I caught her in the kitchen at 2 AM. She was eating cold cereal, eyes puffy. I didn’t ask about school. I asked, “What’s your favorite dinosaur?”
We talked for 15 minutes about dinosaurs, then about nothing. I learned Rule #1: Do not mention school first. Let her bring it up. She never did. 30 days with my schoolrefusing sister final better
Maya cried when I told her. “They hate me there.” “Maybe,” I said. “But I’ll be in the parking lot the whole time.” I caught her in the kitchen at 2 AM
Day 28, everything fell apart. She woke up screaming from a nightmare. Couldn’t get out of bed. Hated the meds (too early for effects). Hated me. “You don’t get it! You’re not trapped in my head!” I asked, “What’s your favorite dinosaur
Then she held up a charcoal drawing of a phoenix. “I drew this. And the teacher said I had talent.”