Ordinarily Normal

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

'Wha-' I say whilst opening the door and thinking I'm really not in the mood for this irksome check up. I am freakin' fourteen not six but it's not a check up. It is Isabel.

'Sorry Dyl's' She signs.

I reply 'Fine Isabel... Iz...Izzy' I realise that she has forgiven me and has gone back to calling me 'Dyl's' so maybe I should do the same. I think life is far too much of a biased one-way thing to not return someone's nickname. I find it all the time, people at school borrow a pen from someone and then don't offer to help that same person out next time. People say they will call you yet you wait all evening and they never do. People say they love you but really they just want to make you happy. Life is plagued with lies. Everywhere you turn there is a least one lie lurking round the corner. Waiting.

'So I realise this hell hall is hardly a place you want to spend time at so my mum said you can stay at ours, does it sound good? You could share my brothers room or sleep in the lounge... My brother is 12.' Signs Izzy.

After she is finished I think that there must have been a mistake, maybe I had forgotten a fundamental factor of sign language and what she just said wasn't true? It cannot have been true? Not after what I've just said about her and of course who I am. The stupidity of which I am Dylan Smith.

'Are you okay? What do you think, I mean it is only an option of course' She says.

This confirms it, what I had heard was correct. A sense of relief washes over me and seeps through my skin. I take a step forward and give her the biggest hug I have ever given anybody (not that it happens very often). 'I love you Izzy, I love you thank you so much.'

'Guessing that's a yes?'

'No I said it because I felt like it... Of course Izzy, of course.'

'Okay and Dyl's, just so you know... I love you too.'

It feels like the warmth of my heart has just diffused throughout my body and I feel a shiver up my spine. She loves me. She loves me, Dylan Smith, that kid with autism who is a nobody. I know she has said this twice to me today but I couldn't fully appreciate it earlier as I was fuming with anger, I suppose.

'Have you already arranged it?' I question whilst letting go of her.

'Umm... Maybe.' A big grin spreads across her face. We are standing so close I can see each and every individual eyelash.  'I didn't think you would say no Dyl's.'

'I am going to officially turn down this request and I will not come and stay with you thank you very much Izzy as I detest people who plan ahead.' I giggle and she giggles too and I wrap my arms around her again and can hear the flute playing now rather than the metaphorical violins from earlier. The sun almost seems a little brighter too. Life is better when you look on the bright side I think.

'Dylan, I cannot express how much I love you.'

We both sit down on the bed, would you call it a bed, probably not it's more like a bent series of metal with a piece of cheap foam, and let the events of the last two minutes play through our minds. I feel as if the huge gaping hole in the middle of my chest has been stuffed with bandages making me virtually whole again, just slightly. I know soon a rain cloud will come back over me and cause the material to go soggy and the capacity will go down leaving me as a half hearted human walking this earth. Izzy stands up and says we have to go. She wants me to have tea at her house, she feels bad leaving me to eat whatever slop is here for me in this place of hell.

I agree and say okay explaining that food at Izzy's house would be a lovely idea. Even though I am receiving all this I can feel the rain coming in over me ready to dissolve the bandages around my metaphorical wound. There's a drop on my shoulder.

'Come on,' She signs with a huge smile on her face that looks like a flower spreading it's petals in spring.

'Coming.' I say whilst packing my limited luggage I have.

Izzy helps me carry it along to the reception desk and Mr. Smith is there.

'I am pleased to see you have found a temporary home Dylan.' he says.

'Thanks, do I know you though.' I ask.

He begins to speak but stumbles on his words. He covers this up and says 'I don't know what you're on about son.'

'Really, but I feel like I've met you before.'

'Probably seen me in the local supermarket as I am from round here.'

I accept it but I know it is something more. There was a glimmer of unease to begin with and he struggled to get his words out. Maybe he recognized me. He's more than a stranger, I've spoken to him before. I'm sure of it.

'Okay then, bye Mr. Smith, thanks for everything.' I say very kindly.

'That's okay sonny, it's a pleasure.' he replies.

As I walk out with Izzy and cross over the door frame and out into the big wide world I look back. Mr. Smith is staring at me. In a weird way as if he does know me. He looks confused but the minute he realises I am looking at him he swivels back round in one clean turn and carries on with some paperwork he has by the desk.

I take one last glance at Mr. Smith before getting into Izzy's car across the road. She has a very luxury car, I believe it to be a BMW. She takes a seat in the back with me and squeezes my hand. I'm not sure why she did it, maybe it is to show support I don't know but I squeeze her hand back. It just feels like the right thing to do.

We arrive at her house. It is a very tall 3-storey building with elegant Ivy crawling up the side. The windows look like something from a castle, the shape of a thimble. You would think that this is a country farm house not one that's been dumped in the middle of a town. It is so beautiful. After walking up the winding path to the door I resist from taking the 'Leap of Faith' as it could come across as embarrassing I suppose. Izzy shows me into the lounge where they have two huge sofas with beautiful woollen cushions on. Izzy sits down and gestures for me to sit next to her, so I do. Meanwhile, Izzy's mum, who I know now is called 'Maria', heads into another room, I'm guessing the kitchen.

I feel as if I don't deserve this, it shouldn't be me... Before I realise, a tear has surfaced my eye and I look up at the ceiling forcing it not to come onto my cheek. Luckily, it doesn't and Izzy gets up to pop to the toilet so I have time to dry my eyes.

I get up to and stand in front of the mirror checking my face isn't red. It has been ages since I stood in front of a mirror. Normally I stand at a mirror to do my tie for school each morning, and  I certainly haven't done that for a few mornings.

After a while we get called in for dinner which was a curry and rice. Maria sure does cook lovely food and I am so glad I have eaten a proper meal. I think it was stew on the menu at the care home. That's what it's like at most care homes, I guess. They treat us like Oliver in Oliver Twist gets treated.  I'm surprised they don't cane you for being in the wrong.

I don't really remember  what else happened that evening as it was quite late. Maria set up a bed in the lounge and I said 'In all this chaos, I found safety.' Because I did. It is a quote that maybe could need some more use. Izzy's house felt disconnected from the nasty world outside. You felt hidden and cared for. It was another world, separate from peering eyes and nosey listeners.  I didn't feel as if I was lost with no such family apparent.  I felt relaxed like all the tension has just been released . They were the last words I said.