Freaks: Year One

You Need To Be Normal

"I don't want to see you right now."

"Anthony, I don't hate you." Another voice said. Christopher's. He sounded upset, and desperate.

"Yes, you do." Anthony said. He sounded like he was crying.

"I don't." Christopher said. "I don't, why do you think that?"

"Why do I think that?! You have been treating me like rubbish ever since I came to Hogwarts." Anthony said, sadly. "And you barely have explained why."

"I don't mean to."

"Well, you have." Anthony said. There was silence for a couple of beats until, "You didn't used to hate me."

"I've never hated you."

"You've been acting like it."

Christopher sighed. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you to look for mum, you'll find nothing, and if you do find something, it may not be what you want."

"It could be good." Anthony objected. "She may not have been able to find us."

"She's a witch, I am sure magic has a tracking spell." Christopher told him. "She could have, but she didn't."

"We could track her!" Anthony pointed out. "Just give me her name."

Christopher shook his head. "No."

"Why not?!" Anthony asked, raising his voice.

"Because I said so." Christopher said, sternly.

"You haven't even tried!"

"I have!" Christopher yelled.

Anthony stopped. "What?"

"I have tried to find her." Christopher told him. "I - I did."

"What?" Anthony asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Christopher sounded pained. "Because - because...she has a new family okay?!"

Another few beats of silence.

"She...she can't." Anthony said, shaking his head, wanting so badly to deny it.

"She does." Christopher said.

"And how do you know?" Anthony asked.

"I found her in America." Christopher said. "I searched a lot, and I found her there, and she has a new family. She is registered, and her family is registered too. She works in the MACUSA – that's the American Ministry, and her name, and her new family are listed there."

"Oh." Anthony's voice cracked.

Christopher sighed. "This is why I didn't want to tell you." He kicked something, possibly a desk. "I knew you would get upset."

"It's - it's fine." Anthony said, even though it evidently was not. "I guess...she doesn't care...but she promised."

"Well, people break promises." Christopher snapped, voice now slightly harsh. "Some people aren't good people, and you need to accept that."

"Why did she leave?"

"Because she did." Christopher said. "But it doesn't matter–"

"It does!"

"No, it doesn't!!" Christopher yelled, but then he took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for yelling."

"You do that a lot now." Anthony said quietly. "You yell at other housemates, Pandora, me, me a lot, and you yell at Jasper–"

"Oh, don't mention him." Christopher said, sharply.

"Why don't you like him?" Anthony asked.

"You know why."