It had to be me [Thiam]

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I'm still not allowed to drive. I could drive with one arm, that's not the problem. It's simply not allowed and I prefer not to get fined. Especially since deputy Parrish keeps me updated on his findings and I could run into him at any time. To conclude: someone has to bring me to school, someone has to pick me up, or I have to take the bus. I prefer not to take the bus. I have my reasons not to.

'Mom, the doctor said it was absolutely okay to go back to school tomorrow', I say while shutting the door behind me. I just went to the doctor for a check up on my head, ribs and arm. Still four freaking weeks to go until the plaster can come off. 'Are you sure?', she replies while walking into the living room with a pan and puts it on the table 'Dinner is almost ready.'  I throw my jacket in a corner and sit down at the table. At the moment I lift the lid of the pan (with my left-fucking-hand, of course) Joey comes down the stairs. I put the lid back on the pan. Pasta with tomatoes. I grin, thinking about Liam. Joey sits down next to me and gives me a quick look. I think back to yesterday evening. Or night actually. I didn't sleep anymore at all after that. How could I? My mom comes back into the room with some glasses filled with water and puts them on the table. We don't say anything during the whole meal.

When I'm done eating, I help Joey bring all the stuff back to the kitchen, right into the dishwasher, which doesn't go that fast with one hand. 'Theo, if you're done, we need to talk', my mother suddenly says. Fuck. That's not a sentence you want to hear. Like, ever. That's bad news. Joey looks at me, quickly, like he did before dinner too. It's that look that might not mean a lot to others, but I understood what he wanted to say with it. In this case: bro, you're fucked. I sight and walk back to my mom, Joey walking upstairs again. When we hear him close the door, my mother looks at me 'About school, Theo', she begins. 'Maybe we should wait with it a little longer?' I look at her, a bit surprised. Wait longer? I'm already behind in so many subjects and she has always pushed me to go to school, even when I had the flu. So why should I stay home now? My mom looks at me, waiting for my response. 'Wait longer? Why would I? The doctor said it was okay,' My mother looks at me, a bit pissed. It makes me angry and I don't know why exactly. 'Tomorrow I'm going to school, mom. I don't see why I shouldn't', I add to my sentence. She walks over to the couch and sits down 'Theo, listen to me.' I raise an eyebrow. 'I only want what's best for you. And I am worried about you.' I don't move. I only say 'Well, I'm worried about my grades.' She sights dramatically and rolls her eyes. And I thought she was the adult here. 'Theo, I'm worried about your health. We don't know who's behind your attack. What if it was one of your classmates?' I try not to look impressed. As if I haven't thought about it. The things is: I can't do anything about it, because my stupid head is still not giving me any information about what happened and maybe it never will. Am I supposed to sit at home, scared, until I remember? That might never happen and I am not going to let those idiots ruin my life. 'Mom, I don't think so. I don't know anyone there who would be capable of doing that and even if so: maybe it will trigger my brain to give me the information.' My mom looks out of the window. Are all mothers this dramatic? Seriously. 'Was that all you wanted to talk about?', I ask my mother, far too insolent. 'Excuse me?', my mom looks back at me, stands up and walks over to me. Fuck, I'm dead. I am so dead. At the same time I hear Joey walk downstairs. When my mom has walked over to me, Joey opens the door and says 'I forgot that we still have cookies!', looking over to me and my mom. He walks to the kitchen, acting like he's extremely happy. My mom turns around again and sits back down on the couch. Saved by Joey.