A Physics Prodigy From Ukraine
30.
“RYAN!”
I closed my eyes.
I didn’t want to leave.
I could stay here on this fence for ever.
Before I knew what was happening, Brendon had me in a tight hug.
I buried my face in his scarf.
It wasn’t fair.
I didn’t want doctors.
I wanted Brendon.
Mum was in the garden.
“Ryan! We’re going!”
They could go.
I didn’t want to.
I turned my head slightly into Brendon’s neck.
“Brendon?” I mumbled.
He looked down.
“Yeah?”
I opened my mouth to speak.
“RYAN!”
Brendon stepped back.
I nearly toppled off the fence.
I didn’t want to go.
He reached out a gloved hand and wiped a tear off my face.
I sniffed.
I would miss Brendon.
I would miss mum.
I might even miss Spencer and Jon.
I slid off the fence on my side and turned towards mum.
“Mum.”
She threw her hands in the air.
“Ryan! I have booked the flights! We are going to be late, come on!”
I shook my head.
“Mum, I don’t want to go.”
Mum froze.
She started going red.
I backed up.
“Mum - I…”
“WHY WON’T YOU LET YOURSELF BE HELPED?!”
No.
No, this wasn’t working out at all.
“Mum, just liste-”
“EVEN WITH INSURANCE, RYAN, I AM WORKING THREE FUCKING JOBS TO AFFORD EVERYTHING! THE HOUSE, THE MEDICATION, YOUR TOP OF THE FUCKING RANGE PSYCHIATRISTS!”
Oh no.
She wasn’t even finished.
“AND SERIOUSLY, RYAN, I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU AND YOUR ‘DEPRESSION’ - YOU ARE GOING TO RUN US INTO THE GROUND BEING SENT TO MCLEAN’S SO IT HAD BETTER FUCKING WORK!!”
With that, she grabbed my arm and spun on her heel, frog-marching me to the car.
Brendon watched helplessly from his garden.
Spencer opened the car door for me and smiled.
I didn’t smile back.
No one was going to listen, were they?
And Brendon was in his garden.
So I did what I did best.
I closed my eyes and went to sleep.
I closed my eyes.
I didn’t want to leave.
I could stay here on this fence for ever.
Before I knew what was happening, Brendon had me in a tight hug.
I buried my face in his scarf.
It wasn’t fair.
I didn’t want doctors.
I wanted Brendon.
Mum was in the garden.
“Ryan! We’re going!”
They could go.
I didn’t want to.
I turned my head slightly into Brendon’s neck.
“Brendon?” I mumbled.
He looked down.
“Yeah?”
I opened my mouth to speak.
“RYAN!”
Brendon stepped back.
I nearly toppled off the fence.
I didn’t want to go.
He reached out a gloved hand and wiped a tear off my face.
I sniffed.
I would miss Brendon.
I would miss mum.
I might even miss Spencer and Jon.
I slid off the fence on my side and turned towards mum.
“Mum.”
She threw her hands in the air.
“Ryan! I have booked the flights! We are going to be late, come on!”
I shook my head.
“Mum, I don’t want to go.”
Mum froze.
She started going red.
I backed up.
“Mum - I…”
“WHY WON’T YOU LET YOURSELF BE HELPED?!”
No.
No, this wasn’t working out at all.
“Mum, just liste-”
“EVEN WITH INSURANCE, RYAN, I AM WORKING THREE FUCKING JOBS TO AFFORD EVERYTHING! THE HOUSE, THE MEDICATION, YOUR TOP OF THE FUCKING RANGE PSYCHIATRISTS!”
Oh no.
She wasn’t even finished.
“AND SERIOUSLY, RYAN, I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU AND YOUR ‘DEPRESSION’ - YOU ARE GOING TO RUN US INTO THE GROUND BEING SENT TO MCLEAN’S SO IT HAD BETTER FUCKING WORK!!”
With that, she grabbed my arm and spun on her heel, frog-marching me to the car.
Brendon watched helplessly from his garden.
Spencer opened the car door for me and smiled.
I didn’t smile back.
No one was going to listen, were they?
And Brendon was in his garden.
So I did what I did best.
I closed my eyes and went to sleep.