𝚂𝚊𝚏𝚎

Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ １８

They got ahold of David.

And after some discussion, he was arrested with Identity Fraud.

He was going to serve three years in prison.

It was a little bit of a shock for Stuart, as he didn't know how to react.

He didn't know if he should feel bad, because it's his supposedly parental figure that he should be feeling an emotional attachment to.

He just felt numb about the whole situation.

But also relieved.

His freedom peaked.

He didn't have a bedtime.

He didn't have to eat at a specific time for dinner.

He didn't have to be quiet.

He didn't have to ask for permission to leave the house.

Christ, he was 18, why the hell would he still need permission to leave the house?

It made him feel better.

Feel more like a human.

But he wasn't going to go do whatever he wanted just yet.

He had a few years to do that.

He decided that he just wanted to stay home that day.

Just to rest.

Rachel had been very understanding this whole time.

Made it easier on both of their parts.

Stuart got up from his bed, doing something he was too scared to do for years.

Wander.

He wandered around in his own house.

Freely.

Without hearing a noise jumping to a corner or a tight space to hide.

Just walking around.

He knew his surroundings of course,

and it didn't look or feel new.

But the experience was different.

After walking around, going to certain parts of the house that his dad restricted from him, he decided to do something that he had always thought would be nice.

He saw it in movies.

Even in commercials.

He ran upstairs and grabbed his comfort book.

He read this book back in seventh grade, and couldn't exactly let go of it.

Then he walked back downstairs.

Into the living room.

And sat down in the middle of the room.

Opening his book.

The window was open, providing him with the perfect light to see the words.

And it was quiet.

It was nice.

Comforting, he admitted.

He didn't have fear on his back anymore.

The need to be in his room at all times.

He started to read his book but seemed to zone out.

He kept thinking about his dad.

He knew that he would be in an area that is somewhat safe and monitored.

Even if it wasn't...

Would he cry if he got killed suddenly?

Would it make him grieve?

Should he even care where he was? Or if he was safe?

He felt like he should.

He's a nice person.

That's all he knows.

To be concerned for others.

But this felt different.

He shook his head.

Blinking at the words his brain didn't recognize.

He had to go back a few pages.

He wasn't reading the book.

And he kept having a hard time.

What about his future?

He now had no reason to be nervous about moving out.

Or getting a job that would fit the criteria of his father.

It was all up to him now.

And even if he didn't want to move out soon, he still had plenty of time.

His mom.

Oh, he could finally spend good time with his mom.

He didn't want to leave just yet.

He needed some nice memories with her.

Now they finally are able to make some.

[hey, you got a few long chapters, why not throw in a small one, eh? aka my brain is fried]