Keaton's P.O.V
Floorboards creaking broke my deep reverie. My eyes snapped behind me to see Shawn holding Ophelia up by her waist.
“Hey Keats…” Ophelia slurred.
Shawn shook his head ruefully. “Sorry, she’s a bit tipsy.” He said putting his thumb and index finger close together, to be sarcastic.
Ophelia drunkenly lurched forward. Luckily, Shawn was quick to react and grabbed hold of her by her waist once again.
Shawn glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. “You’re always the first one to laugh at Ophelia’s misfortune. Well anyone’s really.”
I shrugged, not really listening anymore. My palms become clammy, as the scene from earlier swirled in my mind. I didn’t want Ophelia to be mad at me. Without her, I had no one. I still hadn’t heard from my mum and I hadn’t spoken to my dad in years.
I would be utterly lost.
Shawn pushed Ophelia ‘gently’ on to the nearest chair. She did manage to sit down, however she banged her forehead on the table, as she struggled to control her head.
Shawn didn’t seem too worried about his wife, as he placed his hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong kiddo?”
I sighed, still not tearing my eyes away from the stove. I wiped my already clammy hands on my jeans. I dreaded having to tell them, that I almost killed their children.
Shawn shook my shoulder and pulled my chin so I faced him. “Keaton what is wrong, seriously.”
I pulled my sleeves of my hoodie over my hands, as I met Shawn’s eyes. “I-I put the Leyton and Bella to bed and I came down here to make some d-dinner for myself. Then, I put the stove on with a pan of water on top. I-I checked my notifications a-and I smelled something w-weird. Then I realised that the tea towel had caught on f-fire.” I blurted out with a raspy voice.
I had never heard my voice sound so weak…so pathetic. Not even when I was kicked out. I still stayed stronger than that.
Shawn’s eyes flickered over to the stove before back to mine. “No-,”
The scraping of a chair on the tiled floor had both our heads snapping towards Ophelia. She stood up without support and started running towards the stairs. She lost her balance a little but not before she shot me a dirty look.
My mouth opened and closed several times. “What happened there? A minute ago she couldn’t stand.”
I didn’t answer him, I couldn’t my mouth had dried up. Ophelia obviously hated me now. Shawn looked down at me sympathetically. “Don’t worry about her.” He reassured, rubbing my shoulder.
Shame it didn’t really work.
Goosebumps dotted my arms. No one could miss the cold look Ophelia shot me then. Shawn surely saw that.
“You should go to bed Keaton. It’s two in the morning.” Shawn released his grip from my shoulders.
I trudged up the stairs with slightly wobbly legs. Scenarios raced around my head of what could have been. No matter how hard I tried, they wouldn’t leave my mind.
I gripped my head, a headache already forming. Nudging the door open, I all but ran to my bed. I didn’t want to be awake at the moment. These thoughts were dizzying.
Even from my room I could hear Ophelia cooing over both Bella and Leyton. It made the guilt churn in my stomach even more so.
I desperately tried to tune out Ophelia, before falling into a restless sleep.
YOU ARE READING
Mister. Help
Teen FictionKeaton’s mum is all in support of LGBT rights. So when Keaton realises he is Gay, he doesn’t bother to hide it from his mum. When things go wrong, Keaton ends up moving in with his thirty-one year old sister. She has her own family, making it hard...
