Not Having Fun

033

"It's not my fault!" I kick my legs in the back of the car. "They called me a liar "

Mum turns back a little bit to look at me since we're at a red light. "What they said to you wasn't nice. But what you did wasn't nice either,"

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms. It wasn't my fault! And I didn't even hit him with my lunchbox. Even if I did try to.

I told one of the boys in my class that my sister can't talk and he said I'm a liar. I got really angry and hit him with my lunchbox. He went and told on me! The guidance woman took me to the office and said I need to go home for the day. And nothing will happen to him! That's stupid.

When we get home, Mum crosses her arms. "I should smack you right now,"

I gulp. I haven't had a spanking since before Christmas, I don't want another one!

"But I want to know why you hit that boy. We taught you how to act when someone is mean to you. You're to ignore them and tell the teacher," I look down, I do remember that. "You've been doing well with Chris. Why did that boy make you so angry?"

I look at Roxie. She's sitting on the carpet beside a big dollhouse.

"I don't know. I got angry when he talked about Roxie. And then he called me a liar when I talked about her. Is she weird?" Does it make me weird that she doesn't talk? So weird people think I'm a liar?

"Max, your sister is not weird. She's different, like everybody is different. You and that boy are different, he clearly hasn't been exposed to other kinds of people. That's not your fault but it's not his either,"

I don't really understand. How can it not be his fault that he doesn't know about people who can't talk? But I know I'm still in deep trouble. "You can't hit people because they make you angry,"

"I didn't hit him,"

"It doesn't matter. You tried to,"

"I'm sorry,"

"Well, being sorry isn't going to fix this. You're going to write that boy an apology letter,"

I whine. That's so stupid! I don't want to write an apology letter. I kick my legs and keep whining. No apology letter!

"Max, stop that! You're already getting let off lightly,"

"Fine, I hate you anyway!" I run up to my bedroom and slam the door. I was going to get sent there anyway.

I put my jammies on because I know that's what I'm supposed to do. See, I do listen to grown ups! And I lie on the floor and start drawing. I have homework but I don't want to do it. I'll just say I forgot. I don't feel like being good right now. Zach was such a meanie to me today! And now I'm the one in trouble for it.

(Flashback)

"Your sister has a weird name!"

"Roxie isn't a weird name," I look at Zach. His hair is red. That's weird. Hair shouldn't be red. "And you're the one who looks weird,"

"Your sister can speak either, can she?"

"She's just a baby. Babies can't speak,"

"She's a year and a half old! My little brother could speak before he turned one!"

"Who cares?" I go back to my drawing. It's raining outside so we can sit in the class for lunchtime and draw.

"All one year old's can speak. You must be a liar,"

"What? No I'm not!"

"Yeah, I bet he's lying," his friend laughs.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!"