Pain

Lunch

Everyone was still wondering about how badly I was tormented, but I didn't want to talk about it.  It wasn't something that was easy to talk about for me."  Well, take your time," Ruth said through sucking smoke through her cigarette," we all have gone through bullying."  I rubbed my arms, and looked over to the window.  It was raining outside, and looked very windy.  The lights flickered a bit, and Mary shivered a bit next to me."  I don't like storms."  Mary said, and I smiled down at her."  I'm here for you."  I said, and she smiled brightly up at me.  Ruth put her smoke out, and hid the butt of it in her pocket.  El came in, and smiled at us."  It's time for lunch, come along."  She came over to me, and rubbed my shoulder.  As we walked, she talked to me."  Listen, I know it's hard to talk to the Doctor about your life.  So if you want, you can talk to me.  I'll listen, and I won't tell the doctor if you don't want me to."  I smiled at her softly, and she smiled."  I would like that very much."  I said, and she nodded.

"I'll talk with you after lunch, okay?"  I nodded, and I sat down with the other kids.  In the middle of the table were chicken nuggets and bowls of jello.  Surrounding that were cans of Coca-Cola.  I slowly pulled some food onto my plate, and looked at the can confused."  What's the matter?"  Steve asked as I looked the can all over."  What is this?"  I asked, and some of them looked as if they were going to spit out their food."  You've never had Coca-Cola?"  Red asked, opening her can."  It's soda, you've never had soda before?"  I shook my head, my mother never allowing me to have sugary drinks.  Mary popped open the can, and handed it to me."  Try it, it's delicious."  Mary said, and I slowly brought it up to my lips.  It was very sweet, and delicious."  This is good."  I said a big gulp of it."  Careful, it'll give you a lot of energy."  Mary said, and I put the can down.

I slowly ate my food, and I gulped down the can.  I've never had anything this good before, not even in Germany.  I was almost vibrating from the amount of energy from the drink.  El had sat down with me in the Group room, and sat down next to me."  My mother is a very stubborn woman, she was never happy with what I did.  Even when I joined the Frisbee team, which I was very proud of.  But she said it was just wasting time doing someone useless.  I hate her, I've always hated her."  El rubbed my forearm, and gave me a smile."  You do know your mother has been told of what you did, and that she isn't happy with you.  You scared her badly."  I rolled my eyes, and scratched at the table."  I don't care, she doesn't care.  She probable only cares on how much money this will cost.  It's always about either the cost or how it will embarrass her and Father."  El looked concern now, and I glared over to the the other side of the table.

"You can't see her until your fourth day, hospital rules.  You just need to be thinking about yourself, to get back to being a normal boy.  Meaning that that we want you to being doing healthy thinking."  I nodded at her, and she let me go.  I went to my room, to find Mary sitting on my bed.  Her feet dangled off from the bed, not even close to touching the ground."  I got scared, and I didn't have anyone else to go to.  Can I...sit with you in here?  I won't be any trouble."  I smiled at her, and sat down next to her."  I was going to get some sleep, you can stay here if you would like."  She nodded, and I rolled onto my side.  I felt her lay down next to me, and I fell asleep for a while.

I woke up with it dark outside, and Mary gone.  El was cleaning up my nightstand, and smiled down at me."  You missed dinner, and Mary said that you were very nice to her."  I nodded, and she gave me a protein vanilla shake for dinner."  Thank you."  I said, and she said goodnight.  I drank the shake quickly, and got under the blankets to sleep.