Series wednesday: Family game night page 2

“Chance” I yell down the hall way as I walk to catch up with him. “Hey babe” Chance says as he kisses me on my check. All the girls look at Chance, the most popular guy in school likes me. Most girls say in hushed tones behind me back that he is just with me because he feels sorry for me and we have been best friends since grade school, if they only knew. Chance is the only person in this world I trust but not even he knows the truth about my family. “Can we talk somewhere more private?” I tell him. All the other kids make oooh sounds.  Chance smiles “sure anything for you.” We head to his car. “What’s wrong?” Chance asks me. “I need a favor; I need Percy to stay at your house this weekend.” Chance’s face changes. “His birthday weekend??? Your mom invited me to his birthday party? Cahira what’s going on???” I forgot about the party. “Nothing, I just thought it would be fun to have Percy hang with us.” I hear the words come out of my mouth and knew instantly that Chance isn’t going to go for it. “Well I got to go now I have to work on my bike in auto class.” I say as I jump out of the car to head to my class. There’s nothing like the sound of a motor to help me think. “You’re getting grease all over yourself.” I hear from behind me. I turn around and see him standing over me. The super typical loner with nothing but smart ass things to say. I roll my eyes at him. “Most girls don’t like grease.” He says as he walks over to the hunk of junk car he is working on. “How would you know, I bet a girl has never talk to you in your life.”  Everyone is the shop laughs.
               
                “Dad” I knock on his study door. “Come in.” He says as he types on his computer. “I need to talk to you about something.” I tell him as I sit down in the big brown leather chair in front of his desk. “Your mother said you were being rude to her the other morning.” I look down. “Is that what she said?” I respond still not looking my dad in the eyes. “Cahira look at me. You know I hate it when you do that. You’re much too strong to look down for anyone.” I look up at the one person who always seems to see through my soul. “I want to talk to you about Percy’s 13thbirthday.”  My dad sits back in his chair. “Cahira this is not how we do things.” I can’t help but get angry. “He is not like Grace or me. He won’t be able to handle it. What if it drives him insane?” My dad laces his fingers into a ball and puts them over his mouth. “I wish I could say I understand why you came out so differently. Just because you don’t have the same urges as us does not give you the right to judge.” I shake my head at him. “You were the one to give me The Tripitaka and tell me to think. Do you remember what day you gave it to me?”  My dad takes a deep breath. “Of course I remember I gave it to you for your 12th birthday. Your mother is still pissed at me for that. I had no idea you would become a Buddhist.” My dad sighs. "You told me I had to think for myself and I think Percy has the same right." My dad chuckled at me. "I completely agree with you. This is why we will show him the game room and just like you, let him decide for himself what he thinks. I don't think you're afraid of him not liking it, I think your terrified that he is exactly like us." Here is where things get complicated. I love my dad more than my mom because he never made me feel bad for my tattoos or my Buddhist beliefs not like my mother or sister.  "My fear is that he will never be able to live a healthy normal life after you guys steal his soul and he will not get to be reborn."  I have never spoken to my dad in this manner and I can tell it is hurting both of us. "Is that what you think of us? You think we are soulless?" I start to shake my head. "To be honest I have no idea in this family." My dad looks at me one last time before looking back at his lap top. I know this is my cue to leave.  I walk out of his study and start walking down the hall way to my bed room. "Cahira?" Percy yells from his bed as I pass his room. I open his partly closed door. "Yes." Percy sits up in his bed. "I can't sleep." He says. I walk over to his bed and sit next to him. "What's on your mind?" Percy just sits there for a second. "Nothing just a talk I had with dad about this bully at school." I take a deep breath. "What bully?" Percy sinks down into his bed. "Well he is kind of new and for some reason he hates me and is always picking on me. He never leaves me or my friend alone. He even follows me into the bathroom and tries to push me into my own pee. So I stopped peeing at school and well I peed myself in dad's car. I just couldn't hold it any longer, so I told dad what was happening."  I pull Percy back up to sit with me. "What did dad say?" I ask. "He asked for the kids name and said this wouldn't happen again and just started talking about my birthday. He gave me no advice on how to deal with it or anything." I know why my dad said nothing but I am not sure what to say to Percy.  “Dad is probably going to tell the school or something. Don’t worry and if dad doesn’t I’ll handle it.” I hug Percy and tucked him into bed.