Aedan's Story - 12. Chapter 12: Troubled Times

Aug 28 2017

Jake and I sat down in our 8th grade homeroom class and compared schedules. We only had first period sports and seventh period ELA together. And it's not like I would be seeing Jake during first period, since he's in soccer and I am going to try to go out for basketball in a couple months since I didn't make the flag football team. The teacher proceeded to lecture me on my dress code violation since I was wearing a tank top in school, which apparently boys aren't allowed to do anymore... but girls can for whatever reason... That sucks. A lot of girls were amazed that I had grown two inches over the summer and gotten some muscle.

We spent most of the first day of school in home room, going over school procedures and rules. It was sooo boring. I pulled out my sketch book to work on drawings.

"Aedan, pay attention..." Jake nudged me with his elbow.

"No, stop," I whispered back. "I don't care."

"Stop talking, you two," the teacher paused.

"Yea, Jake..." I glared at him. She continued talking and I went back to sketching. Jake rolled his eyes.

"Nice drawings," a girl next to me said. I smiled at her and showed her what I was drawing.

"Aedan can you please put that away and pay attention?" The teacher asked.

"Um, yes, ma'am," I blushed and put the sketch book away in my backpack.

"Excuse me?" The teacher seemed offended.

"Sorry, ma'am... I won't draw any more," I apologized. "I'll save it for art class."

"I am not that old..." she mumbled. Jake chuckled.

Jake, Nina, Ian, Connor, and I were sitting outside on the patio for lunch. "Wait... so women here think 'ma'am' is for old people?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah," Connor laughed. "Sorry, Aedan... I know you were just being polite."

"I think your southern hospitality is charming," Nina booped my nose.

"Mrs. Johnson is just a liberal snob anyways," Ian shook his head before taking another bite of the sandwich he was eating for lunch.

"Oh, that must be fun," I laughed before scooping up some macaroni and cheese from my thermos.

"Aedan?!" I heard a girl's voice. It sounded familiar. I looked around, and saw that it was Kate. What are the odds? "Oh my god. Hey, Jake." She came over. "Mind if I sit?"

"Of course not, hun," Nina smiled. "You know these two buffoons?"

"Buffoons?" I pretended to be wounded. "Nuh uh..."

"Yeah, we met over the summer at the beach in Cape Cod," Jake said. I blushed. I was flirting with Kate over summer... and now Nina's my girlfriend. Shit...

"Oh?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, this cutie is pretty good at volleyball..." Kate indicated at me.

"Excuse me?" Nina questioned the girl.

"So, uh, Kate..." Jake began, trying to break up the tension. "How did you end up in Avalon?"

"I live nearby. Last year I went to school in Lebanon. But school zones changed and now I'm here."

"What a coincidence," I blushed, scratching the back of my neck.

"You have a lot of explaining to do..." Nina glared at me. "Were you flirting with a beach bunny on your trip right after our first date?!"

"Well, uh..." I stammered.

"I should have known better. Of course you're a player." Kate glared at me from across the table.

"I had gone on one date with Nina... I didn't think we h..." I began before Nina shoved me off the seat, and I landed on my ass on the brick pavement. The boys at the table looked with their mouths gaped open. The girls then walked off together. "Fuck..." I muttered.

Sept 19 2017

I sat down in the principal's office. I was in here again for like the fifth time since school started, A new record. I had only gone twice in my seventh grade year, and only one of those was because I was in trouble. I was wearing a black hoodie, with the hood covering everything but my face and unruly bangs. I was nailing the emo bad boy look with converse and skinny jeans too. "Mister Jackson, you know the rules, put your hood down." I rolled my eyes and removed the hood. I guess he could see that I had my earbuds in, as I was listening to country music. "Remove the earbuds, young man..." the principal said sternly. I did as he said. Now the music was playing for the whole office. "And turn off the music!" he ordered. I opened my phone and stopped the music. "Do you know why you're in here?"

"No, sir," I ran my hand through my hair.

"You seem to cause disruptions in class an awful lot. Last week it was swearing at a teacher. Yesterday, you completely skipped school. Today you got in a fight with someone."

"He called me a faggot! Why isn't he in trouble?!" I defended myself. "And that teacher was treating me unfairly..."

"Sean is in the nurse's office now. I'll speak to him when he is better. He might have a concussion because of you."

"Shit..." I muttered.

"Look, I don't want to bring this up, but..." Principal Myers was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in," he said. I saw my mom enter. Shit... She took a seat in a chair next to me. "Thanks for joining us, Ms. Jackson."

"No problem, sir. I just finished my shift a bit ago," mom set down her purse. "I sure hope I am here for some kind of good news."

"On the contrary, miss," he began. "Your son's discipline record is getting quite long. Aedan has had detention sixteen times this year. And this is his fifth time in my office. It's only September, mind you."

"How come I haven't heard about this?" Mom asked before glaring at me. I was looking at the floor and fidgeting with my fingers.

"We gave your phone number a call each time..."

"Oh... you must still have our old home phone number," mom explained.

The conversation went on for a while until a comment came from the principal. Apparently, the school didn't know about the divorce, even though I had told the Flag Football coach. "Well, Ms. Jackson, it doesn't surprise me this kind of behavior is coming from a teen in a troubled and fatherless home."

"Bullshit!" I stood up.

"Aedan!" Mom scolded me.

"Don't bring my mom into this! She hasn't done anything wrong!"

"It is true, we are in a bit of an abnormal housing situation. And the recent divorce has been hard on us all."

"Look, if Aedan doesn't improve his behavior, he will have to be sent to reform school."

"Reform school?" I asked, my eyes widened.

"Yes. It's a place where unruly teenagers go to improve their behavior. It's in Norwich, so not too far from here. It may be needed for River as well. Aedan seems to be a bad influence on your younger son."

"Sir, I know Aedan has had behavioral issues before, with his ADHD and Asperger's..." mom began. I blushed.

"Yes, and as I remember, he has an ADHD medication to take, correct?"

"The medication started giving him hives, so we took him off it." Mom explained.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Sir, I'm a registered nurse. I think I know what hives look like..."

"Well, I am disappointed to hear that. Mister Jackson, for your punishment for today's... outburst..." Principal Myers glared at me. "You're suspended for a week. You can return to campus next Wednesday. Until then, you can attend classes online. I will let your teachers know."

"What about art class?! I have a painting to complete for the Fall Festival."

"You should have thought about that before getting in trouble."

"Wow, okay..." I scoffed. "I'll see you in a week then, sir..." I shoved my hands in the front pocket of my hoodie. Pretty soon my mom and I left the school. I pulled my hood up over my head when we got outside, as I continued sulking. Mom took a seat on a bench by the entrance to the middle school and sighed. I immediately felt bad.

"Mom, it'll be okay," my voice cracked. I rubbed her back gently.

"Aedan sit down please," she patted a spot on the bench next to her.

"Um, okay," I mumbled and sat down. "I'm sorry... I..."

"Is everything okay?" She asked. "No lying. I know you want to act grown up and mature. But it's okay to tell me how you feel. Because at the end of the day, you're only thirteen. You're allowed to feel and have emotions."

"Mom... I... I'm scared..." I said. I sat with my knees bent up to my chest. "I should be happy that we left dad. I'm away from him. But I'm just... angry and alone... and confused." Mom grabbed me in for a hug. "Why do I feel so awful?"

"I don't know, honey. But we can talk about it whenever you want, okay?" I silently nodded.

"I, um, overheard you... with Gran... You... you... YOU SAID DAD WAS YOUR COUSIN! And you said it was a mistake. Tell me it ain't true mom!" I saw her face take on a surprised expression.

"Aedan... it was so complicated. Back in Tennessee. So much of that town is related. It was the custom. Your father had a crush on me. I was younger... and only a teenager... so I was forced into it. But... you, Violet, and River are not mistakes. You're my kids, and I love you very much. Did you tell anyone after you found out?" I shook my head, and wiped a tear from my eyes. "Okay. Thanks. You weren't supposed to know until you were in high school, when you're a bit more mature. Violet found out right before we moved here. She took the news poorly as well. And I assume the same for River too."

"I guess the stereotypes about inbred hillbillies and rednecks ain't a total myth," I smirked, sniffling a little bit.

"Aedan, sweetheart, I know it's a lot happening at once. Your parents' divorce, finding this out, and all in the middle of puberty and hormones, but you have to promise me that you'll try to behave, okay? I don't need you going off the rails. I couldn't forgive myself if you went to juvy for your behavior."

"I promise, mom. I... I... don't mean to act out." I stuttered. "i'm just really confused..."

"Shh," she pulled me in for another hug. "Thank you for telling me. Should we head home now?" I nodded silently and followed mom to her car.

Oct 6 2017

It was a Friday at the end of a long week at school. Jake and I were in the huge backyard of the house playing basketball on the court. Fall had arrived and many of the trees were vibrant shades of yellow and orange, except the pine trees. The large yard also had a big trampoline, a pool (covered for the colder months), a patio, and a large open grassy area. The sun was almost setting and it was almost dinner time, so we grabbed the basketball and began walking back to the house.

"Dude, I'm beat," Jake sighed, sweat staining his shirt. "I forgot how tiring basketball was."

I used the long sleeve of my shirt to wipe sweat from my face. "Jake, it's been a while since we've hung out like this."

"Yeah. Soccer's kept me busy, but thankfully there's a break in the schedule this weekend," Jake responded. We left the basketball on the back patio before going inside.

"Hey, boys," my mom said. She was making dinner.

"My parents aren't back yet?" Jake sighed.

"Afraid not," mom said.

"What's for dinner mom," I scratched my stomach.

"Some spaghetti. Get washed up okay." She explained. I nodded.

"Hey, um, Miss Jackson," Jake stuttered. "Um, thanks for helping around here. When my parents aren't always around."

"No problem, hun," mom said. "And, please, call me Nancy."

"Dude, stop flirting with my mom," I teased before going into the powder room to take a piss and wash my hands. In the living room, I turned the TV on, and the local news station was on. My jaw dropped when I saw a news story about dad come on. "Mom, dad's on the news..."

"Oh shit..." she swore as she looked at the screen. Dad had been arrested yesterday for driving under the influence. Further investigation had linked him to various money laundering schemes and is being questioned by the FBI. Dinner went by in awkward silence after that revelation.