Couldn't Be More Different (Cashton/Muke)

Chapter 5

Calum's p.o.v

I woke up and my neck hurt. I then realized that was because I slept in a chair all night. I looked around remembering where I was. I was in a hospital. Well my mom was. My mom was diagnosed with Kidney Disease earlier this year. It was hard on the whole family. She was in pain, sick and just felt weak all of the time. The doctors are thinking that she needs to go on Dialysis. They wanted to originally do a kidney transplant. I am the only person they could find who is a perfect match. I want to give her my kidney but since I am not 18 yet so they won't take it. I hate that. I am the only one who can help her but I can't do anything about it. It just makes me feel guilty and useless. I looked around the room and saw my mom sleeping. I then grabbed my phone and checked the time. It was 8:55. Shit I am going to be late to school! I quickly got up off the chair and kissed my mom on her forehead. I then grabbed my bag and darted out of the room to the elevator. The school is kind of close to the hospital so I was only going to be 5 minutes late. The issue is that it will be the 3rd time this month that I am late to class. My teacher Mr.Wilson is not going to be happy. As I approached the school I could already feel my heart racing and my stomach was hurting. I suffer from social anxiety. It started back in kindergarten. I was always the shy kid who sat alone in the corner playing by myself. My parents just passed it off as me being shy. I was bullied a lot in school. I have a slight lisp and being the loner in class didn't help. I decided that day to just stop talking. By 7 years old I was having panic attacks in class. The bullying and teachers constantly pestering me to talk didn't help. My parents took me to see a doctor and a speech-language pathologist. After that I was diagnosed with selective mutism and social anxiety. The school was kind of helpful after they realized I had as they liked to point it out "mental health issues". I was exempt from reading out loud in class and presentations. When I was 9 I started talking to my mom, dad and sister again. They were very happy. They thought my social anxiety and mutism was gone but boy were they wrong. They soon figured out if others were around I still wouldn't talk. It's been that way for the last 10 years. They tried taking me to therapy but it didn't work. My mom and dad were sad that it wasn't working and tried to hide it but I could tell. I don't mind being mute. It is the social anxiety and panic attacks that mess me up. When I got to high school they could care less about my problems. If we had a presentation I would make it and hand it in. I would just lose marks for not speaking. My grades are surprisingly decent. I work very hard to make up for the marks that always get deducted. I looked at the big brick building in front of me and my anxiety got worse. When I reached the big metal doors I opened it and walked inside. The halls were empty since class already started. It was just the usual late people. I walked down the hall until I reached the classroom. I walked into the classroom and immediately sat down. 

Mr.Wilson: What is the excuse this time Mr.Hood.

I looked up at him terrified. I just looked at him without replying. A jock then called me a freak but it happens every day so I am used to it. 

Mr.Wilson: Mr.Hood go to the principals office at the beginning of lunch.

Shit I was going to get a detention. My dad was not going to be very happy about that. The school has no idea about what is going on in my family. I mean if they knew my mom was sick and I was with her I probably wouldn't of got detention. I just don't want to have to get my dad to talk to the school since I wouldn't do it myself.

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I just got out of the principals office. I was in there with 3 other guys. He is giving us all a 4 day detention. I think he is going to make us do more then that though. I went to the cafeteria and bought my food. I then went to the table in the back corner where I eat alone every day. On the way to the table I was stopped by some jocks. They just pushed me around a bit. I luckily didn't drop my food. When I got to my table I grabbed my phone and listened to music as I ate. After lunch I had gym. I hate gym. All the jocks try to make my life a living hell. I went to the bathroom and got changed. I never get changed in the locker room. The jocks like to make fun of my body. I am not skinny but I am not fat either. I just don't have 6 packs like some of them do. They also think I am gay and don't want me watching them change. I mean I am gay but I have only come out at home. They caught me staring at my crush a.k.a the quarterback Ashton Irwin one day. I mean he is a bitch but he is hot. It would never work anyway because I wont talk and he isn't gay. After changing I went to the gym and class started.