Canada's Secret

IV

I will translate french at the bottom. It's actually me writing it so I'm not sure how good it'll be.

I'm sitting on a bench outside my house with Mr. Kumajiro after the meeting. While he drinks his bowl of syrup, I'm thinking about the meeting. Why did papa France show that video?

It's because he agrees with your brother. Says the little voice in my head.

Get out of my mind! I think angrily.

Never. It tells me while chuckling Emily. I scowl.

"I'm going to go take a nap. That meeting tired me out." I tell Mr. Kumajiro while standing up.

"Who are you?" He asks.

"I'm Canadia." I groan, unintentionally using the name America calls me.

I trudge across my lawn and into my house. I walk quietly through my halls in the direction of my room. I don't feel like talking to any of my guests. France, Britain, and America stayed after the meeting. I slip into my room and turn on the light.

I walk across the room and pull my dresser out from the wall. Behind it is a down of tallies carved into the wall. I unstick a knife from the back of the dresser and scratch another into the wall. That makes twenty three. I've almost killed myself twenty three times. Now that I think about it, that's a large number. I should cut it off before it gets any larger. If only I wasn't so weak. Then I'd be able to just get it over with.

"Oh Canada?" I hear France call me from outside my locked door. I quickly push the dresser back and grab a book. I flip the a random page and put a bookmark there, as if I had been reading it.

"Canada? Canada? Matthui? Are you alright?" France is starting to sound panicked. I open the door and smile at him.

"I'm sorry for the wait. I was reading and was so wrapped up in the book that I didn't hear you!"

Papa frowns but quickly smiles again, so quickly I'm not sure if he actually did frown.

"How are you Canada? You seemed upset at the meeting."

I wave a hand and say, "Psh. No big deal. I just had to get some water."

France nods. "May I ask, pourquoi vous changez votre chemise?"

I feel the colour drain from my face. "Je ne pas aime cette chemise, papa."

He frowns for sure this time. "Tu c'est sûr?"

I nod. "Oui papa."

He doesn't look convinced but nods. "Get some sleep."

I nod and go back to my corner. I haven't slept in a week. One more night can't hurt.

The convo is......

France nods. "May I ask, why did you change your shirt?"

I feel the colour drain from my face. "I don't like/love that shirt, dad."

He frowns for sure this time. "Are you sure?"

I nod. "Yes dad."