Troubled

NINE

KYLE GARCIA

When she said grandma would follow me to school every day, I did not think they were serious. So obviously, I declined the offer, why would I go to some random "professional" and start pouring my heart out to her or him, or whatever. I went to bed peacefully, or not so peacefully, because I was on edge as neither of them pushed it, they kept their cool even as I said no to their therapist solution.

When I got out of bed, I checked to see if everything I held dear was intact, and it was, I was beginning to get scared, then I had my bath hurriedly, so I could get out of the house as fast as I could. I wore my clothes hurriedly, almost forgetting to comb my hair. But came back and combed it.

As I walked down the stairs, I noticed everyone was still sleeping, everyone at home. I got giddy, I had won the round, I was not going to any therapy, and grandma would not be following me to school.

"Yes!" I said to myself, celebrating my small victory as I went out of the house. I drove out of the neighborhood and into the main road. I kept one hand on the steering wheel, and one hand searched for my a pack of cigarettes. I noticed all of them were empty, I cussed under my breath, before locating a small grocery store by my left, I smiled, everything was working out well for me this morning. I parked in front of it, and got down.

"Two packs of cigs." I said slamming my cash on the table. The man in the store eyed me. I didn't care, I just wanted my cigs, he got up to get it.

Suddenly there was commotion coming from outside, a loud, really loud speaker was playing something, and many people were going out to see what it was. I didn't care,

"Here you go, and a piece of advice.. stop burning out your lungs." He said giving them to me.

"Then why do you keep selling them?" I asked lifting an eye brow.

"I gotta pay the bills some how." He replied.

"Then if I stop buying..how are you going to pay them?" I asked.

He smiled, "I know you won't."

I felt offended.

"How do you know?"

"Because once you get hooked, you get hooked."

"Then why the advice?"

"So my conscience would be clean when I hear the news of your death." He said smirking.

I felt pissed.

"f**k you!" I hissed, walking out, pushing through the throngs of people, I got in my car, still fuming, I lit one cigarette, and started to drive away. I heard the loud speaker thing from behind me. I turned around and saw a huge truck, it had speakers everywhere, blasting something I couldn't hear. It was driving directly behind me, so I drove away from the lane, it followed me, I did it again, it still followed.

"The f**k?" I asked under my breath.

I listened closely to what it was saying, I couldn't make sense of it.

Well if they wanted a road chase, they should have picked another day, because that store guy, already ruined my mood.

I picked a different route to school, I checked, it stopped following, guess it got tired, I smirked. My morning was getting back on track. Puffing out smoke from the cigarette in my hand, I thought of the day I had first tried it, the day I hacked, and coughed, and felt like I was going to die, with snort running down my nose, and tears running down my eyes, I thought that was the end of me for sure.. but it was not. It was just the beginning of "killing myself". When the bigger boys asked if I liked it, I lied through the snort, and said yes.. but I felt like dying. Look at me now, smoking four sticks in a day was easy, too easy for me. The store man was rude, but right, that was why I couldn't even fight him. I took a long drag from the cigarette, fighting depression with the cause of depression.. I guess I really need that therapist. I chuckled.

Suddenly, the loud speaker truck was behind me again, I cussed.

This time it was clearer, I heard it, and I felt like the ground should open up and swallow me. I wanted to turn back around, but I was already in front of the school, and the truck housing my grandma, was behind me. I sat in front of the steering wheel, cussing myself out, how on Earth did I think my grandma, my relentless grandma would give up so suddenly.

"My beautiful grandson just started his first year in high school!! I am so excited and teary, i can't bear to be apart from him!" She yelled into the microphone.

I face palmed, I didn't know where she was going with this, but I was in my final year in high school already, this was so embarrassing. Students were already watching and pointing, taking videos and laughing. I drove into the school and parked my car. The stupid truck was still behind me. I swallowed hard, I didn't know what to do with her. I came down from the car, seeing all the student body outside the school, pointing and laughing seriously. I looked back at the truck, it was a banner, with my face on it, a picture from one of the selfies I had taken with her phone, curse that phone. And a baby picture of me in a pink onesie. I cursed, and started speed walking away from the scene.

"That is him! My grandson in black!!" She shouted louder. That propelled me to go faster, I didn't want to deal with any of it.

"Does she have Alzheimer's?" One of the students asked her friend. I blinked, wondering where that came from.

"I mean, maybe she forgets that her grandson is actually a student in his last year.. it's so pitiful that he is ignoring her like that." She said again. I swallowed, contemplating talking to her, but I just said f**k it and walked away. I got inside, I found an empty classroom.

I sat and rubbed my temple, that woman was going to be the end of me, why on Earth would she do this? Oh wait I know.. she is a meanie, probably a decendant of a witch. I knew she would not leave here, until i agree to her stupid therapy. Suddenly an idea came to me. I pulled out my phone and dialled nine one one.

"Hello, I am a student of Excellent high, and there is a commotion going on, an old lady is here, with a huge truck, making noise and disrupting our learning, I am in my last year, I am trying to read and she is disturbing me, can you do something about it?" I asked the woman who had picked.

"Of course, sorry about that, I will make sure she doesn't disturb you anymore, I have been getting calls about an old lady disturbing everyone, thanks for calling and have a great day." She said politely. I smiled and ended the call.

Few minutes later, the school grounds were filled with officers, I watched through the window as they ordered her to stop. She looked around the school grounds for me. She didn't see me, so she called, as the phone rang I sighed, should I pick up?

"Hey Grandma." I said tiredly.

"How dare you report me to the police??" She screched into my ears.

"How do you know it was me?" I asked.

"Because.. because you are my first and only suspect!" She said unsurely.

"It was not me, many students are learning here, I am sure they don't like being distracted, like me, I don't. So please go home." I pleaded.

"Never! I am staying here." She said ending the call, I was watching her through the window as she stomped her feet childishly and sat on the bonnet of my car. I grunted and walked away, to my first class.