Rage and Love: The Story of My Life

Chapter 3: School and Sickness

1977

When Billie was 5, he started 'big kids' school. He had been excited about it all summer, and definitely looking forward to it.

On the big day, his dad dropped him off at school, with his lunch and some money, also his bag pack with some new pencils his auntie had bought him.

"Be good, Bill. I'm sure you'll love it." Andy said, hugging his son.

"Okay. Bye daddy." Billie smiled and ran into school and Andy stood for a while, just watching before getting in the car and driving back home.

Andy was at work when the bus dropped Billie back at home, but his mom was at home preparing dinner. She looked up when Billie walked in, smiling at him.

"How was it?" She asked, watching as her son put his bag down.

Billie simply shook his head and went down to the basement, down to where he belonged, according to him.

Ollie sighed and resumed making dinner. She could tell that Billie and school weren't going to be good friends.

A few days after Billie had started school, he wasn't any happier. He had came into his parents room one morning and woke his mom up.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Don't wanna go to school." He said, twisting his fingers together.

"Bill, you have to." His dad spoke up, leaning on his hand to watch Billie.

"Don't like it. Don't feel good." Billie said, looking at his parents.

"You look fine to me." His Mom replied.

Billie rubbed his eyes and his Dad frowned, noticing actually his son did look slightly paler than normal. "C'mere." His dad said, feeling his forehead when Billie came closer to him. "He is quite warm." He said to Ollie and she felt his forehead too.

"Oh dear, maybe you are coming down with something. Go back to bed."

Billie hopped off the bed and went back to his room slowly. He thought it was just school making him feel this way. His head felt heavy and it hurt, and so did his throat. He climbed back into bed and stretched out, content with the fact that he was staying home today.

He thought about it, and decided he was sick enough to stay at home maybe all year.

As he fell asleep, he decided he was definitely dying.

A few hours later, Ollie brought some chicken soup upstairs on a tray. She went into Billie's room and smiled at the little sleeping figure, placing the tray on the nightstand and shaking him gently.

"Soup's there for you." She said softly, watching as he started eating. She felt his forehead again. "That's better. You should be ready for school tomorrow."

Billie pouted and she laughed. "If you think it's bad now, just wait until you're a teenager."

Billie looked at her blankly and she laughed again, taking his empty tray and heading back downstairs.