She's a Wonder

Ruby

I guess I should have known that the moment little August Pullman entered the world just a few moments after me, my life would not be great. What I didn't expect is that Mom and Dad would just drop everything in their life. Like they didn't care. I know Via and I have always bonded because of our parents always having to look after Auggie. Mom always kind of left everything to Via and me because apparently we were really 'responsible'. Even though I was the same age as Auggie!

This might sound a lot like I'm jealous of Auggie and maybe I am. So what? It's not like I'd want to be Auggie though. Oh no. I wouldn't want to be stared at everywhere I go. I wouldn't want to have to walk around with eyes on me. I wouldn't want to stay at home in captivity with no friends. All I'm saying is that Mom and Dad haven't really cared for me - and Via - ever since Auggie was born. It's like the moment he came into the world, it was the Big Bang of Attention. Mom and Dad totally turned their attention towards my twin brother. Sure, it was annoying but I could take care of myself.

It's funny. When I heard from Dad that Auggie would be going to school, I kinda went, "Pfffftttt, yeah right!" 

But Dad looked dead serious and I went pale. "What?" I yelled, dropping my spoon into my plate of spaghetti. "Are you joking? Why do you think Auggie can go to school? Do you know what the kids will do?!"

"Calm down," Dad answered, his voice going up and down as he tried to figure out whether he was meant to sound jolly or slightly flat. He settled for a serious and flat tone. Via glared at him. She was always rather overprotective of Auggie. She worried about him a lot.

Dad took a quick breath and continued. "So, your mom and I have talked and we've agreed to send him to school--" Via coughed, anger spilling across his forehead. "because we think Auggie is ready. You know. He's going to start fifth grade. First year in middle school for everybody. He won't be the only new kid. 

I heard Via mutter something under her breath.

"How could you do this, Dad?!" I snapped, chugging down a glass of ice cold water. It suddenly felt really hot in the room, like Via and my anger was turning the atmosphere into a dark and evil place full of unhappiness. Dad seemed to notice it too as he broke out into a cold sweat. 

"Well," Dad said, carefully trying not to look at Via. "Don't you think he's been cooped up here for too long? He needs to go to school. I'm not exactly sure about this, but Mom thinks so. She managed to convince me over breakfast last week. But anyway, it's sure to work out in the end.

Via stood up, her chair screeching at the tiles violently. She left without another word.

I closed my eyes, letting my wet hair drape over my bedsheets. I heard the door open. It was Auggie, just after finishing his shower. He went to his side of the bedroom - we shared a room - and picked up his PlayStation. He seemed awkwardly quiet.

"Hey Auggie?" I turned to him as he started turning on the TV.

He looked back at me. "Yeah?"

"Do you know..."

"About my going to school? Yeah."

"Oh... um... so how do you feel about it?"

"How am I meant to feel about it?"

"Uh, I dunno... scared maybe? Nervous?"

"Okay. I'm nervous multiplied by a zillion," Auggie giggled.

I chuckled. Auggie usually made better jokes, but I guess he was a little nervous. "Well... you could always decide not to."

Auggie closed his eyes for a moment. I couldn't really tell much because his eyes were always shaped like tiny slits on his face.

I guess I haven't really explained why Auggie is different from everybody else. Well, it's because there was a gene that double-dosed while he was growing and that kinda formed his face to look different from everybody else. Like, really different. I think that people stare at him because he's not like everybody else. Sometimes it makes me mad, but I can't really do much about it. It's just the way of life. The life that the Pullmans had to get used to.