I Will Not Kiss You
Chapter 10
Mom was watching some Game Show on the TV when I stepped into the living room. I said ‘Hello’ and went to get myself a glass of water. She smiled and made me sit with her and tell her all about Mikey’s house. I told her it was really nice and everyone was really kind to me. She said she was glad and very proud of me. Then she asked how Mikey and his parents were and I told her they were very well! Then I told her I’d met Gerard and she asked what he was like. So I pictured him in my brain and told her.
“He’s got black hair, he’s really pale, he has hazel eyes and he wears eyeliner!” I began, standing up and putting my hand a little higher than my head “And he’s about this tall!”
“How old is he?” She questioned.
“Twenty.” I replied, sitting back down beside her.
She nodded and turned back to the TV. The question was ‘Asthma is Greek for what word?’ I knew the answer right away.
“Panting.” I answered even though the TV can’t hear me.
“Frank?”
“Yeah?”
I looked at Mom to show her that she had my full-attention because it’s polite to look at someone when they’re talking to you. But not everyone does this; for example, when I tell Dad about my day he doesn’t always listen. Mom looked back, staring right at me.
“Your Father called,” She said, sniffing as she said the word ‘Father’ “I don’t want to upset you, but what happened yesterday?”
“Nothing.”
“He thinks you’re upset because of his new woman.”
“I don’t like her very much but I’m not upset.”
“You don’t wanna’ talk about her?”
“No.”
“And you know she’s not trying to replace me?”
“I know,” I reassured “Even if she did, I wouldn’t let her!”
She smiled at me and slowly put an arm round me and kissed my head.
“So why did you try and run away?”
“I didn’t!” I said truthfully.
“Your father said you ran off down the street.”
“I went out to see the stars again.”
“Just for another walk?”
“Yes. It looked really nice and I just wanted to look at them.”
She swore under her breath about Dad and snatched up the phone. I decided to leave the room because when Mom and Dad talk on the phone about me they usually start fighting. I don’t like it when they fight. When I was little I used to curl up under my bed and cover my ears so that I couldn’t hear them. I’d probably cry as well because it was frightening and it was all my fault. Dad always used to say that Mom can’t look after me and that I’d be much better off with him. But that’s not true because I think Mom’s better with me than he is. Dad treats me like a little kid because of my aspergers but Mom listens to when I talk to her and she allows me the freedom that I can cope with. Dad just keeps me cooped up all the time and won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s to someone’s house, he has the number and I have to go with someone. He doesn’t listen to me properly! He has what’s called ‘Selective hearing’. This means he only hears what he wants to hear. This is why I think Mom is better at taking care of me.
“He’s got black hair, he’s really pale, he has hazel eyes and he wears eyeliner!” I began, standing up and putting my hand a little higher than my head “And he’s about this tall!”
“How old is he?” She questioned.
“Twenty.” I replied, sitting back down beside her.
She nodded and turned back to the TV. The question was ‘Asthma is Greek for what word?’ I knew the answer right away.
“Panting.” I answered even though the TV can’t hear me.
“Frank?”
“Yeah?”
I looked at Mom to show her that she had my full-attention because it’s polite to look at someone when they’re talking to you. But not everyone does this; for example, when I tell Dad about my day he doesn’t always listen. Mom looked back, staring right at me.
“Your Father called,” She said, sniffing as she said the word ‘Father’ “I don’t want to upset you, but what happened yesterday?”
“Nothing.”
“He thinks you’re upset because of his new woman.”
“I don’t like her very much but I’m not upset.”
“You don’t wanna’ talk about her?”
“No.”
“And you know she’s not trying to replace me?”
“I know,” I reassured “Even if she did, I wouldn’t let her!”
She smiled at me and slowly put an arm round me and kissed my head.
“So why did you try and run away?”
“I didn’t!” I said truthfully.
“Your father said you ran off down the street.”
“I went out to see the stars again.”
“Just for another walk?”
“Yes. It looked really nice and I just wanted to look at them.”
She swore under her breath about Dad and snatched up the phone. I decided to leave the room because when Mom and Dad talk on the phone about me they usually start fighting. I don’t like it when they fight. When I was little I used to curl up under my bed and cover my ears so that I couldn’t hear them. I’d probably cry as well because it was frightening and it was all my fault. Dad always used to say that Mom can’t look after me and that I’d be much better off with him. But that’s not true because I think Mom’s better with me than he is. Dad treats me like a little kid because of my aspergers but Mom listens to when I talk to her and she allows me the freedom that I can cope with. Dad just keeps me cooped up all the time and won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s to someone’s house, he has the number and I have to go with someone. He doesn’t listen to me properly! He has what’s called ‘Selective hearing’. This means he only hears what he wants to hear. This is why I think Mom is better at taking care of me.