Being Different Isn't Normal
Chapter 3: Why
Disclaimer: I own nothing
"Honey stop joking" his mother laughed hastily
"Mom I wish I was strong enough for this to be a joke" he sighed
Why did he tell her, he knew that he didn't have the energy to fight back and yet he still thought that he was strong enough to handle telling her.
"I'm sorry" he let a tear fall down his cheek "I wish I wasn't" his voice was now shaky
She was shocked and surprised, but then again she thought he was on a lot of medication; he probably didn't have a clue of what he was talking about. She decided to go along with it just so he could get some rest
"Oh sweetie" his mom cried "Don't be sorry for being who you are"
"But I don't wanna like guys- it's not right-it isn't" he sobbed, his voice was hoarse and he was shaking again.
"Sweetie listen to me, this is quite a shock for me, I know you've always wanted to fit in and be like the other guys- even if that meant being untrue to yourself , but please for once just be what you really are, don't hate yourself or do any of this- I'll never hate you , I couldn't ever"
Drake smiled momentarily.
"Thanks mom"
"Mom, please don't tell the hospital this, can't you just cover for me please? I'm not mad I swear" Drake cried
"No problem sweetie, we'll talk more in the morning, you need your rest"
Drake closed his eyes and had the most peaceful sleep he had had in almost four days.
When he awoke the next morning, his mother wasn't there and neither was the bed. She must have gone somewhere, not too far he thought to himself.
Moments later Josh rushed into the room.
"You'll never guess what" he beamed
Drake groaned, he really didn't want him in here, this happy and this early in the morning.
"What" he finally answered
"I got a new girlfriend!" he beamed
"Good for you" he answered sarcastically, Josh didn't seem to pick up on it though
"Yeah I know, isn't it?" he said taking a seat next to Drake "And she's really popular too"
"Wow" he said giving a fake smile
"Yeah I know, who would have thought it- a popular girl-liking me!"
"Brilliant, what's her name?" he asked as sarcastically as his voice would let him
"Joanna" he smiled, Drake was surprised his cheeks weren't getting sore
"A-As in Joanna Green"
"Yeah why, how'd you know her?" Josh questioned
"She was my girlfriend for five months-remember?"
"Oh yeah- right-sorry" Josh gave an awkward smile which finally faded to concern
"So why'd you break up? - I mean she's really great" Josh questioned
"No reason, I just wanted to date other girls"
"But as far as I can remember, she was your last girlfriend wasn't she?"
"Oh so you remember now?" Drake barked "Funny how your memory will do that sometimes"
"Yeah f-h-hunny" Josh sighed tugging at the collar of his shirt
"Seriously bro what's wrong, your not dating, then you do-y-you know this to yourself and then you start getting all moody"
"NOTHINGS WRONG SO JUST GET THE HELL OUT NOW!" Drake roared as load as he could
"Is there a problem in here Mr. Parker?" A smiley young female doctor asked
"Not anymore" he scowled as Josh left the room
As Josh left, the young nurse came inside the room
"You certainly seem to have gotten your voice back in a hurry," she laughed fluffing up his pillows
"Yeah whoopee" he sighed sarcastically
The doctor looked at him "You don't seem to be a very happy young man now do you?"
"Would you be with a brother like that? And anyway does everybody in this place have to be happy all the time?" Drake sighed, he was sick to the core of smiling happy faces and it was only half eleven
"It helps dear" the doctor smiled
"Helps what?"
"You know helps the atmosphere around the hospital" she gave a short glance at him "Let me introduce myself- I'm Dr. Evans" she smiled reaching a hand out to meet his
"You know I can't shake your hand"
"Nice to finally meet you too" she sighed, resting her weight on her left leg
"No, no sorry, Drake, its just that you guys have me in some wrapped up thingy and it's kind of hard to move them" he sighed struggling to move his arm
"That would be a soft plaster"
"But my arm's not broken" Drake eyed the plaster
"No, dear we use it for preventing infections from all of the cuts on your arm, and plus, you had to get a blood transfusion in your arm-not exactly the best place to do it!" she smiled
"So I had a blood transfusion and I'm awake and ready to go home?" Drake asked confused, the one class he half listened in was health, and that was because Joanna had asked him to at least try in one of his classes
"No going home for you today, tomorrow maybe, but we'll have to see"
Drake sighed, he wasn't one for hospitals either, in fact, the only reason he hadn't run off screaming the time Josh had hurt his leg was because of all the vending machines- it wasn't actually for the student nurses.
"Don't look so down" the doctor smiled gently
"Why shouldn't I, I'm stuck in here and the only person here I know is my brother Josh and I think he's gone off to make out with my ex-girlfriend"
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that, but hey you'll find another girl soon don't worry" she smiled taking a seat in the blue plastic chairs beside his bed
"Oh yeah another girl" Drake sighed, he wasn't in the mood to get into the whole 'I'm gay' conversation again, especially with a Doctor/person he hardly knew
"Is that why you did this to yourself?" the doctor sighed looking at the soft white tissue plaster around his arms
"Nope it isn't- have you seen my mom anywhere?" he asked trying to change the subject, his eyes searching through the window of his private ward
"Oh you mean Mrs Nichols-yes she just went home to gather some things and have a shower, she'll be back soon"
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes until the Doctor spoke up
"Mr Nichols ma- he cut her off
"Parker- Drake Parker" he repeated sick of everyone getting his last name wrong
"Sorry, your mothers name is Nichols so I just presumed that yours would be too"
"My mom's name is actually Parker-Nichols and so is mine- I just use Parker and she prefers to use Nichols," Drake explained to the hundredth person - he was growing very tired of it very quickly
"Oh, I see, My apologies Mr. Parker, I was just wondering if we could have a little talk about why you did this to yourself, and then perhaps we could start you off on a little something small to eat" The doctor suggested to him, talking to him like a seven year old child
"Yes to the food, no to the talk"
"Why no to the talk?" she questioned in a baby tone
"Because I don't want it ok?" he said starting to get frustrated
"But Mr. Parker we have to know why you did this, so we can get some help for you"
"Look you don't need to know and I don't need help because I'm not mad okay?" Drake shouted in a
Low register-his voice was starting to get worse, he didn't know why though
He was sick and tired of having to explain himself to everyone, and for once, he wasn't going to do it. He knew he'd have to tell the rest of his family at some stage but for now, he was ok with keeping it a secret from everybody else.
"We know you're not mad but this is hospital procedure, we have to know why" she sighed looking down at her clipboard
"Look ask my mom, I'm not up to explaining" he lied hoping it would get her off of his back
"Are you sure you're not just lying to get your way out of a sticky situation?" The doctor asked another fake smile re-appeared on her face
"Yes I'm perfectly sure" Drake paused "You know just because I slit my wrists one time and ended up here doesn't mean that I go around like a looper with a knife in my hand 24/7"
"I'm sorry" she smiled patting his head
"I'm not five by the way" he sighed "So stop treating me like I am" he lay back down in his bed
"Sorry, I suppose we had better get you some food before you faint all over again"
"Yeah thanks" Drake sighed, knowing that the only food he'd be given was toast
"Butter on that toast" the doctor asked before leaving the room
"Yeah just a little bit thanks"
He looked around his room, it was small, bare and sterile, exactly the way a hospital should be completely lacking in any personality whatsoever. If he had his way it would be filled with posters and made a little more colourful and warm and with a comfier bed too.
Something at the corner of his eye distracted him from his thoughts; he saw his mother's svelte figure walking into his room.
"Hi" he almost waved
"Hey honey, I brought you a magazine and some lemonade" she smiled looking at her son
"Yeah thanks" he smiled looking at the magazine before him, it was a copy of teen people magazine.
"Eh honey" she smiled taking a seat "If you don't mind me asking why did the nurse ask me why you did this to yourself?" she asked quizzically fumbling around with the latches on her carrier sack
"Because you told me that you'd cover me from the real reason," he sighed
"What real reason honey?" his mother questioned almost laughing
"What I told you about last night" he smiled gratefully at the nurse who had just brought his food in
"Oh" her face went pale "So you weren't delirious then?"
"No mom, I wasn't and I seem to recall you telling me just to be true to myself, or was that just to shut me up?"
" Actually Yes because I thought you were out of it with all the medication that they've been pumping into you"
"What!" He looked shocked "I wasn't delirious, why did you think I did this to myself?" he asked
His mother looked at him in shock "So you really are…" she covered her mouth
"Yes" he sighed looking down at his feet, which had never seemed so interesting
There was more silence, more than he had ever experienced in all his life. It scared him because now, he thought that his parents wouldn't accept him because he was telling the truth and he wasn't delirious in the first place.
"Mom" Drake asked clearing his throat; suddenly the toast wasn't important anymore
"Mmm hmm" she replied scared to look up at her own son
"Are you mad?" he asked quietly
"Mad?…" she paused "Ugh I just don't know anymore" she sighed crossing her legs
"I'm sorry" he sighed, letting a tear silently roll down his cheek
She looked up from her lap.
"Honey you know this is going to take some time for this to sink in" she sighed deeply
"I know, I thought you took it a little too well last night" he sighed fidgeting with the small ends of the blankets that he could reach with his limited arm movements
"Honey, I know this was hard for you and I appreciate that you told me and you were honest, but you have to understand it's a lot for me to take in too" Jane said sadly to her son
"I know" Drake looked up, he hadn't even noticed looking down
"Look sweetie I'm not saying I hate you but you just have to give it some time" she smiled placing her hands over her sons
He smiled greatly back; he knew her first reaction was too calm to believe. At least she didn't hate him, was all he could think.