That One Thing With That One Guy

I kicked the ball fast and moved swiftly toward the goal. A boy from the other team ran up to me and slapped his leg on the ball. I stared at him with a blank expression. He smiled and kicked the ball side to side. “You want this?” He asked. I shook my head and crossed twiddled my thumbs. “No, you can keep it!” I yelled happily. He laughed and pushed me to the ground. My soccer uniform was covered in dirt as the other team won the winning goal.

“Why are you so nice loser?” The kid that pushed me down. “Nice is always the way to be.” I told him shrugging. “Wow, a loser and a soggy cheese ball.” He said glaring at me. I got up and rubbed the dirt from my blue and white uniform. I walked across the field to the fence gate looking at the ground. I had no intention of being rude. My dad was waiting on the porch drinking a rootbeer.

“Howdy champ!” He yelled hugging me. I smiled and hugged him back. He took a sip from his bottle then tossed it to me. I casually drank from it and listened to him. “How was school today, Thomas?” I set the bottle down and shrugged. “It-it was okay, I mean it wasn’t bad.” He nodded and opened the door. I walked inside and sat down at the counter and set my head down on the table. “It’s okay champ.” My dad whispered patting me on the back. I nodded and went straight to my room.

I sat down on my bed. “Why do they have to be so mean? Why does life have to be so mean?” I asked. I looked at a picture of my mom I had framed next to my bed. “You weren't anything like that. I said sticking my finger on her picture. I stuck my hand over my face. Tear drops fell wet and warm into the palm of my hand. A knock came to my bedroom door. I quickly wiped the tears from my my eyes and sat up hiding the picture of my mom under my pillow. “Come in.” I called. My dad opened the door.

He looked at me then at my pillow which was lumpy from the frame. He picked it up and looked at the picture. “Oh, Thomas.” He put his hands on his head and tossed the picture at the window shattering it into a hundred pieces. I stared at my dad in shock. “Thomas, I’m doing the best I can, just let it go!” “But-but I-” “But nothing.” My dad yelled. I looked out the window at the frame then back at my dad. I nodded and sniffled. “Yes sir.”

He gave a brief sniff then walked out of my room. I buried my face in my hands again. “Now even my dad!” I cried. I looked at the broken glass and frame that lay on the ground. I knelt down and picked up the picture from out of the broken frame. I winced in pain as a bit of the glass cut my hand. I wanted to go out of that room and scream at my dad for what he did but then I remembered my moms promise. I remembered looking her in the eyes when she was sick. Those sick brown eyes and say. “Thomas. No matter where I am or what people do never do anything that will hurt anyone ever. Because they could live a worse life than you and just need a little sunshine.” She said smiling at me. Like a good kid I nodded and kept my promise and to this day I still haven’t broken it as much as I want to.

As picked up the shards of glass and threw them into the garbage. I picked up the picture and stared at my moms eyes. I made a little tear in the corner and tossed it under my bed. I pulled on my pajamas and laid in my bed. I looked out the window and pulled a smile back on my face. “Tomorrow is going to be a great day. No matter what happens.”

“Beep! Beep! Beep!” I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock chirping in my ear. I opened my eyes and jumped up. I pulled up my overalls and red socks and headed down the stairs. My dad waited at the dining room table with 2 plates of sausage, pancakes, and orange juice. I sat down and picked at my food. My dad stared at me intimidatingly. “Hmm, Aren’t ya gonna eat your food?” I hesitated and nodded slowly. I pulled a big bite of pancake off and stuffed it into my mouth. My dad smiled and patted my head matting my brown hair down. “Atta Boy!”

“Today is going to be a great day champ and nothing in the world is going to change that.” He told me patting my back some more. “Yeah sure a great day dad.” I told him. My older sister Taylor came barging out of the room. She already had her hair curled and was wearing a short skirt and tanktop. “You ain't goin out like that young lady.” My dad said ignoring me. “Yes I am dad, its the style.” She sighed rolling her brown eyes. “Sometimes I swear you people are hopeless.” She said flicking her hair then rubbing it briefly. My dad grunted. He scratched his head then looked at  Taylor. “Nobody is hopeless.” He told her. “Mom was, and so are you.” She told my dad and turned her head. My dad stared like he wanted to say something but no words came out.