Bound By Pain

1

I pick up the yellow pencil colour and colour the whole paper yellow. I switch to green to match it out and then add a bit of black to balance off the bright colours.

"Look! I coloured a flower. Pretty, right?", I smile. "Let me see what you coloured."

Henry pulls out a coloured paper and shows me his beautiful colouring. It's a giraffe grazing. "Woah, this looks so cool. Want me to hang it on the refrigerator?"

Henry nods and that's as far as responses go for him so I'm satisfied. I jump off my bed and make for the kitchen. The floorboards creak under me and it just reminds me how old this house is.

The kitchen is empty, save for the stray cat that always manages to get into the house even if you close the windows. I stick the colourings on the refrigerator even though I know Rob will rip them off when he gets home.

I make Henry and I lunch boxes and pack us both some bottles of water. I add my flask to my lunch and shove everything into our bags.

Henry comes down stairs and i sigh when i see he's still in his pyjamas. "Why haven't you changed for school? We're gonna be late."

"I do--don't wanna go to school to--day." He lowers his gaze and stares at the tattered floor. "Al--all of them laugh at me b--b--because of my stu--stu--stutter."

I walk over to him and give him a big hug. He doesn't move, continuing to stare at the floor.

"You know what?", I ask him moving his face to look at me. "All those kids, the ones that laugh, aren't as great as you. They can't make pancakes or make beef stew or draw a whole arse giraffe like you."

Henry chuckles. "You sa--said ar--.", I clamp his mouth shut before he can say anything more.

"You are definitely not allowed to say that.", I smile."Now go get ready." I let him go and he runs off to change, his hoodie bouncing along with him.

I change too and make a quick breakfast comprising toast, eggs and orange juice for Henry. Fifteen minutes later we're on the pavement on our way to school. First i drop Henry off and then i finish the two kilometer walk to my school.

The halls are full of students nattering away. Their voices are jumbled into one irritating sound and this doesn't hesitate to get my head aching. I push though the throng of students and go straight to Todd and Charlie who i spot instantly sharing a meek peck on the lips. Utterly disgusting, if you ask me.

"Binnie! Nice of you to grace us with your presence today.", Todd starts. "I was actually worried you'd be off for the whole week this time."

"I was sick and it was only one bloody day -- one.", I say rising my index finger.

"More like hungover."

"It was just one time." I look over to Charlie for some help but she just gives me a sympathetic look. First degree betrayal, right there.

"More like three but it's not like anyone's counting."

Charlie looks at us oddly. I think she's confused. "Some times i wonder if you guys can't just start your conversations with 'hey, how was your night' like normal people. I mean, it'd save us all five minutes of our precious time"

"C'mon, you know we can't do that. It's just too simple. Right, Bin?", Todd asks me smiling.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever he said.", I respond my attention now solely on getting my flask out of my bag. I shuffle and shift until it's out and take a small sip. The liquid burns my throat and settles pretty in the pit of my stomach. That's the feeling. Nothing like liquid confidence to start off a school day.

"You just recovered from a major hangover and the first thing you think to do is drink?", Todd questions raising an eyebrow and pointing at my flask.

"Not sure you've heard this before but: my life, my choices.", I sip and smile. "Plus if you want a sip you could always just ask."

"I'm late for Chem so i have to dash. You guys can stay and do whatever this is." She gestures between us. "Ciao!" Charlie places one last kiss on Todd's cheek and leaves abruptly. I cringe then see strands of red hair in the crowd of students before she disappears into it.

"I have a business assignment so i have to go too. See you at lunch and don't get drunk.", Todd warns.

I start for my first class early.

It's slow and boring during the two periods i have history. The lesson goes on and on but I don't catch a single piece of information.

I have sociology next and it's not as bad as history so I'm kind of excited. It's probably because the teacher is less of a lullaby and more like a speaker.

I walk lazily into the classroom. There's three people in the room already but the whiskey I've been drinking makes it seem as though there are five. Don't get drunk my foot.

I make for a chair in the back and one of the people in the room plop down next to me. Jaquetta pulls her headphones from her head and looks my way.

"Hey!.", She doesn't wait for me to answer. "I'm so happy, Mr Neville strained his back and can't walk to save his life because of it."

"So.... you're happy because our English teacher is bed bound?", I raise an eyebrow. "Not so sure that's a good thing, even for all the students who despise the old man."

"That's not what i mean, silly. You guys have a substitute chipping in for him.", Jackie raises her hands for effect. Drama queen.

"Still don't see what's so great about having another random old man replace our teacher. I honestly think Mr Neville was a rather sweet old man. Just misjudged.", I shrug. "He gave me a bloody C even though I didn't even write the essay."

"Old man? The sub is no old man. Five years older than us at a maximum. And.....he looks like a Greek god."

Before i can respond my sociology teacher walks in, her walking stick clicking every time it hits the floor. Here we go.