Look

Chapter 4 - Tyler

Tyler's p.o.v

"Where have you been kid?" My foster dad Slurs.

I can smell the alcohol on his breath from here.

"I've been at the hospital, you know working I coldly remark.

"Don't give me lip boy!" He attempts to get out of his seat but falls to the ground instead. I ignore him and run upstairs to my room.

As soon as I'm there I lock my door and hide in my closet just in case he makes it up the stairs. My closet is dark and quiet, exactly where I want to be right now. I still have the scar on my back from yesterday. Everything is so messed up.

Hours pass I decide that it's okay to come out now. I don't even bother coming downstairs for "dinner" because I know there won't be anything. With that, I crawl into bed and think of a strategy to avoid Paul tomorrow.

*********

Flashback

"Mommy? Mommy? " I shake her body rapidly.

No answer

"Mommy?!?"

I choke back the sobs. Daddy use to always say "real men don't cry".

The blood from the stab wound starts to form a puddle around her and stains my hands.

Bang! Bang! Ba-

I wake with a jolt. There's a pool of sweat surrounding me, and I can feel my heart racing.

I quietly step down the stairs to grab a cup of water. I peek over in the other room, and find Paul passed out with a half full liquor bottle in his lap.

With a sigh I head back upstairs and try to fall back asleep.

********* Next day at school******

I walk up to my locker and start to unpack my things.

"So would you like to tell me who the heck you are?" A girl says to my left.

I turn to the side to find the girl from yesterday. It feels like years since I last saw her.

"Hello?!? Are you mute or something?" She asks again.

"Well that's not a very nice thing to say." I respond.

"How come you didn't say anything to me at the hospital yesterday?"

"I didn't know I owed an explanation" I snap back.

"What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem, you're the one who came up to me."

She doesn't respond, so I pick up my books and head off to English.