Genius

They tell her parents that she is a genius. She can hear them talking with the doctor, a specialist Daddy said she was called, in low voices. The doctor is nice, an older lady with a little bowl of chocolate kisses on her desk. And games. And books. Lots of books. She even had Harry Potter and was really impressed when Amelia told the Doctor that she had already read the first two, on her own. The Doctor had her play a computer game. It was boring. She told the Doctor that too, after the twentieth question. The Doctor just smiled and said that Amelia could play with whatever toy she wanted or read whatever book she wanted to if she finished the game. Amelia did. And the Doctor let her take the third Harry Potter book home with her.

That was a month ago. The Doctor called two days ago and Amelia went in to see her with Mommy and Daddy. They don't let her come in this time. She sits outside, on a scratchy chair and then presses her ear to the door, spying, with her invisibility cloak. Just like Harry. She can't hear too much. But she hears genius. And she knows it means someone who is really smart, kinda like Hermione. She gets scared because the way her Mommy and Daddy and the Doctor sound, it makes her scared. She isn't sure why, because no one sounds angry or sad. She goes back to her seat and sits, patiently, until the Doctor opens the door and tells her to come in. She scrambles into Mommy's lap, even though she getting too big, and the Doctor starts telling her that she is very bright and special. Much more special than other kids her age. Her Mommy nods as she strokes Amelia's red hair.

And she knows that because everyone in her class is still reading picture books and Amelia Bedealia and sometimes even the teachers read to them, while she sits at the back and does what her mommy calls "staring into space". She used to enjoy those books but only because Amelia had the same name as her, but Amelia Bedealia made slot of mistakes that she would not have made.

The Doctor says that Mommy and Daddy want to take her out of school and take her to another school, or even have her go to school at home. She says that it isn't good that Amelia feels lonely at school, because she should have friends that she can play with and read with. And having friends would be really, really nice, because at school, in the back of the room, no one talks to her and the other kids make fun of her at recess because she always raises her hand and cries sometimes and still sucks her thumb. She nods and her Mommy unwraps a chocolate kiss and gives it to her. She lets it melt in her mouth, the sweetness stinging the back of her throat.

The Doctor says that Amelia is what people call "a genius". And she asks Amelia if she knows what that means and Amelia nods and pops her thumb into her mouth. Her daddy interrupts and says
"Being a genius doesn't make you a bad person, there is nothing wrong with you." He nods while her Mommy says,
"Of course not." Amelia sucks her thumb and leans against her mommy's neck and shoulder.
The doctor nods and says "There is nothing wrong with being a genius."
But Amelia can't really believe them.