The Drummer's Boy

Chapter 12. Mum, I Did Drugs

George tapped his fingers on Dinah O'Dowd's desk, his head resting on his hand as he stared up at the clock.

Tik tok.

The door suddenly swung open. Out stepped Dinah O'Dowd, her business suit was pristine, most likely ironed, for there were no wrinkles, George knew she loved to iron her clothes. Her smile was warm & welcoming, it reached her eyes.

She made her way to her desk. Her brown hair flowed perfectly each step she took. She sat down in her chair, straight. Her eyes staring at him, narrowed. She cleared her throat & began to speak.

"Well, well. Of all the people I find in my office, the least I expected was you." Her voice was soft as silk.

George looked down & started to play with the rip in his jeans. Without meeting his mother's eyes, he responded. "Yes, but their living." He smiled.

Dinah's face twisted into confusion. She stared hard at George, trying to read his expressions. But George managed to keep a straight face.

"Whatever do you mean? You ARE living George. You're breathing, are you not?" Dinah asked.

George played with the rip so much he made a bigger hole in the jeans. He began to scratch at his bare skin, making it red.

He looked up at his mother for the first time. His breathing was shallow & his lips formed a thin line. "Barely."

Dinah reached for George's arm & held on to it. She looked deeply into her son's glazed eyes. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. Something is clearly bothering you."

George pulled his arm away & leaned back in his seat. He looked down at the ground. "I don't need you're help. Besides, why do I when you never wanted to help me even when I was a child?"

Dinah slammed her hands on the desk. She shook her head, anger getting the better of her. "Dammit George! Do NOT sit there & accuse me on the mistakes of the past. Now let me help you!"

George crossed his arms & stared up at his enraged mother. The sight of it made him smile. "I don't want help. I don't need it. Not from you. Not from anybody."

Dinah stood up & slapped her son across the face. Giving him a few seconds to recover, she grabbed his chin & forced him to look her in the eye.

"You do. I see it in you're eyes. What the hell did you do George?" She finally saw something she never saw before in her son.

He slapped her hand away. "I did nothing. Apparently I have a case of Schizophrenia." He laughed.

But Dinah wasn't laughing. In fact, she was more disgusted with the constant lies her son was coming up with.

She crossed her arms, remaining standing. "I know the whole cutting yourself & attacking you're friends wasn't you're fault. That's not what I'm worried about."

George was surprised. He didn't know his mother knew that. How much does his mother know?

"How do you know?" George asked.

Dinah raised her eyebrows. Surprised that George didn't know the obvious. "You're friend, Barbara. She called me. She told me... everything."

George rolled his eyes. Of course Barbara told her everything.

He sighed & leaned forward, staring at his hands. "You don't need to worry about me because of what I did."

Dinah finally sat down & folded her hands on her desk. "I'm not worried about that, George."

He looked up at his mother. Curiosity was written all over his face. "Than what ARE you worried about?"

Dinah laughed & shook her brown hair. George found it so hard to see what was so amusing about the situation.

She calmed her laughter & spoke. "You are acting like a prat. What you did BEFORE you cut yourself & attacked you're friend is what I'm worried about."

George racked his brain to try to figure out what he did before. He shook his head & found nothing. "I-I don't know... what I did. Before..."

Dinah smiled. What a prat her son was. She could even see through his white lies. He knew what he did. But now he must confess.

She picked up a strand of her hair & played with it. Her eyes locked on it as she spoke. "The whole situation with Barbara & Jon. You were upset. What do boys like you do when their lover starts to hang out with the ex? And you're abandoned? Hmm... the possibilities."

George swallowed. She was catching on. He tried to save himself by saying the only thing he could think to say. "I knew he wasn't in love with her. He was with me. He loves me. He would never do anything to hurt me."

Dinah looked up & smiled her wicked smile. A light-bulb lit up in her head. "Oh, but he did. He let her kiss him. And you said he loved you? That he would never hurt you? Think again. He did. You cried you're eyes out when you found out."

George shook his head & could only stare at the ground. He couldn't meet his mother's eyes. She was right. And he couldn't show defeat. His eyes were stinging with tears & tried the best to his ability to keep from crying.

Dinah kept on smiling. She was getting somewhere. Anytime now he will confess. She could finally help him. It was a cruel way, but it was the only way. He was a stubborn one, that was certain.

"Why do you insist on fighting back George? You know I'm right. You know you're wrong. Now, I ask again, what did you do before you cut yourself & attacked you're friends?" She asked.

George held on the desk with all his might. His face was expressionless & he was now crying. He looked up at his mother. She was a bit blurry, but he could still see her.

Dinah touched her son's arm once again, and smiled. "It's okay darling. Don't be afraid to tell me anything."

George didn't want to confess what he did. He knew how much trouble he could get himself into. But at this point, why did it matter anymore? He did a horrible deed, & he had to confess.

He wiped his tears away & began. "I am addicted to drugs."

Dinah was not surprised in the slightest. She only shook her head & nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me too. I will keep this a secret. But ONLY if you promise me you won't take them anymore."

George bit his lip & stood up. "Listen, I don't care who you tell. Tell everyone for all I care. But I will continue to take them."

Dinah too stood up. She tried to grab her son's arms but he pushed her away. "George don't you dare-"

George cut her off & spoke in a furious tone. "Don't tell me what I can & cannot do. I am not a child anymore. I don't need you're permission or assistance. Therefore, I will take them until I can't feel anything anymore."

Dinah's eyes went wide. Her lip quivered. "George... you could die."

He shook his head & shrugged. "I don't care. It's not like Jon will stay with me forever. If he leaves me once, he'll leave me twice. I won't deal with it. I can't. I don't want to feel those emotions. And if not feeling anything turns into me dying, then, that's a risk I'm willing to take."

Dinah opened her mouth to respond but George bolted out the door as soon as he was done talking.

He could possibly die in the next week or so, & that could have been the last conversation he had with his mother. A conversation that didn't include 'I love you' & never ended with 'goodbye'...

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Hey peeps! ^-^ I know I haven't been writing lately but school work has been keeping me busy!! This story is about to get dark so be prepared!! xx

~Zoey <3