Some People

8/21

"How did you find the session with Philippa yesterday, Archie?"

Leftover chicken pieces. Me on one side of the table, Mum on the other.

"Good. How did she know about my report card?"

"I gave it to her, Archie,"

Philippa had talked to me about how my marks had neither been on a decline or incline, they were just staying the same, steady at A's. Except for English. I didn't get a mark for English. 'It wasn't my fault I wasn't allowed to do it,' I had told the psychologist.

'Yes, Larissa told me that the school told her it might have been a sensitive topic. Do you know what they were doing in English?'

'Yes.'

'How did it make you feel?'

'It didn't,'

I can still remember the long sigh Philippa let out. What, did she want me to be distressed? Did she want me to throw a tantrum in front of my whole class?

"She asked about my English,"

"I asked her to." Mum wiped her chicken-greased fingers on the paper towel in front of her. "You never brought it up with me,"

"It wasn't important."

Mum sighed.

I sighed too.

Sighs all round.

"I'm going over to someone's house tomorrow,"

Mum looked at me, eyebrows up, forehead wrinkled.

"So I will probably be late home,"

"Who... whose house are you going to?"

"Eliza Rose. The girl across the street,"

Mum's pale eyes narrowed suspiciously. "The girl across the... how do you know her name?"

"She told me," I replied honestly. I don't see why you're so suspicious, I wanted to add. I didn't.