Eventually, when I got up the courage, I asked…..George about going to school. I admit it. I was half too scared of how Martha would react, and half wanted to see how bad George reacted, because however bad that was, Martha was probably going to be 10X worse.
He pondered my question for a moment. "I….I'm not…..sure…." he said eventually. "You know that your mother just worries about you. School for you could be dangerous."
"Dangerous how? Dangerous because for one day of my adoption I would actually get a straight answer!?" Ooooohhhhhh, dear. That came out a tad bit harsher than I'd meant it too. I saw no reaction to that at all. It was almost like he was used to dealing with over-emotional, ADHD, teenagers who had to beg to go to school. "Do you remember anything strange happening to you at your other schools?"
"N-" I stopped myself. Because I was such a 'troublemaker' as the principals said, I got kicked out of every school I'd been to, but I swear, none of it is actually me. I remember one time, in second grade, one of the big bullies tripped me. When the teacher came to investigate, something clattered to the ground out of my back pocket. It was a glowing, silver knife. The teacher didn't believe me when I said that the bully planted it on me, or that he had had fangs, probably because the bully was gone and no one else remembered him. I remembered a different time in fifth grade when there was a frog behind our school that one of my friends dared me to go poke with a sharp stick, but when I poked it, it spewed poison and set the school on fire.
"No," I said, way too late. George sighed, then, surprisingly, smiled. "You know you should talk to Martha about this, kid. She's the serious one. I'm the absolutely ridiculous one that you love more." I gave a weak laugh then ran into the adjacent room that was for George and Martha. I knew I had to hurry before George and Martha left. They were always gone during the day and most of the night, on 'business trips' as they called them. Martha was there on the bed, searching through some files labeled, 'The Hermes Express.' When she heard me come in, she hid the folder behind her a little too fast for me to see anything else. "Hi," I said. "Hello, dear."
"Ummm…..There's something I need to talk to you about. I…. I want to go to school!" I blurted the last part out quickly, afraid I would actually consider what I was doing and then run away. She looked at me, her green eyes sparkling. "Don't you remember anything strange happening in your other schools?"
"No!" I said, practically before she could finish the sentence. I mentally face-palmed. Now she would know for sure I was lying!
"On one condition," she said her words slowly, weighing each word. "You have to tell me if anything happens."
"Really? That's it? Of course I will!"
"Promise?" She turned her sever gaze on me. "Yes. I promise."
"Alright. I'll get you registered." I felt stupidly overjoyed. About going. To school. Is anyone else ADHD out there? If you are, you might understand how absolutely crazy it is to want to learn.