Borders & Rules

Chapter 2

I don't do all this on purpose. I can't really understand how normal people's bodies wake up when they need to. It's a luxury I'm not blessed with. And when the doctor says "Family Issues," I don't even begin to think about my father.

When we get home, my parents fight even harder because now it's official: I have a problem. And one of my parents has to be the guilty one.

I pack my bags for the hospital. My mother brings me there. The entrance hall looks really fancy with the glass walls at first, but the corridor is gloomy. There are no windows. I get a really queasy feeling and ask my mother if she can stay a little longer.

My mother gives me a kiss and says goodbye to me. And when she's gone, I stand there in the aisle, quite helpless, with my bags and don't want to go in. A nurse stands next to me and wants to show me to my room, but I'm still watching after my mother and trying not to cry.

It's lighter in the bedrooms. Two people sleep in one room, which look like normal hospital rooms. Like I'm just hospitalized. Like I'm really sick.

When I sit down on my bed and the nurse finally leaves me alone, I'm kind of relieved. I'd like to sleep here. In peace. On a comfortable bed. Every day fresh sheets.

The door opens. A boy enters my room. Red hair, freckled face. He doesn't notice me at first but looks surprised when he does. Looks me up and down before he walks to the other side of the room, where his bed stands.

"Hi," I say and straighten a little. "I'm Felix."

He sits down on his bed. "Kevin." He reaches for his drawer and gets out a charger. Then he gets up again and leaves the room. Pretty good start for someone you'll be rooming with for the next few weeks. But whatever.

It isn't until lunch that I finally dare to leave my room. I thought I could hide here. But the nurses seem to really care that everyone here eats their meals regularly.

So I walk into the dining room with the nurse. All the children sit together at the dining table. It's pretty noisy and crowded. And somehow everyone seems to have their place except...

"Here." I turn to the voice. "This place is free," the red-head says. I feel like someone has just thrown me a lifeline. I quickly sit down next to him.

Kevin isn't much of a talker, but that's fine. Because I'm much of a talker. After we get our plates and start eating, I glance at him occasionally, curiously. "How long have you been here?"

"Few months," he says, his mouth full. "One or two. Not sure."

I watch him eating. In general, it somehow seems as if the children here are all really impatient and greedy. They eat like they haven't had anything in weeks. "Why are you here?"

He looks at me, looks back at his food and swallows. "Mental problems, I guess."

"You guess?"

He shrugs. "Why are you here then?"

"Mental problems, I guess." The corner of his mouth twitches, which makes me actually smile. I really want to be his friend. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Yeah. Same." As much as I wonder why he's here, I don't ask further. I look around, young people my age are talking loudly and laughing and eating like animals. They all already know each other. "How's school here?"

"Short," Kevin says. "Easy."

"How long are the classes?"

"Just forty minutes. And you have three a day. At most."

"Cool. Sounds chill."

"Uhm..." He pushes his food around with his fork. "There's a common room with a TV if you haven't seen it yet."

"Oh, really?" I grin broadly. Finally. Finally he starts talking by himself.

"Everyone chills there during off hours." He looks away and shrugs again. "You could join if you want."