Searching for the light- Stories from victims of abuse- Jennifer

Jennifer 

Jennifer was a thriving 14-year-old. She was just learning how to spread her wings. No longer a child in middle school, her high school years seemed exciting. Her home life was wonderful. Sure, there were the usual kid antics-breaking curfews, using all her minutes talking with friends, and staying up until the wee hours of the morning. Her parents had no complaints she was a good kid.

She bounded through the first few months of well enough. It was tough, trying to figure out where her classes were. The homework was crazy and she went out for different activities. She loved sports; her family encouraged her to sign up for everything she could handle.

Jennifer was making friends with everyone even the older teens gravitated towards her infectious smile and positive attitude. She was becoming one of the most popular students in school.

Her personality attracted Tom.

Tom was the dark bad boy that the other girls liked. Word was that he was trouble. He had been in trouble with the police for starting fights with others and once for threats to his father.

He begins to “bump into” Jennifer during passing periods and activities. He starts to show up in her classes for a few minutes before or afterward. He makes tries to get her to smile. Tom makes a point to come to her sporting practices and events. All to get her to notice him.

Jennifer noticed right away. She feels uneasy about the attention. Sharing with her friends about Tom’s visits, they tell her she is lucky to have the hottest guy in school after her! She brushes off her feelings. She agrees that perhaps they are right she figures she is reading too much into it.

A few weeks later she is riding home from school on her bike, she pedals past a parked car that doesn’t look familiar and as she passes by, she notices the driver is Tom.

He shouts a greeting to her and starts the car towards her. That past uneasy feeling comes back with a vengeance. She makes sure to put distance between the two of them. He calls to her to come to the car that he would like her to see something. She hesitates, shakes her head telling him she is late for dinner and has to go in.

She wonders how did he find out where she lived?

He smiles and says that he won’t bite and adds that he found someone’s pet baby rabbit would she like to see? He holds up a cardboard box for her to see. Feeling silly, she says sure. Tom invites her in the car and there in the box is a wee rabbit. Again, she feels ridiculous for feeling weird to him.

He must be a nice guy if he has a baby rabbit. They talk briefly and she asks how he knew where she lived. He tells her that one of her friends told him. He admitted that he would like to take her out on a date. Jennifer stammers a quick no.

She tells him her father is strict and doesn’t want her dating. He knows it’s a lie but doesn’t say a word. She reminds him dinner is waiting and quickly leaves the car. He asks if she wants the rabbit but she answers with a curt no, grabs her bike, and disappears into the garage.

As soon as she gets inside, she calls her friends to find out which one gave him her home information. No one confesses but tells her that it is so cool that he likes her. She doesn’t have the same feeling. Inside an alarm is going off.

Over the weeks to come, Tom begins to bring her flowers, offers to carry her books and even to drive her home from school after practices and activities. He slowly gains her confidence. A friendship blossoms.

She introduces him to her family. There is a lukewarm response. Her sister, Lisa, confesses that she is not comfortable around Tom. She is surprised they have gotten so close and tells her to be careful. Lisa has heard the rumors about Tom. She has concerns that she shares with her parents.

Soon after Jennifer’s parents forbade her to see Tom. This act feeds that teen rebellion streak and she defies them. She begins to sneak out in the middle of the night to see Tom. He waits down the road from her home for her to come out.

Soon Jennifer is skipping school to hang out with Tom. Her grades are slipping, she stops going to practice, and is withdrawing from her friends. Family and friends notice the light is gone from her eyes and that awesome smile isn’t anywhere to be seen. She looks withdrawn, appears skittish, and her clothing choices change from bright and colorful to darker colors. Usually, a snappy dresser all of these things are totally out of character.

In school, Tom and Jennifer are inseparable. No matter where Jennifer is, there is Tom. He hovers and seems protective of her. When her loved ones try to intervene Jennifer pushes them away, argues that Tom is the only one that understands her.

Within the course of six short months, Jennifer is not the same person she was. She confided in one of her friends, Marie that Tom scared her. He had forced himself on her on more than one occasion. He didn’t want her to talk to any of her family or friends. He tells her that she needs to rely on him and him alone. Jennifer admits that he is suffocating her. She can’t go anywhere without him. He is always there. She goes on to say that, she has tried to break it off with Tom but he threatens to kill himself or her family members.

He cries and says no one understands him the way she does. Jennifer says that he has hit her on more than once. She is fearful that he may do worse but can’t figure out how to go away. She scared to tell her family because of what they might think of her. Feeling as though she can’t go on any longer she tells Marie to keep this to herself.

Jennifer becomes cryptic and tells her friend that she loves her and to stay in touch with her family. Though Marie suggests that she tell her family, anyway Jennifer disagrees. She is too fearful of what Tom may do to them. Tom made it clear no one would believe her especially since her recent behavior. The two friend’s part the conversation was so unnerved Marie that she confesses to her mom what transpired. Thankfully, her mom calls Jennifer’s parents to break the news.

Jennifer’s parents are livid and deeply concerned for her welfare. This information sends a shock wave to her parents who scramble to find Jennifer.

She doesn’t answer repeated text messages or calls. They try to not jump to conclusions. They begin to call her friends to see if anyone has spotted her. They find that she was in school that day but no one saw her leave the school grounds. Her friends share observations of the couple none of the details paint a pretty picture.

Within hours, her parents reach Tom’s parents tell them that they have not seen either nor did know they were couple Tom never brought her to the home to meet her. They go on to say that, Tom has been deeply troubled for most of his childhood. He has been in and out of the counselors offices since he was a kindergartner. Tom was on medication for Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Depression, and several other mental health issues. They were having a hard time parenting him recently a discussion of military school was to his attention.

Both parents make the decision to call the police. Friends, family, and the community become involved to search for the couple. At this point, four hours have passed with no clues to where they could be. A call comes through to Tom’s parents. They are informed that the couple is found. A deep exhale goes through the room along with a few happy shouts.

There is a long pause from the detective. He advises everyone that there is a fatality and one child is injured. Collective excitement comes from everyone. Both sets of parents start asking questions.

Where were they found?

What happened?

Who was killed?

Who was injured?

Did the police know what was going on?

The news is grim. It appears that Jennifer was killed on the scene. Tom rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound.

A hush rushes over both parents. The detective separates the parents. Tom’s are taken to the hospital. At the hospital, Tom shows no sign of life. Jennifer’s parents will have the grim task of viewing their daughter’s body at the morgue.

The facts later spill out that Tom had taken picked up Jennifer. Tom had threatened her to harm her parents if she didn’t. Not wanting to run she went with Tom.
The rest is pieced together. Jennifer had the video feature turned on her cell phone while she was with Tom. She hid the phone in her pocket. There is no video and at times muffled conversation with bits and pieces that can be understood.

They argue through much of the incident. There is a point where Tom stops the car and Jennifer gets out. It is uncertain whether she gets out willingly or on her own accord. Jennifer found several feet away from the vehicle with a gunshot to the head. Tom found in the driver’s seat with a self-inflicted wound.

A journal entry found in Jennifer’s room is frightening and devastating to her parents. She shares her fear over Tom. She believes he will hurt her family or herself. A friend advises her to tell her parents but she feels she will put them in harm’s way.

On social media, Tom’s pages show erratic statements about his love for Jennifer. There are also grim statements that no one noticed that he made a cryptic goodbye.

The families and friends are left with questions, deep grief, regret, and anger.

*I am not an Attorney or Counselor, please seek out a licensed individual for more information and help. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination, given with permission, or used in a fictitious manner. And any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental .*

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