Rain

Chapter 7

Please excuse Mistakes

Rain

"Wherever the wind blows, I'll be there and in every storm I'll be your rainbow."

That's what my mother, Iris, used to say to me. She said she would be my rainbow after every storm. With her being gone I wonder, who could save me, save us. I wish I could have been there with her when she died in the car crash along with my father.

They are what I think about when I am in pain. Pain is what I feel as I sit in front of my uncle and Raiden as they ate the food I prepared. I sit here as my stomach grumbles as I watch them eat the food that I don't have the luxury to partake in.

Why can't I eat?

Well a letter from the school detailed my newest transgression in the eyes of my uncle, my dyslexia diagnosis. My dear uncle never answered the calls from my teacher, Katy, that would have informed him of the school's need to officially test me for dyslexia and other learning abilities. By state law, the school is required to inform a parent or guardian about possible testing or suspicion in learning disabilities

According to Uncle Tom, the letter was a slap in the face. It questioned his ability to teach me the basic core skills of reading. I was basically being punished for something that is out of my control. I don't blame Katy for reaching out. She is only doing her job as a teacher. However this news is causing me to sit in hunger.

At this point I rather him beat me, it's something I've gotten used to while I haven't gotten used to hunger pains. Usually I would eat snacks from Katy's lunch and free breakfast that they had at school. However, I was late showing up to school that morning and Katy had canceled our tutoring session during lunch.

So I sit here in pain, watching them eat. I almost stare Uncle Tom directly in the eye, but I know better.

" You see Ray? When you do good things, you get rewarded." Uncle Tom said to Raiden, who was oblivious to my punishment. It's a shame that he's trying to get a four year old to recognize food as reward and not a necessity to live. " Your dumb sister, don't seem to understand that."

"I'm not dumb" I said boldly. I'm not sure what's gotten into me but I sit firmly in what I believe to be true.

" What did you say to me?"He asked me, dropping his fork onto his plate.

" I said I'm not dumb." I said again as my chest moved up and down rapidly as I did. I was scared of what he would do but I couldn't stop myself from talking.

" That's not what this says." He held up the letter to my face, forcing me to look at it. " Oh I forgot, You all of a sudden can't fucking read."

He mushed the letter in my face before standing up from where he sat. His seat scratched against the tiled floor making a shrieking sound. Raiden cringed at the sound as he tried to eat quietly. His eyes held worry for me. I know I should stay quiet. I know I should keep my head down to keep Raiden from seeing evil happen in front of him. Yet here I was, shaking in my seat, refusing to stay quiet.

" I can read." I cried. I was only repeating what Katy has been telling me for two weeks now. She has been nothing but patient with me and has never faltered in her kindness. I worked so hard to see myself as smart after being broken down to a tiny pulp after hours of trying to read on my own.

As if he didn't hear me, Uncle Tom began to rant about how the school made me disrespectful and illiterate.

" First, you flirt with boys and now you can't read. That school ain't nothing but trouble. If I had the means to take you out I would. " He threatened, his face inches from mine.