Always Born a Crime

We sit outside of the adoption agency, LynZ isn't glowering at me anymore. I know she wanted her own baby, not someone else's. Then agian, she isn't entirely opposing this either. I had promised her long before she died. LynZ knew that. I wouldn't break a promise to Amanda even after she's long been in the grave. Knowing her she'd send her spirit after me. Do you know how scary Amanda's spirit is? LynZ's arms are tied tightly across her chest, there's no way she'd let me hold her hand. To pass the time I recall the events leading to this promise.

----thirty years earlier----

"Class this is, Gerard. Gerard has just transferred here from a catholic school." I groan. I didn't want anyone to know my dad tried to make me into a religious freak, so that way I wouldn't be a freak when I grew older. Inevitable that became, daddy's little boy messed up and got kicked out of catholic school. I listened to the teacher go on about me and how she expected the kids to be lovely. We're in fourth grade for Darth Vader's sake, if people don't like you, no teacher is gonna change that. I stare at the girl who was glaring at me like she wanted me to be torn apart by a loaf of bread. I hope I don't have to sit next to her, in that cold empty seat next to her, the only empty seat in the class.

"OK Gerard go sit next to Amanda." I gulped, "Gerard, Amanda doesn't bite." I stood there, I knew Amanda hated from me because when the teacher wasn't looking she kept dragging one finger across her throat, with narrowed eyes at me. "Gerard, sit down there this instant!" My feet carried them selves over to that seat, I swear.

--20 minutes later while coloring a picture of a owl---

"Don't you dare touch those crayons, or I'll shoot you with my daddy's gun." Amanda spat at me through clenched teeth.

"But I need to use the colors for my picture!" I protest.

She laughs, "If you want you can paint that pretty little owl of yours in your blood."

"No thank you, I'm good."

"Good. Say anything else stupid and I'll make you pay." I gulp

"Gerard, why haven't you done anything? I assigned this 5 minutes ago." I shake my head, I can feel Amanda's eyes bore a hole through me, I would be a very stupid boy to tattle. "Gerard, I know your new, but I explained the rules, that is unacceptable behavior, I think I may have to talk to you Mother." I groan and look over to see Amanda smile down at her paper. I don't know what I did to make her hate me.

--during lunch---
"Amanda?"

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to introduce myself, I'm Gera.."

"I know who you fucking are, I sit next to you in Ms.Borroughs class. You idiot." I blinked, I didn't know any 9 year old talking like this. "You can go, you know I don't want you here."

I stared dumbfounded at her, cold pale eyes. "I just wanted to..to know...why...you...hate me?" I gulped as she chuckled low, her boyish haircut of short brown hair seemed to even hate me. Her freckles stood out on the end of her nose as she roared with laughter.

"Why wouldn't I hate you? You fat idiot, go, now, your just wasting my time over dumb stuff." I nodded and turned away.

--after school--

I had just walked through the front door, "Gerard, I got a phone call from your teacher, Ms.Borroughs, we need to talk about that." I groaned and flung my stuff down on the sofa, wincing in pain at my newly bruised arm. I had sat on Amanda's seat on the bus, and I got socked for it. Getting slugged 8 times, I just hoped mom wouldn't use her x-ray vision and see the bruises through my long-sleeved shirt.

But she saw the red mark on my face. "Gerard, what is that?" What happened to your face?"

"Nothing, just fell down and hit my cheek." I watched mom's eyes examine me, and quickly not buy the story.

"If anything is wrong, just tell me OK?" I nod "OK so, about you not doing your work." she went on.

I didn't like what was happening at my house, my mother talking to me, but it was nothing compared what Amanda's dad was doing to her.