Chapter Nine
1 WEEK LATER-
I've tried to apologize to Tyson for a long time now, but he's not listening. He's always skipping class now…which is so unlike him. He's always making up dumb excuses when Hilary asks him where he's been.
"Why'd you skip lunch today, Tyson?"
"Sorry Hilary, I was busy."
"Where did you go?"
"I had to run home and get my English essay."
Yeah right…I'm not buying any of that. Besides, we didn't even have to write an essay for English. Even though we're in different classes, each grade twelve English class does the same thing.
And he keeps sleeping through most of his classes. I think he's really upset about his mom.
Yesterday, we got a test back, from physics. I scored a ninety-seven per cent (in your face), and Tyson ended up with a seventy-four, and that totally shocked me because he always beats me. For a second, I thought maybe Mr. Earl felt sorry for me – you know, the new kid whose father died a terrible death – and gave me a high mark. But when I looked through my test, the answers were all right, and I peeked at Tyson's test too, and he didn't notice. All his answers were way off – most of it at least. His mark was pretty high, compared to most of the students in the class, but according to his standards, he failed.
I don't think he cared though. He just shoved the test into his bag, and continued sleeping through class.
I think his mom's condition is really having an affect on him – in a bad way. I tried talking to him, but he keeps blowing me off. He's almost always late for school now, and I don't mean late, I mean late as in thirty minutes late or something.
To be honest, yes, I am worried, but there's really nothing I can do. I went to visit Ms. Granger a few times over the week. She seems okay. She asked me about Tyson.
"He's okay?"
"He's fine, Ms. Granger."
"Very good," She closed her eyes. "He's working very hard, in school I mean. Sometimes, he doesn't even sleep. When I tell him he works to hard, he says he's doing it for me. I'm so proud of him." She said, in her typical French accent.
"Yeah, he's doing great, Ms. Granger."
I lied – but only to make her feel better. It was a 'good' lie – I hope. I couldn't tell her the truth about Tyson, the fact that he turned into a complete jerk-bag, and he's literally breaking the promise he had made with her – it would crush her.
I placed my hands behind my head as I looked up at – don't laugh – the stars from the roof of my house. Mom got scared when I told her I wanted to be alone on the roof. She thought it was dangerous – but I always sat on the roof of my old house. It wasn't that scary if you've literally been climbing on a roof every night since you were nine.
The weather was warm. I was hoping I could see a shooting star, so I could make a wish: for all this to be a dream – one long, outrageous, ridiculous, preposterous, absurd dream. Aren't you surprised at my extensive vocabulary?
I felt a bit sleepy – it made sense since it was what? – ten past eleven? I've been up here for a good hour or so. At least my mom respected my privacy. I told her I just wanted to be unaccompanied.
"Sucks to be me…"
There was so much stuff going on, so much shit wrong with me. For one thing, I didn't know what Hilary was getting at…she was…I don't know if I can say it…but…hitting on me. I'm dead serious. And I'm getting worried, because if Tyson finds out, or if Tala, or Ray or one of them find out, and tell Tyson, he'll kill me, or worse, he'll never talk to me ever again – not that he is talking to me, but if he finds out, it'll ruin the slightest chance of him forgiving me.
"I love you hair, Kai."
"Um, thanks."
"Can I touch it?"
"I guess…yeah…"
My hair feels like poison. That's it! I'm going bald! Okay, maybe not. But…I don't necessarily want Hilary touching me…I mean, first it was just bumping into each other – how original – then it was her dropping something on the ground in front of me so she could bend down and pick it up while wearing a short skirt, and then it was touching my hair…to touching me. I'm not stupid…I know she's doing it on purpose.
Sure, I like her…but I figured I probably don't like her like that.
I've realized I can never have her, so what's the point of liking her anyway? Besides, there are plenty of other hot girls around like Danielle – you know, my sister's best friend, and then there's Elaine, and then there's…Beyonce…and I've also realized I can't have her either…
Anyways, things with my sister's aren't as bad as it was before. She's never going to talk to me…but at least she sometimes serves dinner for me, or you know, little things like that. Once, she even cleaned up my room. I said 'thank-you' to her, but she didn't say anything to me.
I still don't know what's wrong with her, but maybe she's suffering from manic depression or something. She doesn't cut, thank god. I felt so blameworthy for everything the day before yesterday, that I actually tried cutting myself because everyone else does it…
…and when I put the blade down to my wrist…I lost my nerve. I felt stupid after, I mean, why would people inflict self harm? Because they're idiots, that's why.
At least Meg isn't an idiot. And neither am I – I think.
At the thought of all these problems, my stomach felt upset – again. At the beginning of this week, I don't know what happened, but I kept throwing up. I didn't tell mom…she'd be too worried. I think Meg knew, because she was the only person home when mom was at work.
I don't think I need to go to the doctors…maybe it's just something I ate.
I felt sick in the stomach right now, and I knew I should probably make a run for it, to the bathroom before I puke all over the roof. I made my way inside the house, and kicked my shoes off, and raced to the bathroom, and locked the door. I leaned over to the toilet and threw up.
Throwing up was not fun. I couldn't even eat properly anymore, and I think I might have even lost a few pounds or something. Coach says I should get in shape for next week's game, and he says he knows there's something wrong with me.
"Son, you know that taking drugs won't help you get anywhere in life and not on this team either. You're good as you are. I like you a lot, Kai. You don't have to take drugs just to fit it."
"I'm not taking drugs, sir."
"Drugs are bad for you, son. Don't take drugs."
"I don't, sir."
"Especially steroids, you know. They do nothing."
"Yes, sir."
"So don't take drugs. Stop taking drugs, son."
I don't think he got the point. I'm not on drugs. I sat up when I thought I was finished. It was a school night, so I better get to bed, or I'll be late for school tomorrow. Elaine wants me to meet her in the morning tomorrow, because the physics project is due tomorrow. She wants to see if I put everything in that 'pretty, pink, shiny' folder of hers.
I did. But I still have to finish a few more questions that I left for the last minute. Nice…
The next morning was a bitch. I didn't feel like getting up, and I had a headache, probably because I worked on the entire physics project myself, and ended up going to bed at around three in the morning or something. I should never leave a project for the last minute.
I got to school a few minutes early to show Elaine what I did.
"See, it looks so pretty now." She said, flipping through the pages. "Don't you just love the folder?"
"Sure…"
"You look tired."
"I am tired." I said, yawning. It was like I had insomnia last night or something. I couldn't get any sleep even after I went to bed at whatever time last night. It's been like that for a few days this week, where I went to bed, and I was really tired, but I couldn't fall asleep.
We headed off to class. A few people had their projects ready. Some were freaking out. Others didn't even bother doing it.
"Look man, I'm not putting your name on the project." I heard as soon as I entered the class. It was Ravi – Tyson's partner.
"Why the fuck not?"
"Because I did all the fucking work, you fob." Ravi said as he stapled a bunch of sheets together. Tyson didn't say anything. "I told you to meet me in the library, and you never showed up. I told you to go online so we could finish it over MSN or something. I split up the work, and told you to do half the questions and send them to me, and since you didn't, I had to do them all myself last night."
"I was busy."
"Yeah, well, you can tell Mr. Earl that. Sorry man, but I need my marks to get into university. This year's important for all the senior students. And you know how it is for us brown kids – we have to get into university or else our daddy's will be kicking our ass back to India, or wherever we migrated from."
"Whatever. I don't care, really." Tyson said, as he put his head down on the table. What the fuck was wrong with him? He was so lame now. He was half a jackass when I met him, now he was just…blah.
After handing in the ever-so pretty folder containing our report, I took a seat. The anthem went on, and then the announcements, and then Mr. Earl got on with his lesson for the day.
Mr. Earl was getting sick of telling Tyson to listen up in class that he ended up giving him a detention after school. I laughed – in my head of course, even though it was mean.
I was walking up to English class, and then saw Hilary. I acted like I didn't see her, and I was about to turn around, and take the long way to class.
"Kai! Wait!"
I pretended to not hear her. But…she caught up to me.
"Hey!" She grinned.
"Oh, hi." I said. She couldn't take a hint. Good lord.
"I'm going to the movies after school today, and I was wondering if you wanted to come." She said.
"Um, no, I can't, sorry Hilary."
"Why not?"
"I have to…shovel the driveway."
"What? In April? Kai…there's no snow…are you feeling okay?"
"And then I have to clean my socks, and then I have to…walk my dog."
"You have a dog?"
"Apparently…"
"Kai, I don't think you want to go with me."
…she got me there…
"No, it's not that," Great, now she's going to cry – I think – and Tyson will murder me, "I'm, just not in the mood, you know, after all that's happened." I'm using my dad, and all the bad stuff that happened to me and made me all depressed as an excuse.
"Oh, yes Kai, I understand. Maybe some other time then." She said, and then she linked her arm with mine. I walked down the hallway, frightened of the fact that Tyson or one of his friends would see us.
"I need to go to the washroom, so I'll see you in English class, alright?" I moved away quickly, and took a left, heading for the washroom – even though I didn't need to use it.
I walked into English class ten minutes late.
Finally, after English, we had lunch. I was walking down the hallway, innocently, on my way to my locker when I felt someone grab me and push me into the lockers. I looked back and saw…Aidan! What does he want from me?
"Think you're pretty funny, don't you Hiwatari?" He held me against the lockers, and a bunch of students started crowding around us…eager to see what was going to take place.
"What? I don't know what you're talking about!" Now I know how Tyson felt like…except, I didn't punch Tyson in the face like Aidan did to me. I felt blood trickle down my nose. I don't know if I was able to take him, I mean, he's a pretty big guy…I probably would have, if my nose didn't hurt like a piece of fuck! He threw me onto the ground.
"No?" He said, kicking me hard…and now I know how that guy dressed in white in my house felt like. I was probably receiving all those punishments. I grabbed my stomach, and I felt extremely sick. "You think you're a hot-shot on the basketball team, eh? Fine, I don't mind. But hanging with my girl is…" He didn't finish, he picked me up, and threw me on the floor like a rag doll. It's not fair…I wasn't prepared for a fight. Everyone watched, and no one did anything, until…
"Leave him alone." I heard a voice. It sounded like Megan…I watched the red-head stand there, in front of everyone else, fearless. She was dressed in her field hockey uniform, and she had her field hockey stick with her.
"And who's going to stop me? You?" Aidan chuckled as he glanced at the redhead.
"Sure." She said, and with that, she raised her field hockey stick, and hammered it down onto Aidan's back. A sickening 'crack' noise was heard. It was like when you put fire wood into fire, and it makes a 'crackling' noise. Aidan yelped in pain and let go of me fast. I could have sworn I heard him say 'bitch' under his breath.
I watched – completely alarmed by the scenario before my own two fucking eyes – as my sister totally beat the shit out of Aidan. It got to the point, where he begged her to stop. She didn't.
Megan was so violent, and I never expected this from her – not when we were little at least. She had a kind nature, and she was very naïve and 'raw'. She was just a kid. She always got grounded. We always got into fights. We had snowball fights – just for fun though, and no one got hurt. We'd shovel our driveway together during the winter. Tyson and I would never let her play with us, and if she wanted to, she'd have to do something first, like a dare. Everyone was able to control her, and now, it was the other way around…she controlled everyone. She hated everyone.
I wonder why she was so mad, and why she was so hard inside. Why was I so fragile, and so breakable?
Why have we changed so much only over an eight year period? Why aren't we close anymore, like we used to be?
The crowd watched excitedly, as my sister was in the process of maybe even paralyzing him.
I wanted to stop her, but I was scared…I didn't want to go near her. Her actions scared me. What if she was mad at me as well? What if she beat me like she beat Aidan? Pathetic, I know, being scared of my own younger sister.
Admit it; you would be shit scared too, pissing your pants wet. She was completely out of control…she was like some mad woman from a village or something.
Then, from nowhere, I watched Tyson push through the crowd and grab my sister by the waist and drag her out of the mess, leaving a very bloody Aidan, and a confused me. I heard Tyson swear at her a few times:
"What the fuck are you doing! Are you crazy?"
"Leave me alone!"
"You're going to get in 'so' much shit for this…"
My sister tried to get free and continue thrashing Aidan, but he did an excellent job at holding her back. Right away, a bunch of teachers, as well as the principal, rushed to the scene. They're jaws dropped as they looked at me and Aidan, then at my sister. All the students started running away from the scene.
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The silence was uncomforting. We were in Mr. Conner's office. Aidan had to take a trip to the hospital. My sister might be getting suspended, and Tyson was threatened to get suspended too if he didn't tell Mr. Conner what he witnessed. Most of the students ran away when the teachers and principal came, and no one volunteered to be a witness and tell the principal exactly what happened during lunch. I was sitting there with an ice pack on my nose, and one under my ass.
Mr. Conner had made a phone call home, telling mom about everything. He also called Tyson's place, but since his mother wasn't home, he spoke with Myles.
"I am very disappointed." Mr. Conner said, breaking the silence. "Megan…"
"Yes, sir?" My sister spoke up, so quietly, it was almost like a whisper. She seemed like a completely different girl than the girl at lunch. Right now, she was quiet, shy, and apologizing. Then, she was vicious, angry, and disrespectful.
"I am very upset with your actions."
"I'm sorry, sir." She apologized.
"But Mr. Conner, she was only helping, I mean, it was my problem anyway." I said. "Why should she take the blame? And why is Tyson here? The only person who should be here is me, and Aidan too, but he's at the hospital." I said.
"I am pleased Kai, that you have a sense of maturity, but you have to understand, that what your sister has done, is quite unacceptable." He said. "And Mr. Granger over here, has the right to tell me exactly what happened during lunch, or I'll have to suspend him too, and that will go onto his permanent school records."
"That would mean…he won't get accepted into university. You can't do this, Mr. Conner, you can't force him to tell you, and besides, there were a lot of other people there who saw the entire thing. Ask them." I tried to reason. Your grade twelve records have to be kept clean if you wanted to get into university, along with your marks.
Tyson kept shut. He was devastated by Mr. Conner's decision. He had made a promise to his mother…
"Mr. Conner, please…"
"I want to know exactly what happened during lunch." Mr. Conner said. "And since Tyson was the only student I caught during the scene, I am going to question him, and if he decides not to respond, then there will be consequences."
"It's my fault." Finally, my sister spoke up. "I did it, sir. I started the fight."
"My goodness." Mr. Conner said. "Why ever would you do such a thing? You could have killed him."
"I did it because I was like, dating Aidan, and he broke up with me, and, are you sure you want to hear the rest of the story, sir? I mean, you know, it involves stuff." My sister said. Mr. Conner nodded in understanding, meaning he didn't want to hear the 'stuff'. "So I got angry, and totally battered him, and my brother and Tyson only tried to stop me, and then I beat up my brother."
I couldn't believe it. I was speechless – as was Tyson. My sister took full blame! She took full blame for something she didn't do…
"I am ever so dissatisfied that a student, from my school, is capable of such manner." Mr. Conner said. "I am going to have to send you home, Megan."
"I understand." She said.
"This is going on your school files." He said.
"Yes, I know."
"She's lying, sir." I said. "That's not true."
"He's only saying that so he can get suspended and stay home all day." Megan said. "I'm doing it because I am a very, very honest person, and I just can't stand to watch two guiltless students get punished for my doings." She turned away from Mr. Conner and looked at us. "Isn't that right?"
Okay…she's been watching too many soap operas. I bet, if she keeps this up, she can get an acting career or something.
"I am glad you are telling the truth, Ms. Weiland." Mr. Conner said.
"It's not her fault, sir." Tyson said. "She's being an idiot."
"Quiet, Mr. Granger." Mr. Conner snapped, so sharply, I think Tyson and I both nearly pissed out pants. "You two can leave now. I have to deal with Ms. Weiland here." The principal said.
"But…"
"You heard me, boys." Mr. Conner said. Tyson and I filed out of the office, wordless. But in a way, we were happy that we didn't get into any trouble. I don't know why my sister did it. I don't know why she took the blame for something she didn't do. I don't know anything…but I'm going to find out.
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Okay, guys, I have a really good idea for a sequel, so, this story will be shorter – a lot shorter, and not a lot will happen. However, it is important for you guys to keep reading this story, so you can follow up with the sequel. The sequel will be so much better…new characters, and mostly KaiXOC. Thx:D