Boys Don't Cry

Chapter eighteen

"Why did you run out yesterday?" My eyes go from looking at him to looking at the floor.

"I told her I didn't want to talk about it, but she kept pressing me."

"I get that, but there was no need to run out. At these sessions, she's going to want to discuss sensitive issues and it might be hard to talk about but that's the only way it will help." I look at the floor and run my hand through my hair. There's an awkward silence. "I know your head was a mess yesterday, and I'm gonna try and make sure this doesn't affect you coming to live with me in the future. But you need to realise that for every rule you break, there is a consequence." I lift my head up a little and nod. "I'm gonna confiscate your phone until Monday." My head shoots up to look at him.

"Why!?"

"Because you broke the rules, and I'm not gonna reward you by letting you keep your iPhone, you can have it back on Monday." My Father looks at me and holds out his hand. I reluctantly take my phone out my pocket and write a text to Hayley

Getting my phone taken off me, won't get it back till Monday, tell Jacob please I love you and hope your ok x x x

He takes it and slips it in to his pocket.

"I don't want anything like this to happen again and I want you to apologise to Katherine for the way you spoke to her, do you understand me?" I nod. "I said, do you understand?"

"Yes." I sigh.

"Now if I'm correct you have a class to go to." I stand up and I walk out of the office, Katherine and Lauren are standing over at entrance to the classroom corridor. I walk over and they stop talking.

"I'm sorry for not answering your calls and not coming in on time and I'm sorry for what I said earlier." I look down at my shoes, noticing how dirty they were. They both look at me and sigh.

"Thank you for apologising, Michael. Go to your lesson and we'll have a chat after, okay?" Katherine says as I nod, my father comes with me down the corridor and right to the room. I turn to go in and he puts a hand firmly on my shoulder. I look at him briefly before I go in.

"Listen, I want best behaviour from now on, okay?" I nod and walk in.

I look at the clock. It's 11:54. Six minutes and I don't have to do this work. I never really complete any of the work they give me, I can't do it. I just can't seem to work anything out or remember anything. There's really no point In me trying. I wish I could just get wasted or something, it's much easier. Those six minutes soon pass by and I, along with three others, get dismissed from class. I stand up and make my way through my corridor and back through the Main foyer, I'm hoping Katherine isn't waiting for me, I don't feel like speaking to her. Although as I walk through the doors, there she is lingering like a bad smell. I walk over to her and she greets me with a smile and ushers me in to the conference room. I sit on a chair that is positioned around a huge oval table. Katherine sits on one right beside me and puts all her paperwork on the table.

"Now, Michael. What happened yesterday?" She asks, the only thing going through my head is 'don't blow it'. Cooperating is the only way to make sure I don't.

"I just lost track of time. I didn't mean to miss the calls, I'm sorry." She flips the page of her notebook and looks at me again.

"Ok. What about the therapy session with Dr Hutton? Why did you walk out." I put my head down on the desk and pull my hands over and set them on my hair.

"I just got really mad. She was pushing me to speak about things that I didn't want to speak about."

"Michael, these therapy sessions are to make sure you are in a fit state to live with your Dad, he joins in so that he can understand what you're thinking and discuss any issues or concerns you have with living with him. How can I make sure that you're in a fit state if you won't discuss anything?"

I shrug. I know she's right, but it's not her in this position. "Michael, if you're not in the right mental state to live with your dad, then I can't let it happen."

"I am though. Just because I don't like discussing my past, doesn't mean I'm not in a 'fit state'. He doesn't need to know about my past. I don't see what good it's going to do bringing it up again." I'm trying not to get angry and so far, it's working.

"If your Dad knew about your past, then maybe he'd be able to offer to support. You know that John will be released in a couple years and having your dad there might make the process a bit easier." I nod and sit up properly."Michael, do you understand that I can't let you live with your Dad and Amelia unless your mental state improves."

"I'm supposed to move in next Friday, I'll be better by then." I say. Looking at her calmly. It's only Thursday, one week and one day to improve.

"Michael, I think it might be best we were to put that on hold for a bit, perhaps you need to build a relationship for longer." I slam my hand down on the desk. Anger rips through me.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO STAY HERE ANY LONGER!" I shout as loud as I can, trying to get my point across.

"I'M NOT HAPPY HERE, DON'T YOU GET THAT!?" Katherine looks at me and begins to open her mouth, but I cut her off. "No. Don't you get that? I'd be much happier if I lived with him. I will literally do anything to get out of here. I have one chance at a family, and you're trying to take that away from me." I explain, trying to calm down.

"Michael, calm down. I'm gonna give you one last chance. This weekend, you're going to go stay with your dad until Monday and then when he drops you off, you're going to have another therapy session with Dr Hutton, and you're going to have another one on Thursday, those will determine either you get your wish or not. Deal?" I nod.

"Ok. I'm sorry." She puts an arm around my shoulder and squeezes me

"There no need to be sorry, Michael." She says