Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Courage


Michael was moody from the moment he walked through the door. Megan looked at him wanting to know what was going through his mind He had no homework, nor did he have to do any chores. He was going to get his allowance today but she still couldn’t figure it out. He sat down the couch, or it was more of a flop. He stared at the wall his face flushed.

“What is wrong?” she asked him. He looked at her and said nothing. “Did something happen today that you would like to discuss,”

“Don’t talk to me,” he snapped back.

“Okay, well were going out for supper in a bit so I suggest you go get changed,” she told him.

“I don’t want to go,” he said

“What do you want then?” she asked him

“I . . . I want all of you to leave me alone,” he finally said after thinking briefly for a moment. His head felt like stone, and he was reluctantly to tell anyone what was bothering him. He knew they didn’t care one way or another.

“I don’t think you staying here is an option, so you better go on and get dressed then you can come down here and sit until all of us are ready,” she said

“God, you annoy me,” he said getting up heading for the hallway. He felt the anger building as he walked down the hall to his room. He looked in the closet for something to wear. In the corner he saw the blue and white striped t-shirt. He remembered when he lived with Anita. That was the nicest piece of clothing she had bought him. It was starting to get wore out since that was the only thing he wore on days end. Not that it mattered anymore since Megan and Tom had bought him a bunch of new clothing. He was grateful for that but he still had a hidden suspicion that Tom didn’t have any part of it.

Michael knew from the argument her heard last night between Megan and Tom was about him. He only heard bits and pieces but it seemed Tom wasn’t getting the attention he wanted from Megan. Megan was spending too much time on Michael and not Sarah or himself. Megan said she treats everyone the same and he needs to relax. Michael just felt like he was stuck right in the middle and was a waste of space. He needed to just leave like he did before.

A few minutes later his door opened and Sarah was standing there. She was wearing a flowery dress, and her hair was done in two braids down her shoulder. Michael looked at her.

“Let’s go Michael,” she said, “We are going out now,”

“Cool,” he said, quickly changing into another t-shirt and some jeans. He headed to the kitchen where Megan was just grabbing her car keys. Michael followed slowly behind and got into the front seat beside Megan.

Megan was in a different mood now. Michael noticed she was driving slower then usual. He wondered if it had something to do with last night. He wanted to confront her about that but a part of him just told him to let it go.

At supper, Michael didn’t make eye contact with Tom. Tom occasionally glanced at the boy. Even when he handed Michael the twenty-dollar bill he didn’t really look at him. Both Megan and Sarah saw tension between the two of them.

“Tom,” she asked breaking a few minutes of awkward silence.

“What dear?” he asked

“Have you and Megan been arguing?” she asked. Tom and Megan both looked at each other and then at Sarah.

“No, we weren’t” Megan lied realizing that must be the reason why Michael was so moody today. She was arguing with Tom last night but it was just minor, but she didn’t think he heard anything about him though.

“Oh!” Sarah said and went back to eating. They all ate any silence. When they got home, Sarah went straight to go play Nintendo Wii, while Michael lay on his bed in his bedroom. He opened up his English book trying to read ahead in it but found his mind elsewhere. His head felt like it was throbbing miserably. He kept on banging his foot lightly against the wall behind his wall. He couldn’t find his concentration either. He sat it down and tried to study for his spelling test for Friday but didn’t have much luck.

He looked over and saw the progress report that he forgot to give to Megan. HE looked at it again briefly. He had a 82% in English, 78% in Math, 85% in Social studies, 89% in science, 94% in Phys Ed, and 71% in Latin. Michael was impressed with his marks. He had never had anything passed a 55% in anything except Physical Education. He got up and brought it into the kitchen. Tom and Megan were sitting and talking. Megan looked at him when he entered.

“Hi,” she said

“I forgot to give this to you,” he said handing her the sheet. She looked at it and gave a satisfying nod.

“This is a big improvement from last weeks. There is a 10% increase in Latin alone. Good job,” she said handing to Tom so he can see. Michael had left the room at this time to go back to his room. He lay on the bed. He had a headache but appreciated Megan’s positively. He was feeling depressed since it felt like before long he would be sent away again.

He remembered the time when he tried so hard for Anita to acknowledge him for something. He worked all night on a English assignment and got a 71%. She brushed it off as an “oh well”. He didn’t expect anything after that knowing that whatever he did was never enough for Anita.

Michael didn’t understand why he kept thinking about Anita. He really didn’t like her but she really stood out from the rest of them it seen. He didn’t know why he couldn’t think about Alice, or Savanna, or even Joe and Lewis but his mind always returned to Anita. He remembered when he and his sister were separated.

That was one of the hardest things of his life. He and his sister were close. He missed Brigitte greatly but she was long gone and he needed to focus on himself.

Eleven soon approached and Michael soon fell asleep. Megan briefly checked on him. She stood over him her feet slowly shifting from side to side. She wondered about him and what was bothering him.

When Sunday morning came around Megan couldn’t figure out what was bothering Michael. He was still very moody. Tom was beginning to have enough of his attitude and he told Megan so. He basically said that she needed to do something with his attitude.

Megan looked at the clock and it said 8:00pm. Michael had been in his room for most of the day with the exception of him doing his daily chores and eating supper. Megan nodded realizing she had enough of his attitude and it needed to be addressed.

She walked into his room where he noticed him looking at the ceiling. He didn’t look at her; he was tossing a small ball up in the air and catching it. Every few seconds he would show a little aggression but beside that he looked as if he was showing no emotion.

“Michael,” she said. He flinched dropping the ball on the floor looking at her.

“What,” he said

“I do not like your attitude young man,” she snapped.

“What do you want?” he said, sitting up glaring right at her. His teeth baring and chattering every second or so.

“For one everyone is sick of your attitude and until you do something about it you will be grounded,”

“Are you done bitching at me?” he asked flopping back on the bed

“You better be in the kitchen in five minutes,” she said leaving the room.

Michael ignored her and went back to throwing the ball up in the air. He looked up at the ceiling deciding that it was best that he got sent back now instead of later. About ten minutes later he noticed Tom walks in. Michael sits up and stares at him.

“Let’s go,” he said grabbing at his arm violently pulling him up off the bed onto his feet. Michael jerked away falling backwards onto the ground.

“Ow,” he said getting up.

“When Megan tells you to do something you’ll do it,”

“Fine,” he said getting up stomping into the kitchen plopping down on the kitchen table. Megan looked at him angrily as Tom went outside with Sarah following him. Megan sat down looking at Michael who was just staring at the ground, fidgeting.

“Will you at least look at me?” she asked

“Fine,” he said making eye contact with her. His eyes were still a fiery red in moodiness.

“What is wrong?” she asked, “Was it that night when Tom and I were arguing,”

“Yes,” he said after a couple minutes of awkward silence.