The Boarding School

-8-

I finally fall back asleep. It wasn't easy. I had so many things on my mind. Even falling asleep kept my mind busy. I kept having weird dreams. I wake up. Its 9 am. I sigh and get up, then go downstairs. But then I see Aunt Lisa. I totally forgot that i got suspended and she doesn't know. I walk into the kitchen, where she's making breakfast for herself.
"Why are you still home?" She asks.
"I still feel really sick, Dad let me stay home" I lie. She walks over to me and feels my forehead with the back of her hand.
"You seem fine" she says.
"My tummy feels funny" I complain, wrapping my arms around my tummy, even though I'm still lying.
"You were suspended from school" she snaps. I growl, about to walk back upstairs, but she stops me. "You broke a kid's arm. How could you do that?! And you can't blame it on your disorder" She threatens.
"Shut up! It was an accident!" I yell fiercely. Aunt Lisa slaps me across the face.
"Don't ever, tell me, to shut up, ever, again" She glares.  I quickly run back upstairs and hide in my room once again. I can't believe Aunt Lisa slapped me! She does hate me, and she always have! Why is my life like this? I heard Aunt Lisa come up the stairs, and of course, she comes into my room.
"I told you that I would send you to the boarding school" she says intimidatingly.
"You.... Why are you doing this?" I whisper. Aunt Lisa keeps her distance.
"You're a brat kid. Your father shouldn't have to deal with you" she said.
"He loves me! He doesn't care that he has to take care of me. He's my father!" I yell.
"I moved in just so I could help take care of you. Look what I got myself into" she growls.
"Dad doesn't need help taking care of me!" I yell some more.
"Yes he does, with a kid like 'you'. You belong in a mental hospital like your mother" she sneers. I scream and run at her, about to attack, but she shuts the door, leaning against it so I can't open it.
"Your anger problems are getting pretty bad. You are not normal" she laughs and goes downstairs.
How could she say something like that to me?! I'm just a troubled kid, I just need to be trusted, to be understood, then I may actually live a healthy, anger-free life. But no one will listen to me. Even dad is losing trust about me. Why? I don't know what to do. I'm scared.
I quietly walk down stairs, walking past Aunt Lisa, who was watching t.v. I sneak into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and chocolate pop-tarts. Then sneak back upstairs. I pull out my laptop from under my bed and start randomly browsing the web. There's not much I can do, being told to stay in my room. This is going to be a long day...
I just wish Dad didn't work so much. I'm glad that he has a good job and all, but I do wish he was home a little more. I open my pop tarts and bit into one. Dad and Lisa normally don't let me eat in my room, but they shouldn't get mad if I'm supposed to stay. I look over, my pills on the nightstand... I take one and sip some water. I just hope things will get easier. I don't like to be mad, I don't like to fight. It... It just happens. I close my laptop and set it beside me. I grab the water bottle and throw it across the room, it hits the wall and spills on the floor.
"Dammit" I whisper and try to dry off the carpet with a dirty shirt, then picking up the bottle and setting it down on my dresser. I sigh and sit back down on my bed. I put on my headphones and turn on some music, laying down and trying to relax a little, but not even music helps. I was hoping it would clear my mind, make some of my worries disappear, but it doesn't.
I sigh, rolling onto my side and closing my eyes. I fall asleep crying.
When I wake, I have no idea what time it is. I look at my alarm clock, 5:30pm. Dad should be home soon, or he is already home. But I don't bother to check, I stay in my room. I don't want to be yelled at or scolded, or just getting in trouble. I continue to lay silently in my bed. Later, I hear a knock on my bedroom door. I get up and open it. It's Ashley.
"I know your in trouble. I heard you got suspended. What happened?" She asks innocently,
"I don't want to talk bout it" I say grumpily.
"Sorry, well, it's dinner time, if you want to come down" she says quietly. I nod and follow her downstairs and into the kitchen. Dad and Aunt Lisa look up at me, but they don't say anything. I sit down silently. No one says anything, dad just points to the big bowl of casserole, telling me to take some. I scoop a little bit on my plate without saying a word. I pick up my fork and start picking at my meal. There is a lot of tension in the room. I put set down my fork and look down sadly. Then finally Dad says something.
"Did you calm down a little now, Maddie?" dad asks. I nod my head without saying anything.
"Alright, well, I hope you are feeling okay" dad says. I don't nod, I don't say anything, ad the tension is still present.
"How was school today Ashley?" Dad asks, trying to ease the tension.
"It was okay...." Ashley hesitates.
"Something wrong?" Aunt Lisa asks.
"Well...." she says slowly, then looks at me.
"There's quite a bit of  rumors at school about Maddie..." she says. I just ignore her and take a bite of my dinner.
"Like what?" I snap. She ignores me. I'm guessing what the kids at school are saying is pretty bad.
"How was work today?" Aunt Lisa asks dad.
"It was alright" Dad says. Everyone finishes dinner in silent after that. Aunt Lisa and Ashley leaves the table. I stay sitting. Dad picks up the dirty dishes and starts filling the sink.
"Dad?" I say.
"Yes honey?" he responds.
"I'm sorry I'm getting into so much trouble" I say, sadly. He walks over to me, and rubs my shoulder.
"It's gonna be alright" Dad says.
"Dad? I'm really nervous about going to the boarding school, I don't want to go" I whine.
"I know darling, but this should be good for you. You will be fine. You promised me you would try," Dad says.
"I know.... I guess I'll try" I say quietly.
"Thanks honey" he says and walks over to the sink and starts washing the dishes. I get up and help him, drying the wet dishes and putting them away.
"Thanks dear" Dad says. I nod.
"Why is this happening to me, why is my disorder like this?" I ask, quietly. He looks over at me.
"I don't know, darling" he says, looking down. I sigh and go into the livingroom and watch t.v.
Aunt Lisa comes upstairs from reading in the basement.
"I got to go to a meeting, I'll be back later" Dad says.
"Do you really have to go?" I complain.
"Yeah, it's important. I'll be home later" dad says and leaves. Aunt Lisa glares at me, then goes back down stairs. I go upstairs, then knock on Ashley's bedroom door.
"Ashley?" I say quietly.
"Come in" she calls. I walk in, sitting in her desk chair. Shelooks at me, then sits up on her bed.
"Whats up?" she says.
"I think Aunt Lisa is trying to get rid of me"