Kicked Out by Beth Goobie

Author:Beth Goobie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV000000
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2002-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Tuesday morning when I got up, Darren’s aide was just coming in. I rushed through my bathroom routine, then headed for the kitchen. As Darren wheeled into the bathroom, I pretended to be watching the toast in the toaster.

“Good morning, Dime,” he said.

“Yeah,” I said.

Everywhere I looked, trouble was building. I didn’t want to think about Gabe’s ex waiting for me at school. I didn’t want to think about the way Gabe grinned when he saw her. And I knew I couldn’t stand one more raging phone call from Mom or Dad. So I pretended to water the plant on the counter and soaked the phone instead. It would dry out in a week or so. In the meantime, there would be no more nagging phone calls.

Gabe had promised to give me a driving lesson before school. I smeared honey onto my toast and shoved it into my mouth. Then I headed out the door. I was early, so I sat on the curb. But even though I wanted to, I couldn’t stop my head from working. I kept seeing the stack of Reader’s Digest magazines that Darren keeps by the toilet. He reads them while he waits for his laxative to work. How could he keep everything going in his life when I couldn’t? I might as well have FAILURE tattooed across my forehead.

Gabe roared up with his usual grin. Instead of getting on behind him, I got on in front and faced him.

“Take off your helmet,” I said. We made out for a bit. Gabe could be really good at helping me take my mind off things.

“You’re in a good mood,” he mumbled.

“Yeah,” I said.

Gabe let me drive once we were outside Winnipeg. I was doing fine — I even remembered the brakes when I needed them. Gabe’s hands were resting around my waist instead of hanging on as if I was about to crash. So I relaxed, and that was when the problem kicked in. Suddenly, I started to hear my parents’ voices inside my head.

You’re such a disappointment to us, Dime, said Mom.

Why can’t you grow up and act your age? yelled Dad. Then he sighed. You know, we really love you. If you could only see how much we love you.

I blinked, trying to concentrate. The road had disappeared. I felt a sharp drop, and then we were driving over something bumpy. Gabe was yelling and banging his helmet against the back of mine again. That was when I saw I’d driven off the road and was headed across a field. But I remembered the brake and got us stopped.

Gabe was off the bike in a second and grabbing at the handles. Maybe he was afraid I wanted to do wheelies in the field.

“You’re crazy! You’re nuts! Get off my bike!” he howled.

I got off. Then I decided to pretend I’d been trying to miss a rabbit hopping across the road.

“Did you see that rabbit? Did you see that rabbit?” I asked, pointing at a thick bush.

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