouldn't know how to reach him" i get so annoyed again as this was so wrong if they screw me from not finishing school so i can graduate.

[Ishigreensa]

"I have his contact information," her school teacher tells her.  "He had to register with us to qualify to take volunteers from our school and have it count.  You knew that, didn't you?"

The social worker smiles.  "It's customary to try to keep kids in the same schools they were in, if possible, so let's go talk to the teacher tonight then."

As they start towards his house, the three cars in a line, the social worker, the teacher, and the police car, they head towards the man's house.

"Tell me, does he scare you or make you feel endangered to stay in his home with him?" the social worker asked.  "We can't leave you with someone that makes you feel unsafe."

[valeria]

"I don't know i barely know him as i only just volunteer just so i can pass and make the deadline to submit all my stuff to the college i plan to go to and now all this will ruin everything cause people can't mind there own business as i been taking care of myself just fine" i roll my eyes after snapping at the social worker.

[Ishigreensa]

"Well, you have very little choice right now, and you really should not have been on your own for as long as you were.  You could have gotten hurt or even died."

She sighed.

"Well, there are two options.  Give this guy a chance to be your guardian, or start this year over at a new high school.  If you don't want to stay with him, or he wants to throw you out, you will have to repeat, possibly even half of the previous year.  I am told if you transferred, you didn't have very good grades last year either, and somethings might make you not even qualify as a senior.  So... that's your choice.  Him, or transfer next year, and hope for the best.2"

[valeria]

I get angry as i scream as i sit there in the car as i refuse to get out of it as we were outside the guys house.

I was done talking to the adults around me as there was no way i was gonna repeat school next year and be held back cause of my grades.

[Ishigreensa]

The social worker sighed and went to ring the doorbell by herself.

"Are you Mr. StoneRiver?"

"I am."

"You are registered as a Valeria's volunteer coordinator, and you are also on the list for fostering...."

"Yes?"

"You called about her possibly being neglected."

"Yeah?"

"Well, we'd like you to foster her until she graduates, but she's being a little bit stubborn.  She's in the car outside."

"I'll be right out."

I walked outside, and I squat down at the door on your side, and I talk:

"Honey, don't say anything.  Just listen," I started.  "I know you think you are a young lady.  I don't know how long you were made to be on your own, but I know it was a long time because of how strongly you feel about me interferring, but it was my job to report this.  I do have a proposal to make if you will come inside so we can talk about it."

I open your door now, for they had auto-rolled your window down so I could talk to you.

"All you have to do, is listen, and then you can agree or decide on other arrangements whatever that means.  I would like you to be able to graduate this year though.  You have a dream to graduate this year, and I think you are ready to do that, but you need help.  They told me that if you transferred, you'd actually be more than a year behind, and I don't want you to lose this, honey.  I was just not comfortable with you being alone."

I look at your pants.

"Look, sweetheart.  You are even wetting your pants again.  You need help, sweetheart, and I'll be here to support you.  One of the things we'll do, is see a doctor to find out why this keeps happening."

It might be the shadows of the light and the way they are moving in the car, but to me, it looks like you are wetting your pants....

[valeria]

"Stay the hell away from me this is your fault for creating this mess and i didn't wet myself at all and i was fine where i was and you took it all away from me" i nearly scream in your face as i try to get away from you.

[Ishigreensa]

"If you are going to be like this, from the start, then maybe you should just go," I say.  "I am not going to force you to stay with me if you really think your parents dumping you on the streets and forcing you into motels and stuff, even if just in your last year, is my fault.  I hope you graduate in a couple of years, sweetheart."

I turned to look at the social worker.

"I don't think she's going to want to stay with me.  You might want to find her a different home.  I feel really bad about all of this, but no child should be stuck with someone that they think hurt them."

"Don't jump to conclusions," the social worker told me.  "She's confused and doesn't understand what is happening.  She thought she was fine, but you did rescue her.  Anyway, I don't have a place to put her tonight, so can you at least take her for a couple of days?"

"Yeah, she come and stay in my guest house so she has some space."

The police officer escorted you to the back of my house where I had a guest house.  It was a smaller place that had a living room area, a single bedroom, and a toilet room, but to get a bath or to cook or eat, you'd have to go into the regular house where I was.

I walked with them helping them bring your things into the guest house while the police officer watched you so you didn't try to run.

"I was putting away your clothes taking into account what you had to wear and what condition they were in.

[valeria]

I was angry as i wanted to get away and leave not caring at that moment if i left stuff behind as i had to think of a plan as i pace around not keeping still at all. As you went through my stuff seeing alot of it was almost worn out as there wasn't too much clothes and i had only 2 pairs of shoes the ones in the bag and the other ones that i was wearing.

I hated this as i knew if anyone from school found out i would be picked on for sure. I kept pace around and thinking to myself as i wanted to scream and destroy something as i was fine on my own and i didn't care about having parents as i don't even really remember mine at all.

[Ishigreensa]

I frowned when I saw how little you really had.

"It's a wonder you didn't even get sick until now.  You have no sweaters, your jeans are wore so thin, honestly, holes in new pair would keep you warmer than those things, and those shoes are falling apart."

"I don't care if you want to stay with me after three days or not, Valeria, there is no way I'm letting you go back to school with so little.  Since this is a Friday, tomorrow, you and I are going shopping!  You are getting some decent clothes, and some decent shoes for winter.  This is ridiculous.  It's no wonder you peed yourself the last two days.  It's been really cold out, and you have nothing warm to wear at all!"

I sigh.

"I'm going to make some dinner in about an hour, and then if you are still mad at me, you can eat here in your private space.  For now, this guest house is yours, and I won't come in unless I knock first.  If you are being stubborn, I won't wait for you to answer, but I will at least give you the courtesy of a chance to answer before I come in."

I sigh.

"I haven't put any plastic on the bed yet, so I hope you don't wet the bed, young lady.  If you do though, you need to tell me right away so I can take care of the mattress or it will get ruined."

[valeria]

I roll my eyes as i wouldn't answer you at all as i plan to refuse whatever food you make. I was frustrated as i miss the motel room that i stayed at as i liked it there.

Eventually i sat curled up on the floor in a corner of the room as i had my head resting on my knees and the lights off.

[Ishigreensa]

I knocked at the door like I said I would, but as you are napping and don't move fast enough, I open it and bring some food in on a tray.  It's simple food.  Just some soup, hamburger but not on bread, with steak sauce and a slice of onion, some macaroni, and some mashed potatoes.

I look over at you and frown.

"I know you're upset.  I'll just leave this on the table here."

And then I walk out and leave you alone for the night so you have your space to think about what was going on.  I know it's hard, not exactly what  happened, but that whatever it was, it was hard and is hard.  No child should lose a parent, regardless of how exactly that has happened.

[valeria]

I had refused to eat the food as i didn't bother to move from the corner at all and ended up falling in and out of sleep all night. By morning i barely slept at all as i felt like no matter what i try to say or do what i want no one is gonna listen to me.

Everyone thinks they know whats best for me just cause i have been on my own since i could remember. And now the school was gonna do an investigation and look deeper in to how this all went on without anyone noticing for so long.

[Ishigreensa]

I come in to the room, and I frown when I see you are still slumped in a corner.  This was not good. I know that you are upset about having things change on you, but this is actually proof to me I did the right thing.  Even if you are upset, you decided not to eat, and it looks like you didn't move at all.

"Come on, young lady.  Time to move from this spot.  You can pout, but not to the point it makes you unhealthy.  You are going to come and take a bath, eat some breakfast, and then go right back to bed.  You don't look like you slept at all."

It was Saturday, so we had time to let you sleep a few hours and still get you some decent clothes that afternoon.

I walk over and if you don't move on your own....

"Valeria, you will either get up and move on your own, or I'll pick you up and carry you to the bathroom for a bath, and if I have to do that, I will clean you up, so it's up to you."

[valeria]

I shook my head as i mumble a bit saying "no leave me alone i don't want to more or do anything you can't control me" i throw my shoe at you.

[Ishigreensa]

Ducking your shoe, I decide that you need to know that you are in a situation where you don't call the shots anymore.  I rush over and pick you up.

"Sweetheart, I'm doing this for your own good.  You don't seem to understand that people are trying to help you."

I carry you kicking, hitting, and screaming back into the main house where I put you on your feet in the bathroom.

"Now, you are going to have a bath one way or another.  If you want to do it like a big girl, then start stripping or adjusting the water.  If not, I will bathe you like a little kid."

[valeria]

I scream as i wanted to just runaway from you as i was not wanting to listen at all "No i am not a little kid and don't you dare think or try to do it yourself as i don't want you seeing me with nothing on" i yell at you as i didn't care at that moment if i was sounding bratty as i wanted to go back to the motel where i liked being there alone but knew it would never get to happen.

[Ishigreensa]

Knowing that there had to be more to it than that, I decide there is nothing for it.  You've had all the chances I'm giving you.

I grabbed you by your wrist, and sat you in my lap so I could put a leg over you grappling you, and then started to undress you.

"You've had plenty of time to figure out whether or not I was serious.  You've chosen this yourself, and you need a bath!"

I started grabbing your clothes off of you, being careful not to hurt you, but at the same time, not letting you go, and basically taking as much time as I needed to wrestle your clothes off of you.  This was the last straw, and it was time for you to see that your tantrums were not going to work anymore.  I started to suspect you might have pooped your pants, the only logical reason to me, that you would not have just gotten a bath on your own without needing me to help you like this.

[valeria]

"No stop it let go of me" i struggle to get out of your arms as you manage to handle me and get me undressed to put me in that bath tub. This also gave you the chance to get a good look at me seeing i was not looking good at all with how thin i was. 

This only proved you more that i needed to be taken care of and need to be seen by a doctor as it clear shows i was never taken to one at all.

[Ishigreensa]

I frown and bring you over, naked to the tub, but know the minute I let you go that you will run out of the door, so I sit on the edge of the tub and start washing you.  I think you smell dirty, your skin is not in very good condition, you have some unnatural sores especially around your privates, and over all, you are just very sickly, not to mention you barely weighed what a graduating kid should weight when I picked you up, and now, I can see you are barely skin and bones.

Washing you off, holding you sturdy with one hand and my leg wrapped around yours so it's hard for you to stand up from the side of the tub in my lap, I shake my head at you.

"Baby, you are not healthy at all.  You look really sick to me.  It is a wonder someone figured out to help you before you killed yourself, baby."

I continue washing your poor sick body.

"You are going to need a lot of help in the next few days, and I've changed my mind.  It would be neglect for me to leave you in the guest house.  Someone needs to watch and make sure you are eating, bathing, and taking care of yourself, sweetheart."

[valeria]

"W...what do you mean you change your mind?" i looked to you alittle and then go to say " You said i could stay in the guest house so that i could have my own space you can't just go back on your word and if you do then i....i will find some other place to stay like an other motel or something"

I try getting away from you as i didn't want you holding me as i did not like being this exsposed to you as i wanted to cover up and hide somewhere.