Alice in Wonderland

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I don't want to go downstairs for dinner, but I haven't anything today besides the small bit of breakfast I was able to stomach. I know Mrs. Sharpe doesn't think that I'm eating enough, but I'm slowing able to eat bigger meals without feeling like I'm going to throw it up right away.

I close my bedroom door behind me and tiptoe down the hall, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. Someone knocked on my door about an hour ago, asking me to play, but I heard Kyle yell at them to leave me alone before I could have responded. I'm still unsure of what my response would have been.

There's commotion from the dining room, which tells me everyone's already seated and probably waiting for me. My usual corner seat is open and I take it, glad no one breaks their conversation to talk to me. For some reason the little ones are always fascinated by me and constantly want me to entertain them.

"Lily," Mason yells through the commotion, eating some of the food on his plate with his hands. "Where were you today? You were supposed to play checkers with me."

Checkers is his new obsession and I only know that because he asks me about ten times a day to play with him. "I was, um, at a doctor's appointment."

"Will you play checkers with me?" he asks, pouting his lips as if that will persuade me. I'm sure it works for his parents.

"Sure," I mumble, picking up my fork after a plate is set in front of me. I feel nauseous just looking at it. "Thank you, Monica."

She probably doesn't hear me over the numerous conversations going on and disappears into the kitchen. I pick at some of my rice, since it's the lightest thing on my plate to stomach and listen in on a conversation going on in case it's important.

"I told you, mom, that teacher doesn't like me."

"You've been using that excuse since second grade, Logan."

A few of the older kids laugh, and I try to understand what the problem is, but decide to stop listening. Maybe if I block out the noise it'll be easier to get through my meal.

For a while everyone leaves me alone and it's nice because I'm able to finish my meal. I wonder if Mrs. Sharpe knew I had a rough therapy session and told everyone to leave me alone. The thought is both comforting and saddening.

"Lily, do you want to see the swingset?"

Before I can answer Mason belts out, "No, she's playing checkers with me!"

I'm startled by the sudden bickering and it's Mr. Sharpe who actually stops it. "If you keep fighting she won't play with either of you."

"Me first!" Nathan yells, jumping from his seat and grabbing my hand. I follow him out of the dining room and towards the long hallway to the backyard that Josh and I used to sneak out. I still don't know what to think of that night.

"I'm coming!" someone yells behind me and I hear numerous feet padding along the floor. Nathan slides open the back door and leaves it open as he runs out past a large inground pool and towards the grass.

I follow after him, glad the sun is setting so that I don't need to wear sunglasses. He leads me to a swingset next to a tree and tells me to sit next to him. The other two boys who followed us out here got distracted by their abandoned toys in the grass so it's just Nathan and I sitting on the swings.

"Just move your feet like this," Nathan says and gestures how to move my feet. It aches that he knows I've never been on a swing before and he has to show me how to use it.