Castling: A Novel (NaNoWriMo21)

65. I'm Not Faking It

"Hey, Mom?"

"What?"

Everybody knows how bright I can be. They sing my brain's praises from here to Moreno. This brain can take a lot, lessons, facts, beatings from two energy-vampire frenemies who I just don't have the patience left to deal with. Well, let's see how clever this bright brain can be when I've got nothing left to lose.

"What, Chase?" Mom asks.

Chase the Ace?

"Um, I don't feel too good."

Chase the Dark Ace.

"What?"

Chase the Menace!

"Doesn't feel good," I say, clutching my stomach. "Been like this since lunch."

"What happened?"

"I was fine until lunch and...then I don't think what I ate really agreed with me."

"What did you have?"

"This weird beef."

"Weird beef?"

"Yeah."

"You're not going to throw up in the car, are you?"

"No."

Embarrassing.

"But, yeah," I say. "I started feeling it in Mrs. G's. I tried asking her if I could go downstairs, but she wouldn't let me."

"...What?!"

"Yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"She wouldn't let me go downstairs. She said I had to wait because she sent another kid out of the room."

It takes a second for it to sink in. Then, at the Krodi's, Mom looks at me and sighs.

"You're not lying to stay home tomorrow, are you?"

"No," I say. "Why would I lie?"

"Oh, come on, Chase. You've faked it before."

"Why...why would I fake this?"

"For a day off."

"I'm not faking it!" I exclaim, tightening my grasp. "Do I have to be faking it all the time?"

"Calm down."

"I don't feel good! ...Or, don't you care?"

"Okay! You don't feel good! Don't take it out on me."

"And...stupid Mrs. G didn't do anything. ...She never does anything. She never takes people seriously."

"Chase—"

"She doesn't! She lets this...dumbass sleep through class!"

"Chase!"

"You should see him. All he does is sleep and nobody says anything. People fight at my table, and nobody says anything. Kieran...Kieran says stuff to me, and nobody cares."

"What did Kieran say to you?"

"He...he said I suck."

"...No, he didn't."

"Uh, yeah?"

"Chase, don't lie. Kieran is your friend."

Good! Say that. It's only helping my cause.

"He wouldn't say that to you. Or maybe he was teasing."

"He told me I sucked because I tried correcting a word problem."

"He was teasing."

"No. Kieran...he always does this. And he ignores me half the time. And stupid Max...he...he does this and—"

"Kieran doesn't mean it."

How...

"How do you know? You're not there!" I say. "You don't have to sit in class with him all day like I do!"

Mom...

Nothing?

Anything?

"Well?"

"Well...what?" she asks. "What do you want me to say?"

"I..."

I don't know. The old school light has me distracted. I don't want to make it look obvious, but...

"I never put up with this at my old school. But, you don't really care. Nobody cares."

"What do you want me to say, Chase?!"

She's mad, I'm digging too far.

"Never mind. I need a nap."

Sweep, sweep, sweep.

"Yeah, you do! You'll feel better."

Or not.

***

When I get home, I take it easy like Mom said. I curl up in my chair and I watch my show, play Paw Days, nap with my eyes open.

"[Bleep] you! Why would I believe you?"

"You—"

"Why...would...I...believe you?!"

Technically, I didn't lie to Mom. I felt off all day and Mrs. G didn't let me get fresh air or a drink. Kieran told me I sucked because I tried to correct his basketball problem. I didn't lie. I'm not a liar. I just spun it because I had to, and nobody would believe me if I told them...

"Kids are being mean to me, Mommy!"

How would that come across?

"Chase, stop whining."

Exactly, me.

"I had to," I tell Gumball.

That's not mean, that's being smart.

I break out K.J. Daniels' taunting voice. "'Cause I'm better than you, man!"

Max should've been in the backseat. You'd salivate, wouldn't you? That's how you want me to act, step up, speak out, take names, right? Well, who the bleep cares what you think? I had a life before I met you, kids who cared, far from this...dumbass school.

I don't need you.

I...

"Maxy-Max..."

Breathe.

"I..."

I need a real nap.

"Hm..."

Daniela says goodbye and makes way for the local news. I hear Dad coming home from work. I exit Paw Days and turn off my screen, then close my eyes and give myself a spin in my chair. I wonder if Mom will say something about the car talk, or if Dad will want me to reenact it for him when I have to fetch dinner.

I don't hear anything through the walls.

"Master Chase!"

When dinner calls and I shuffle into the kitchen, the only thing I hear anybody say about earlier is...

"Are you going to eat?" Mom asks. "How's your stomach?"

It's a pasta TV dinner.

"I'll take a little," I say.

Nothing else about my "stomachache."

Nothing about Kieran or Mrs. G.

Nothing about school.

Absolutely nothing.

"Patience, Chase," I mouth to myself.

Dad serves me my plate. "Enjoy!"

So, how about that farm field trip? I want to see chick-chickens!