I'm sure he was there. That I wasn't imagining him. I'm sure. I'm not crazy. I'm not! After Edward took me out, he lead me to the nurse's office, where he sat and waited for me. The nurse took my temperature, gave me a painkiller for my headache, and then shook her head at my file. I bit my lip. Isn't that supposed to be private?
"You need to take your medication, honey."
"I have been." I can just feel that I'm turning bright red. I mean, I'm lying, so I don't know what I expect. I was never a good liar. But I don't need those stupid pills.
"No, you haven't. It will make you feel better." She ticks off a sheet in her little notebook and hands it to me. "Give this to your mother or father." I raise my eyebrows but say nothing. Edward doesn't seem phased. I give him an embarrassed look. He smiles. I shove the note in my pocket, and keep my hand in there. Does this nurse feel no cold?
"Right. I'll call home, and then somebody can pick you up. Is there someone at home?" I shake my head.
"No, my auntie works."
"No mother or father?" I shake my head. She sucks her teeth. I tap my foot.
"Can I go back to lesson?" She shakes her head.
"No, honey. You need to go home."
"Well, I can't, can I? I'm sick, as you keep telling me, but if I'm too sick to stay here then surely I'm too sick to walk home alone? I mean, what if I throw myself off of the nearest cliff? That would be a terrible thing on my record, and yours, would it not?" She shakes her head again, looking faintly irritated. Edward stands.
"I will take her home. Please, if I can." She looks at him skeptically.
"Oh? Do you not have a lesson to get to?" He shakes his head and winks at me. "Then fine. But sign this. And Alice, you sign here." I scribble a vague indication of my name. "I will be phoning home, Alice." She says, as if I care. I nod. "Right. Well then." She seems flustered. "Feel better, dearie."
I walk into the parking lot with Edward, about to say goodbye, when he opened the passenger side of his silver Volvo. I stare, uncertain. "You don't have to take me home."
"I know." He says, simply, but he holds the door open nevertheless. I sigh and sit down in the car.
"Why are you being nice to me?" I ask, tilting my head. I really didn't understand.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I'm just the new girl."
"Who needs a helping hand. It's okay." He smiles. He mutters something but I ignore him.
"Can you..." I trail off.
"Go on." He encourages gently.
"Drop me at the elementary school rather than my home? I need to pick up my little sister." He nods.
I wait for a while, sitting against the tree outside of the school. At long last, the bell sounds and the kids come running out. I see Cynthia ahead of the crowd. She's running and crying and I hug her instantly.
"What's happened?" I look around. "Cynthia, look at me. What happened?"
"They...were...so...mean...to...me!" She gasps through her sobs.
"What?" I demand. "Why? Who?"
"That girl was the worst," she says, pointing out a little brunette girl. "She said I talk funny and I'm not pretty."
"You look like Violet," I say. Violet is Mama's sister. I look like Mama. "And you speak like you're from Mississippi. So that's good!"
"Ali.." she sniffs. I nod. I take her hand and march over to the girl.
"Excuse me." I say. "My little sister Cynthia is new here. She says your daughter has been teasing her. As you can appreciate, she's very upset." The mother gasps.
"I'm sorry! Goodness me. Izzy! Have you been teasing this poor girl?" She looks us both up and down. I narrow my eyes. She looks to the ground.
"Yes, Mommy."
"I have two daughters, one in a stroller, one in school. Who is more mature? Apologize, Izzy!"
"I'm sorry." She says, looking up. Cynthia smiles at her shyly. She smiles back and hugs her. I shake my head at the mom and we both laugh.
"Thank you, Ma'am," I say, smiling. We were just about to leave when I bronze haired girl ran over. I hoped she was nice, for Cyn's sake.
"Wait!" She cries out. We stop.
"I'm sorry they were being mean to you, Cynthia. I like the way you speak!" She giggles and runs off again, quickly shouting: "See you Monday!" I smile at Cynthia.
"She was nice." Cynthia only nods.
"Hi, Girls!" Auntie Lilly shouts from the kitchen. "Had a good day?" We both nod, coming into the kitchen. I look at Auntie Lilly, silently asking her if she'd had the phonecall yet. She nods, and shakes her head, clearly upset. "Cindy, go to your room and draw Alice and I a picture. Could you do that for me, darling?"
"Yes! What kind?"
"Surprise me." She bounded up the stairs and into her room. Auntie Lilly sat me down at the table, and took my hand in her own. "I got a call from the school nurse today." She says. "Ahh. So you remember." I look at the ground.
"What did she say?"
"Have you got your medication with you?" I shake my head.
"Dad.." I take a deep breath. "Dad took them because he said I deserve the th-" I start crying, holding my hand to my face. "The thoughts, or whatever was going on in my head."
"You don't."
"You don't know, Auntie Lilly."
"Well then, duckling, tell me."
"It's just..I don't know, it's only...thoughts. You know? You can't block them out like words or punches, because they are you; they are a part of you."
"I understand."
"I'm not crazy." I look up. "I'm not crazy."
"No," says Auntie Lilly. "You're not. You're my little Alice, no more, no less."
"And you love me even though you know?"
"Oh, sweetheart! I'll always love you! From the moment I set my eyes on your little face, your huge eyes."
"Really?"
"Of course." Auntie Lilly's words calmed me, and I went to see what Cynthia was up to. She was drawing a very intricate picture, and yet she didn't seem to be looking at the paper. When it looked like she was finally done, I picked up the piece of paper. I frowned. It was me, but with more delicate, neater features. I looked more defined - beautiful. But I was standing next to Blondie. She was hugging me. I held it up, closer to my face. Cynthia had never seen her before, so why was she drawing her? With ME next to her? It was laughable. We were hugging.
I wondered for not the first time, what my connection with this family would be.
