Freaks: Year Two

You Can Do It

"What happened this morning?" Francis asked when it was finally just him and Edgar. It was lunchtime and the two of them were right by one of the walls of the school, away from the big groups of students that were playing on the playground, pavement or the field. "Did something happen when the fire alarm went off?"

Edgar nodded, his stomach aching from fear. It had been like this all morning since, and he was trying his very hardest not to break down into tears. "The...the window broke."

"That's okay, Ed," Francis reassured him. "You don't need to get all worked up about it, it was an accident. I bet they didn't even know it was you. How could they blame–"

"But I was putting my painting near the window to dry and then the alarm went off and the window broke and a student saw and they think it was me and it was me because–"

"Ed, it's okay, you didn't mean to," said Francis, quickly because he hated to see his brother so worked up over something that was not even his fault. "It isn't your fault. Like Jasper said, accident magic is normal."

"I am in so much trouble," Edgar said, resting his chin on his knees that were pulled up against his chest. "My teacher said she'd tell whoever picks us up and usually that's Toby and he always says he would tell our parents, but now–"

"Oh..."

Edgar's eyes filled with tears. "She's going to hit me, she's going to be so mad."

"Edgar, it will be okay."

"No..."

"Ed–"

"She doesn't like magic, she never has, mum doesn't like magic, she doesn't like my magic which means she doesn't like me."

"Okay, take deep breaths," Francis said, looking over around the playground only to see all the kids were distracted with their games and sports. A part of him felt this ache, this sense of longing; all these kids could play these games and could have fun, but at the exact same time he had to try to reassure his little brother that he would not be hurt for something that was not even his fault.

"Look, I will talk to Ethan tonight," Francis told his brother. "I am going to say sorry and...and we will figure something out, nothing is going to happen, you're not going to be hit, I promise, I promise."

"But I don't want you to get hurt," Edgar whispered through his tears.

"We will be fine. Maybe I can talk to your teacher. It isn't like there could have been anything that could have been used to break the window, right?"

"Everyone thinks I am a troublemaker...I am."

"It isn't your fault, Ed."

"It sure feels like it..."

"It's not," Francis said.

Edgar didn't respond to that. Francis sighed, wondering about what he should do. He felt sort of lost. He was so used to Jasper and Toby doing things and yes, he always talked to Edgar about these things if he could, but now he desperately needed to somehow shift the blame off Edgar for the broken school window because his little brother was scared out of his mind about their mum's reaction to it.

Francis looked over to his brother again. "Why don't we start that letter?" Edgar looked over, eyes glassy. "Will that make you feel a little better?"

Edgar gave a tiny nod.

After starting their letter to two of their older brothers, they both had to go back to their classes. The rest of the day went normal. There were no more accidental magic incidents with Edgar, and Francis actually wore both of his hearing aids in class and when it was nearing the end of the day, both of them got more nervous because Francis had still not had the chance to talk to Edgar's teacher, and if she really told their mum about the broken window...