Isaac knew he was different. He tried not to be but sometimes he couldn't hide it. He went to a school where everyone looked different from him. It didn't matter to him but it seemed to matter so much to the other kids. So he didn't have any friends. Until Hayley. He never told his mother he didn't have friends in school because he knew she'd get sad. He never lied to her but he was really good at changing the subject and distracting her.
He was brilliant in school. Once he even heard the teacher speak about putting him an accelerated program. He knew what that was. He knew that once he was part of the brainy bunch it was over for him. He wasn't bullied in school. People noticed him sure but they left him alone. He knew that could change if he ever joined the accelerated program. He couldn't be too different. So he pretended to be an average student and did just enough to get by.
Hayley had joined the school's accelerated program and he was sure that was part of the reason the other kids made fun of her. He planned to tell her to just be cool when he saw her in school. Being smart, being different always makes you a target. He knew this.
When his mom dropped him off at school the next day, he knew his mission was to look for Hayley and tell her to be cool but also his mom had asked him to invite her to his house for cookies. Isaac tsked, then checked that no one heard him. His mom always tsked but hated when he did the same.
Hayley was waiting for him by the swings like she had everyday for the past two weeks. Her hair was just as bad as it was the day before.
"Hi Hayley."
"Hi Isaac." She smiled at him and her dimples showed. "Was that your mother who dropped you off?"
"Yes. She wants you to come over for cookies sometime. My mom bakes." He said with a shrug.
"I love cookies. I will ask my dad."
"Okay." He looked around to see if there was anyone who could hear them, there was no one close enough. "I wanted to ask you… or… tell you… I think the reason the other kids make fun of you is because you are smart."
"I know." She said, looking at him intently though her pink framed glasses.
"Maybe if you acted like you weren't so smart, they wouldn't be so mean to you."
"But I can't change who I am." She said looking puzzled.
"I know. But maybe you can pretend." He kicked at imaginary dirt because what he said felt a lot like lying.
"Isn't pretending to be something you are not lying?"
He sighed. "We could be in the same class if you pretend."
Hayley didn't look convinced. "I don't know Isaac."
"Think about it then."
The bell rang and it was time to go to class. "I will see you at recess." She said and walked away.
Isaac walked to his first class of the day and spent the whole time doing higher multiplication in his head.
"Isaac would you like to answer the question?"
The teacher startled him and he blurted out, "Two million, five hundred and forty eight thousand, two hundred and sixty six."
The entire class laughed. The teacher was not amused. "This is the third time this week you have done something like this Mr. Callahan."
He felt his face go red. He hadn't been paying attention. He had just multiplied 3,569 to 714. And the answer was the first thing that popped into his mind. He wasn't even in math class. It was science and the teacher was doing something about sinking and floating.
"I'm sorry Ms. Lee. It won't happen again." He mumbled.
Ms. Lee still gave him a note to give to his mother. She wanted to her at school the next day. Isaac felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. After science he went straight to the nurse's office to report that he wasn't feeling well.
His mom came to pick him up and the entire way home he didn't say a word. His mom didn't ask but he knew it was only a matter of time.
When he got home, he went straight to his room and locked himself inside. The lock wouldn't stop his mom but he just wanted to be alone for a while. She let him be alone.
He listened to the sounds in the house as he distracted himself by trying to read a fourth grade geography book. But he could not concentrate. He knew that the note would upset his mother and he hated making her sad.
The phone rang a lot in the next couple of hours as his mom took orders. The doorbell rang a lot as people came to pick up their orders and around 4pm the bell rang and he heard voices downstairs. His mom never let men into the house even if they are there to pick up orders, they waited outside. He felt his heart stop and ice freeze his blood. He thought of his father and how he used to hurt his mother and the thought that it might be him spurred him into action.
He crept out of bed and unlocked his door slowly. He tried to make as little noise as possible as he crept down the stairs. Halfway down, on the landing there is a baseball bat his mom keeps as a home security. He grabbed it. He kept creeping down the stairs to see who it was in the sitting room. Then right on the bottom stair when he was about to turn into the sitting room he ran into his mom.
She screamed. He panicked and swung the bat. It hit her leg. She screamed again and then everything went silent.
"Mama?" He dropped the bat.
"Honey, it's me."
"I heard voices. A man. I thought…" he looked up to see Hayley and a man that could only be her father. He could feel the tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry"
"It's okay honey. I'm okay."
Hayley's dad moved in to help his mom get up but Isaac stepped between them, still panicked. He was on autopilot. Protecting his mother against what he thought was a threat.
"Honey come help me up." She said breathlessly.
Isaac tried to help her up but she did most of the work. He helped her to the sofa and tried not to cry when he saw that she was limping.
"I'm sorry." He mumbled as she finally sat down.
"It's alright honey." She said but she had tears in her eyes. "We have guests. Your friend came to check on you."
"Hi Isaac." Hayley said. She looked at him with shock in her eyes.
"Hi."
"This is my dad." She said. "We came to check up on you. Ms. Lee said you are not feeling well."
Isaac looked at Hayley's dad and the math didn't add up. Hayley was so small but her dad was a giant if he ever saw one. He couldn't tell how tall he was exactly but he had huge hands. Hands that could hurt his mom.
"Isaac honey, it's rude to stare." His mom whispered. "I am sorry. We are not used to entertaining. My son panicked when he heard a male voice and the baseball bat his security. Please sit down. Isaac will serve us some iced tea and –"
"Some of the red velvet you made yesterday?" Isaac finished hopefully.
His mom laughed and he thought, maybe she wasn't hurt so bad since she can still laugh.
"Sure honey. Why doesn't Hayley go with you? She can help."
Isaac looked at Hayley's father who was now seated on the chair opposite to his mother and he picked up the baseball bat and put it within his mother's reach.
"Come on Hayley."