Chapter Sixteen

Ohhh..

I woke up Monday morning to a quiet house. I walked out into the kitchen where my mother was eating her breakfast. The large stomach connected to her protruded from the silk night dress. She looked up from her bowl of fruit and smiled. “Good morning, Russ. How are you this morning?”

“I’m fine,” I whispered quietly trying not to disrupt the peace. I poured a bowl of cereal and sat at the table next to her. Her blue eyes looked down on me. “Where’s dad,” I finally asked.

She smiled and returned her attention to the bowl of fruit. “He went out last night with some friends. He hasn’t been home yet.”

We both knew what that meant. He went out drinking. “He’s been really upset since Bridger left. I’ve almost been tempted to call Daniel.”

I shook my head, “don’t do that. Daniel will only make things worse. He always does.”

The stressed woman rubbed the top of her stomach and leaned back in the chair. “Can you take Blake to school today?” I nodded and bit into my cereal. I could see the stress in her eyes.

“Mom, relax. He could’ve just lost track of time or something.”

She nodded, “You’re right. Perhaps that’s it.” We both sat silently for a few minutes. I looked at the walls around the kitchen. This silence was awkward. “Is it how I raised you?” She finally asked.

My head turned. I’d known we’d have this conversation sooner or later. “No mom, it’s how I was born.”

She sighed and stared at me some more. “Are you happy?”

I nodded, “happier than ever.”

“I guess I can’t say much then can I?”

I smiled as best I could. “Mom, I love you. I always have and I always will. Nothing will ever change that, alright?”

She nodded and reached for my hand. I gave it to her and let her stroke the white skin. “I’m just worried about your father.”

“I know,” I said softly and bit into my cereal again. “Don’t worry too much. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” 

 

I dropped off Blake and drove Piper and I to school. She smiled at me once and skipped off to her friend. Dark clouds hung over the sky as if foreshadowing the whole day. I pulled my blue jacket around me tighter. There was a cool breeze blowing in from the north. That was never a good sign. A storm would be coming and it would hit pretty hard. I didn’t realize the same storm would be hitting my life as well.

I looked in my father’s office to see that he wasn’t there. When I asked the other coaches they said he never showed up to practice. It was too obvious now what my father was doing.

My body walked down the hall as I searched for that one familiar face. Hayden bounced in behind me. “There’s a STARs practice today after school. The All Stars want us to come see their set. Mrs. Williams says it will be good for us to watch them.”

I nodded and turned down the hall, she didn’t follow. As I thought I remember that he had gym first period. I walked back to where I was earlier and went straight into the locker rooms. My hand ran along the blue metal lockers and I searched through the room.

There was some rustling in the back of the cement block. I moved my body closer to the noise. There was a sound of a body hitting the lockers. As I rounded the last set of lockers my heart completely sank. There was Parker in the arms of Trent. Their lips were wrapped around each other’s. Parker’s hands were pushed against Trent’s waist.

I gasped and my jaw dropped open. Parker and Trent both turned. Parker’s face filled with a sudden realization of what just happened. “Russ, it’s not what it looks like.” Trent stepped back and wiped his lips as Parker walked forward.

I quickly stepped back and started walking away. “Russ, listen to me. I’ll tell you the truth, I’ll tell you everything. This really isn’t how it seems.” My feet slapped against the tiled floor loudly. Tears were starting to swell in my eyes. What was this? I never cried, about anything.

I wiped the back of my hand over my eyes. “Russ, please wait. Let me explain.”

Just as I hit the door Parker grabbed my wrist. I snapped it from his grasp and spun around. My finger pointed straight to his chest. With the foulest tone I could find inside of myself I hissed, “Don’t touch me.” His jaw dropped and he stared right at me. His shoulder slumped and I again wiped the tears from my eyes. I flicked my gaze over his whole body. Why did he do this?

I shook my head and walked out into the gym. My father came in and gave me a strange look. He turned his head and walked into his office. I could see the hangover all over his body. I bit hard on my jaw and shoved my way through the gym doors loudly.

My feet didn’t stop until I was to my car. I opened the back seat and threw my bag in. Carefully I crawled in and laid on the soft leather. My legs curled up to my chest and I shut my eyes.

Author's Note

Love you guys!

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YEESSSS THE PROBLEM ARISES!!!!! :P