her, I realized she hardly looked at me.
Her eyes darted around me, occasionally looking at my knees or something
similar but always out of focus until she looked at something else. Did I not
notice before? Being around the others, they often touched at my face to bring
my eyes to theirs. Did I divert my eyes too much without realizing it? Was I
looking around others but not really at them?
“You’ll get fat,” she said.
“Do you need anything? Water? I can make you grilled cheese. I
could make some soup.”
She considered this. “Bring me water and some yogurt.” She rolled
her IV pole back to her bedroom.
I collected what she wanted quickly and raced to her room. I was
there before she made it to the bed. I gave her a plastic spoon and her water
bottle. I nudged the plastic trash can closer to her bed. “If you’ll take a
bath, I’ll change your sheets.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “What do you want?”
“Huh?” I meant to ask more, but dry air caught in my throat and I
started coughing.
She reeled her head back, taking the top off of her water. “Go
away. You’ll make me sick.”
I swallowed and rushed out of her room. I went back to the
kitchen, grabbing the plate of grilled cheese and three bottles of water from
the fridge and a bag of potato chips, taking them upstairs.
My door was closed, locked. I had to put the water and chips down
to find the pushpin in the wall, opening the door one handed.
When I peeked into the room, the boys weren’t there. I replaced
the push pin and picked up the water and chips. I dropped everything on top of
the trunk by the wall and closed the door again. “Gabriel?” I whispered.
Scuffling noises broke out from the attic and a moment later,
Gabriel and Luke peeked out from around the bookshelf. They looked relieved.
“I thought it might have been your mom,” Gabriel whispered.
I pressed a button on the stereo, turning the volume up on the
music to help mask our noises. I picked up the grilled cheese and passed them
the plate.
Behind the bookshelf, we collected on the floor. Since my mother
was awake, it meant we had to be extra quiet now. We ate together. I took the
burnt one and pulled the burned side off to eat it open faced. Gabriel liked
the apples.
When we were done, Gabriel sat cross legged on the bed near the
window and I curled up on the other end with the pillow. Luke remained behind
the bookshelf on the carpet. Gabriel checked fashion blogs with the extra
laptop. Luke was doing his work. I started texting everyone with the new phone.
Sang: Silas! What are you doing?
Silas: North’s giving me a lecture about spark plugs. Save me.
Sang: North.
North: What?
Sang: Just checking. Tell Silas I said hi and that I think spark
plugs are interesting.
North: You’re still full of shit.
Sang: Do you still like me?
North: Yes. Do you still like me?
Sang: Yes.
Sang: Kota, I made grilled cheese. My mom woke up.
Kota: Did she notice anything?
Sang: She doesn’t remember. She asked when I called the doctor for
the IV but she didn’t seem too surprised by it. She did ask about my throat but
I lied and said I was sick.
Kota: If she forgets what happened, don’t remind her. Keep me
updated.
Sang: Nathan, are you awake?
Nathan: Nope.
Sang: Sleep texting?
Nathan: Yes.
Sang: That’s a talent.
Nathan: I want to come hang out.
Sang: Will everyone take turns?
Nathan: Yup. I think that’s the plan. Don’t get caught before it’s
my turn. If you get into trouble, run over here.
Sang: Thank you, Victor.
Victor: You’re very welcome. Keep it close.
S ign L anguage
After another hour, I slid off the bed onto the floor to go back
downstairs. I collected the plate and the empty water bottles.
Downstairs, my mom was asleep again. The yogurt remained unopened.
I slipped in quietly to take it back. I didn’t want it to spoil and have her
eat it. I found some crackers and left them for her.
When
Her eyes darted around me, occasionally looking at my knees or something
similar but always out of focus until she looked at something else. Did I not
notice before? Being around the others, they often touched at my face to bring
my eyes to theirs. Did I divert my eyes too much without realizing it? Was I
looking around others but not really at them?
“You’ll get fat,” she said.
“Do you need anything? Water? I can make you grilled cheese. I
could make some soup.”
She considered this. “Bring me water and some yogurt.” She rolled
her IV pole back to her bedroom.
I collected what she wanted quickly and raced to her room. I was
there before she made it to the bed. I gave her a plastic spoon and her water
bottle. I nudged the plastic trash can closer to her bed. “If you’ll take a
bath, I’ll change your sheets.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “What do you want?”
“Huh?” I meant to ask more, but dry air caught in my throat and I
started coughing.
She reeled her head back, taking the top off of her water. “Go
away. You’ll make me sick.”
I swallowed and rushed out of her room. I went back to the
kitchen, grabbing the plate of grilled cheese and three bottles of water from
the fridge and a bag of potato chips, taking them upstairs.
My door was closed, locked. I had to put the water and chips down
to find the pushpin in the wall, opening the door one handed.
When I peeked into the room, the boys weren’t there. I replaced
the push pin and picked up the water and chips. I dropped everything on top of
the trunk by the wall and closed the door again. “Gabriel?” I whispered.
Scuffling noises broke out from the attic and a moment later,
Gabriel and Luke peeked out from around the bookshelf. They looked relieved.
“I thought it might have been your mom,” Gabriel whispered.
I pressed a button on the stereo, turning the volume up on the
music to help mask our noises. I picked up the grilled cheese and passed them
the plate.
Behind the bookshelf, we collected on the floor. Since my mother
was awake, it meant we had to be extra quiet now. We ate together. I took the
burnt one and pulled the burned side off to eat it open faced. Gabriel liked
the apples.
When we were done, Gabriel sat cross legged on the bed near the
window and I curled up on the other end with the pillow. Luke remained behind
the bookshelf on the carpet. Gabriel checked fashion blogs with the extra
laptop. Luke was doing his work. I started texting everyone with the new phone.
Sang: Silas! What are you doing?
Silas: North’s giving me a lecture about spark plugs. Save me.
Sang: North.
North: What?
Sang: Just checking. Tell Silas I said hi and that I think spark
plugs are interesting.
North: You’re still full of shit.
Sang: Do you still like me?
North: Yes. Do you still like me?
Sang: Yes.
Sang: Kota, I made grilled cheese. My mom woke up.
Kota: Did she notice anything?
Sang: She doesn’t remember. She asked when I called the doctor for
the IV but she didn’t seem too surprised by it. She did ask about my throat but
I lied and said I was sick.
Kota: If she forgets what happened, don’t remind her. Keep me
updated.
Sang: Nathan, are you awake?
Nathan: Nope.
Sang: Sleep texting?
Nathan: Yes.
Sang: That’s a talent.
Nathan: I want to come hang out.
Sang: Will everyone take turns?
Nathan: Yup. I think that’s the plan. Don’t get caught before it’s
my turn. If you get into trouble, run over here.
Sang: Thank you, Victor.
Victor: You’re very welcome. Keep it close.
S ign L anguage
After another hour, I slid off the bed onto the floor to go back
downstairs. I collected the plate and the empty water bottles.
Downstairs, my mom was asleep again. The yogurt remained unopened.
I slipped in quietly to take it back. I didn’t want it to spoil and have her
eat it. I found some crackers and left them for her.
When
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