Status: On Indefinite Hiatus.
Artificial Beauty
Big Brother Alert
Frank
Famina made a face that, for a second, led me to believe she would hit me. But then I put the box down, and she pulled me into a tight hug.
“Never be late again! I’ll kick your butt.” she mumbled into my shirt. I saw Craig roll his eyes and continue down the hall to wherever he’d been headed before.
“I’m sorry.” I said in a small voice, and kissed her head. “I promise, it won’t happen again.”
I lifted my head to see a guy in the doorway. No, not a guy. Gerard Way. He made a small wave to me, and I raised an eyebrow.
“You too? Damn.” We weren’t the greatest of friends, but we hung out every once in a while. He always seemed alright to me. In fact, most of the kids who ended up here always seemed okay to me. The slightest hint of problems would cause the schools and parents would cart them off.
“I guess so.” he laughs awkwardly. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”
Mina let me out of the hug and looked from me to Gerard. “You two know each other?”
I nodded. “School.” I found myself on big brother alert. My sister was hanging out with a guy in her room. I knew Gerard was a cool guy, but I couldn’t keep myself from tensing a little anyway. Gerard had obviously gotten that signal already, and made an excuse to leave.
“Uh, yeah. I’ll see you later Famina. I’m gonna swim a few before dinner. Nice seein’ ya, Frank.” he walked down the hall in the direction of the pool.
Once he turned the corner, Mina frowned. “You scared him off.” she accused me.
“Sorry.” I said again. “I didn’t mean to.”
“You’re being protective even in a locked facility. Just chill, Frankie.” she picked up the box I’d set down and took into her room. I followed. “There’s not much else that could happen to me. I’m in a mental institution, for fuck’s sake.” She set the box on the bed and sat next to it. I furrowed my brows.
“It’s not a mental institution, Mina… it’s…”
“A place for parents to get rid of their problem children. They don’t send anyone here to get better, Frank. They send us to rot. You got counseling, I got sent here. I know Mom and Dad took all my pictures down. Are my all notebooks and paintings even still in my room? My violin? They’ll get rid of those before long.”
“Don’t start, Famina. I don’t want to discuss this again.” I gestured to the box she’d set on her bed. “Open your gift instead.”
She gave me such a betrayed look, it broke my heart. “Fine. Push the problems to the side. Just like our parents.” I sighed and sat with her on the bed. We both looked at the floor for a long time. I wanted to say something to her. I couldn’t think of anything that I hadn’t said before.
After a while, I looked up at her little digital clock and sighed. It read 5:23. Visiting hours ended at 5:30. I stood up, and Famina looked up at me with upset eyes. She stood up and gave me a hug. “Sorry, Frank. I…I don’t really think you’re like them. I’m just- I know you-” She paused and mumbled another ‘Sorry.’
I gave her another short hug and said “I know. I’m sorry too. Love you, sis. I’ll see you Tuesday. Promise.” I walked out of the room, toward the front desk, where I waved back to the obnoxiously matched secretary and turned out the door. Before pulling my car out of the parking lot and returning to normal life, I couldn’t help but think for a moment that she was right.
When my parents had left to go out to a nice dinner, I walked into Mina’s room and began searching. Those notebooks had to be here somewhere.
Famina made a face that, for a second, led me to believe she would hit me. But then I put the box down, and she pulled me into a tight hug.
“Never be late again! I’ll kick your butt.” she mumbled into my shirt. I saw Craig roll his eyes and continue down the hall to wherever he’d been headed before.
“I’m sorry.” I said in a small voice, and kissed her head. “I promise, it won’t happen again.”
I lifted my head to see a guy in the doorway. No, not a guy. Gerard Way. He made a small wave to me, and I raised an eyebrow.
“You too? Damn.” We weren’t the greatest of friends, but we hung out every once in a while. He always seemed alright to me. In fact, most of the kids who ended up here always seemed okay to me. The slightest hint of problems would cause the schools and parents would cart them off.
“I guess so.” he laughs awkwardly. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”
Mina let me out of the hug and looked from me to Gerard. “You two know each other?”
I nodded. “School.” I found myself on big brother alert. My sister was hanging out with a guy in her room. I knew Gerard was a cool guy, but I couldn’t keep myself from tensing a little anyway. Gerard had obviously gotten that signal already, and made an excuse to leave.
“Uh, yeah. I’ll see you later Famina. I’m gonna swim a few before dinner. Nice seein’ ya, Frank.” he walked down the hall in the direction of the pool.
Once he turned the corner, Mina frowned. “You scared him off.” she accused me.
“Sorry.” I said again. “I didn’t mean to.”
“You’re being protective even in a locked facility. Just chill, Frankie.” she picked up the box I’d set down and took into her room. I followed. “There’s not much else that could happen to me. I’m in a mental institution, for fuck’s sake.” She set the box on the bed and sat next to it. I furrowed my brows.
“It’s not a mental institution, Mina… it’s…”
“A place for parents to get rid of their problem children. They don’t send anyone here to get better, Frank. They send us to rot. You got counseling, I got sent here. I know Mom and Dad took all my pictures down. Are my all notebooks and paintings even still in my room? My violin? They’ll get rid of those before long.”
“Don’t start, Famina. I don’t want to discuss this again.” I gestured to the box she’d set on her bed. “Open your gift instead.”
She gave me such a betrayed look, it broke my heart. “Fine. Push the problems to the side. Just like our parents.” I sighed and sat with her on the bed. We both looked at the floor for a long time. I wanted to say something to her. I couldn’t think of anything that I hadn’t said before.
After a while, I looked up at her little digital clock and sighed. It read 5:23. Visiting hours ended at 5:30. I stood up, and Famina looked up at me with upset eyes. She stood up and gave me a hug. “Sorry, Frank. I…I don’t really think you’re like them. I’m just- I know you-” She paused and mumbled another ‘Sorry.’
I gave her another short hug and said “I know. I’m sorry too. Love you, sis. I’ll see you Tuesday. Promise.” I walked out of the room, toward the front desk, where I waved back to the obnoxiously matched secretary and turned out the door. Before pulling my car out of the parking lot and returning to normal life, I couldn’t help but think for a moment that she was right.
When my parents had left to go out to a nice dinner, I walked into Mina’s room and began searching. Those notebooks had to be here somewhere.
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