Bad Love

Chapter 10

Jonathan's mum has been noticing a lot lately but she doesn't say anything. Her son has been acting weird and he barely eats, which is very odd because she knows how much he loves food. It surprised her too when she found out, as well, that he no longer goes online to play video games with his friends, which is something that he doesn't fail to do. She wanted to ask him but she's reluctant for she knows he's going to lie, make excuses to avoid being interrogated, and that makes her sad. She's his mother, and her son can't even open up to her about his problems. He has his own world, and he trusts his friends more than he trusts his own parents. 

Jonathan grew up in a peaceful neighborhood and everyone has been very nice to him. Since she and her husband were always busy with their jobs, Jonathan would usually be left all alone at home- with nothing but books. At that time, she never had the plans nor the decision to buy her son a computer yet for he was young and she was afraid the internet would ruin him and his studies. But Jonathan had been asking his father to get him a computer because it would help him with his homework and George had contemplated and she got scared. She talked it out with him one night- how much it would affect their son's life for the internet was a dangerous thing, it had killed children, it had harmed a lot of people. George held her hand tightly and told her that he understood. And that she was forgetting something very important.

"You must not forget that our child is a very lonely boy. We are not home most of the time, and that scares me. I am terrified, love. He has faced nothing but books, and every time I look into his eyes, I see nothing but emptiness. If that doesn't frighten you, then I don't know what does. This is the first time our son has asked something from us. And I am not going to fail him. I am not going to."

She agreed. It did terrify her. Her son would usually lock himself up in his room and when she would check up on him, he's just on the bed, sitting down with a book in his hands. She thought that was good, but for her husband it wasn't. Their child didn't have a social life- he was very lonely. She found out from a neighbor that Jonathan didn't even have close friends at school. Sure, he's got acquaintances but they weren't enough for him to stay out and hang out with them. He had preferred to stay at home with his books and his comfy bed. 

The night after they had the conversation, George finally purchased a computer. Jonathan was very happy, and so was she. Seeing him smile widely was very rare, and when Jonathan hugged her and his dad, she almost cried. She did cry. Her son profusely thanked them and kissed their cheeks. Her husband gave her a thumbs up and she whispered, "Job well done, honey." And that simple present changed their son so much.

Jonathan would greet them when they got home, and they would be surprised when they found out he had prepared for dinner. He was not the gloomy kid anymore, he was blooming. Emptiness was not the first thing you'd see when you looked into his eyes. You'd see cheerfulness, and he was so alive. He started to talk to them about school, how he made new friends. And she asked him if the internet helped him. And he said, "No, 'ma. But the internet sure is a fun thing." 

Until one day, she came home by herself. George wasn't able to go together with her because he had to finish stuff at the office. It didn't feel right. The living room was pitch black, and it felt like no one was home. She headed upstairs, straight to Jonathan's room, and the light from the computer monitor was the only thing she saw, for the room was dark too. She called her son out, she got no response. She walked towards the bed, and there he saw Jonathan; curled up in a ball, his shoulders shaking.

When she whispered his name, that was the time he looked up. And sobbed once more, pulling her down into a tight hug. It was so tight, and she hugged him back. She told him everything would be alright, even if didn't know the reason why he was crying. All she knew was that he needed her at the moment, and she was glad she went home earlier as before.