I.E.D.

The First Consequence

"Ingrid E. Devon I hear by expel you from North Ridgeback High School," said Principal Hilfiger.
"You can't!" Mom exclaimed.
"She can't help it! She's special needs!" Dad yelled.
I whipped my head toward him.
"Don't you dare call me special needs!" I yelled.
"I'm sorry, dear," he apologized.
"I'm sick of it! This insane stereotype!"
"Breathe, Ingrid," Mom said.
I relentlessly took a breath as I stared Mom down.
"Ingrid has been expelled due to assault. James Kingston, the boy she assaulted was kind enough not to press charges," said Mr. Hilfiger.
"Kind? Kind! You think that's kind? That's the least they can do! He provoked me! He called me a sped!" I exclaimed.
"Ingrid, you must learn to control your behavior," Mr. Hilfiger said, sternly.
"You think I haven't tried! Oh I've tried! It can't be contained!"
"Yes...about that."
"About what!" I demanded.
"After the assault the school thought it might be wise for a professional to diagnose you," announced Mr. Hilfiger.
"I have anger issues! I know that!"
"He thinks there may be more to it."
"Will this 'professional' cost much?" Mom asked.
"Of course that's what your concern is. The cost! Not even your own daughter!"
A knock was heard on the door. A bald, tall, slender male, clad in a suit and tie. He looked to be the age of fifty. And he looked like someone I would not get along with.
"Good afternoon, I am Dr. Ivan C. Kelley. I've been called by Mr. Umar G. Hilfiger to give a diagnosis to Ingrid E. Devon," the man said in a squeaky, pesky voice.
"Oh, welcome Dr. Kelley, this is Ingrid." Dr. Kelley frowned at me and I glared back. "Is there any space I can lend you for the examination or is here fine?" Mr. Hilfiger asked.
"Do you have an available classroom?" Dr. Kelley asked.
"Oh, right this way," Mr. Hilfiger said leading Dr. Kelley out of the room and motioning me to follow.
I reluctantly stood up and followed. In a way I was...intrigued? I don't know what to call it other than I was curious. What if I had some special disorder, that made me nervous. But what if I was normal. Completely and utterly normal and some idiot had screwed up and ruined my life. God, I didn't know what to think of that.
Dr. Kelley and I stepped into the empty classroom. It was an English classroom. There were so many desks...or at least it seemed like it. There were hardly more than five desks in my classroom. This one had to have had twenty.
"So, Ingrid tell me about yourself," Dr. Kelley said. "Who do you live with? Who are your friends? Do you play any sports?"
"Well..." I began, but what was I going to say. That I lived a miserable life with my parents, I had one friend and the rest of the world either shunned me or laughed at me, that I had been kicked off the hockey team for beating up kids too much. Screw it, I thought. That's exactly what I was going to do.
"My name is Ingrid Esther Devon. I live with my parents. I have one friend. His name is Ira. The rest of the world...the rest of the world shuns me! I'm a screw up! I'm awful! And the ones who don't ignore me make sure I know how bad I truly am! Sports? You want to talk sports? How about being kicked off the one team I played on? Hockey. Every slight thing that happened and I would flip! Every stupid thing I try to do and the slightest thing would just drive me insane! I've been told I explode with anger over nothing! Literally, nothing!" I almost half sobbed.
"Ingrid...breathe...it's okay, but I can tell you right now you have I.E.D."
"What's I.E.D." I cried.
"Intermittent Explosive Disorder. It's when you explode with anger over almost everything. Your reactions almost seem dramatic."
I stood up. I walked out and slammed the door. I walked down the hallway. I left. I walked out of the school, the last time I ever would. And then I was stopped. Sirens flashed and screamed on all sides of me.