Quiet
four
I sit in my hospital bed, enjoying being left alone for the next few hours. I press the volume up button a few times as a news report begins on the television.
"Playing now is the footage from the awful attack that took place just a few days ago at Garfield High School. The victim, a 16 year old pregnant girl, Dylan Harper was brutally attacked by a classmate while another stood by and filmed."
This is weird - just watching myself get beat. I imagine this feeling has to be similar to an out-of-body experience. I place my hand on my belly, closing my eyes for a brief moment.
"You shouldn't watch that." Dr. Henrickson says as she enters my room. I roll my eyes and let out a long sigh.
The news reporter continues. "The two girls ran from school that day. Tia Sting, the young woman recording the incident, had posted the video to her Facebook account, and only then was the other woman, Haley Knox, identified." How stupid. She really thought they wouldn't be caught when she posted the video online? Complete idiot. "Both women are being held on multiple charges such as aggravated assault and intent to commit bodily harm. Both women may be tried as adults."
"Give me that." Dr. Henrickson takes the remote from my hand and turns the television off. "Your parents will be here shortly to take you home. You're being released today." Great.
~~
"We're moving. To a town called Langley, over on Whidbey Island." But we JUST moved here a few months ago. "We just don't want you to have to go back there, but you've already missed too much school. And we just think this is the best option." Dad says, as him and Mom stand before myself and Kyra on the couch.
"What? That's so not fair. I actually like it here!" Kyra shouts. I don't want to move again.
"It's better for all of us if we move. Everyone here knows what happened, and they'll all be a constant reminder of the pain your sister went through." Dad says. Don't talk for me like you know anything about what I'm feeling!
"I don't want to move! It's not my fault she got knocked up by someone's boyfriend and got beat up for it. It's not fair to make me pay for her mistakes!"
Thanks, Kyra. Glad to know you have my back.
"Don't you dare talk about your sister like that!" Mom shouts, and begins to cry. She's always crying these days.
"Fuck off!" Kyra shouts and runs upstairs to her room. Mom chases after her, Dad plops down next to me on the couch.
"Are you okay with moving?" He asks. No. I shrug. "Don't know what to do about your sister. She'll learn to adjust." No she won't. I turn on the television. Dad gets the message and walks upstairs to help Mom deal with Kyra.
I just got out of the hospital this morning. How could they spring something like this so soon? Kyra is right to be pissed. Why should she have to move for my mistake? I'm not even upset with her for saying that. I'm actually not sure I feel anything anymore. Just kind of numb to it all.
"Let me stay with Kenzie then! Her family loves me." Kyra shouts from upstairs.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Me? Ridiculous? You're the one who wants to move to a small town in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. By the way, they probably get the news there! Do you really think running away is just going to make people stop talking about it?"
Her bedroom shuts and I'm left with only quiet murmurs. Not sure why they're so afraid of me hearing them. I'm not going to break if they talk about it in front of me. Absolutely nothing will happen.
"Playing now is the footage from the awful attack that took place just a few days ago at Garfield High School. The victim, a 16 year old pregnant girl, Dylan Harper was brutally attacked by a classmate while another stood by and filmed."
This is weird - just watching myself get beat. I imagine this feeling has to be similar to an out-of-body experience. I place my hand on my belly, closing my eyes for a brief moment.
"You shouldn't watch that." Dr. Henrickson says as she enters my room. I roll my eyes and let out a long sigh.
The news reporter continues. "The two girls ran from school that day. Tia Sting, the young woman recording the incident, had posted the video to her Facebook account, and only then was the other woman, Haley Knox, identified." How stupid. She really thought they wouldn't be caught when she posted the video online? Complete idiot. "Both women are being held on multiple charges such as aggravated assault and intent to commit bodily harm. Both women may be tried as adults."
"Give me that." Dr. Henrickson takes the remote from my hand and turns the television off. "Your parents will be here shortly to take you home. You're being released today." Great.
~~
"We're moving. To a town called Langley, over on Whidbey Island." But we JUST moved here a few months ago. "We just don't want you to have to go back there, but you've already missed too much school. And we just think this is the best option." Dad says, as him and Mom stand before myself and Kyra on the couch.
"What? That's so not fair. I actually like it here!" Kyra shouts. I don't want to move again.
"It's better for all of us if we move. Everyone here knows what happened, and they'll all be a constant reminder of the pain your sister went through." Dad says. Don't talk for me like you know anything about what I'm feeling!
"I don't want to move! It's not my fault she got knocked up by someone's boyfriend and got beat up for it. It's not fair to make me pay for her mistakes!"
Thanks, Kyra. Glad to know you have my back.
"Don't you dare talk about your sister like that!" Mom shouts, and begins to cry. She's always crying these days.
"Fuck off!" Kyra shouts and runs upstairs to her room. Mom chases after her, Dad plops down next to me on the couch.
"Are you okay with moving?" He asks. No. I shrug. "Don't know what to do about your sister. She'll learn to adjust." No she won't. I turn on the television. Dad gets the message and walks upstairs to help Mom deal with Kyra.
I just got out of the hospital this morning. How could they spring something like this so soon? Kyra is right to be pissed. Why should she have to move for my mistake? I'm not even upset with her for saying that. I'm actually not sure I feel anything anymore. Just kind of numb to it all.
"Let me stay with Kenzie then! Her family loves me." Kyra shouts from upstairs.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Me? Ridiculous? You're the one who wants to move to a small town in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. By the way, they probably get the news there! Do you really think running away is just going to make people stop talking about it?"
Her bedroom shuts and I'm left with only quiet murmurs. Not sure why they're so afraid of me hearing them. I'm not going to break if they talk about it in front of me. Absolutely nothing will happen.