When he saw you

CHAPTER EIGHT: EVANS CHO

Evans

I got home really late, although it wasn't intentional; I wasn't looking forward to going home, and I was exhausted. Mondays were always a challenge. The teachers at school felt you've rested during the weekend and have more energy. Meanwhile, at work I had to calculate taxes.

Days like today made me question everything about my life. It didn't help that I got it into a stupid fight at school and I was sure my parents were aware by now.

My father had gifted me the coffee shop a year ago to practice management before I went to study it in college. My parents expected me to run it while having perfect grades in school. Mother said it was his test to see if I was strong enough to inherit the company. But it wasn't like they had a choice; I was the only son and my sister was still young.

Their expectations were nearly absurd because no other kid at my school dealt with things like these, but I had accepted a long time ago that I wasn't like everyone else. My family was a lot more complicated and so I had to put in more efforts. I had to act like a grown man, even though it was very obvious I was just a teenager.

I have been friends with Mikayla and Zion for as long as I can remember. They were the only friends I could keep because their families were within our social status. Zion's family had Rivera Industries and Kayla's dad came from old money, plus her mom has a company she was running before she died. At some point, our parents communicated often, but since Kayla's mom dies they barely got together.

The lights inside the house were still on when I got out of my car, meaning my parents were still awake. Holding my jacket and my work tablet in one hand, I rang the doorbell with the other. No one came to answer.

I waited for about two minutes before ringing the doorbell again. This time our house keeper opened it for me. Her lips were tightened in a flat line as if she was stopping herself from saying something.

I bowed in greeting and walked inside the house. I was about to pass the living room to the stairway when I noticed my parents seated waiting. It wasn't just them. Two opened suitcases laid in front of my father and I could recognize some of my clothes roughly thrown in. I don't stop and stare I keep walking.

"Where do you think you're going?" My father asked, halting my steps.

"To my room. I need a shower," I answered.

It was easier to pretend I didn't know what was about to happen, but my father was not having it. He shot up from his seat, with my mother failing to hold him down.

"You lost that right when you fought in school!" He shouted. "What have I not done for you, Evans?! Why have you stained our family name like this?! Do you even realize that this goes on your permanent record? You will miss early admissions at this rate! All because of your carelessness."

"Dad, I'm sorry for fighting in school, but I couldn't just stand there. That jerk was beating Zion and you know he's injured." I tried explaining.

"And this Zion, where is he now? Huh! Tell me where is he? Is he at home with his parents?! How many times will I teach you that friends who get you into trouble are not real friends?!"

I knew where my father was driving at and I bit my lip in frustration. They knew about Zion's history too, and I had negotiated with them to stay with Zion last week. How could they hold that against me? It wasn't my fault that Mr. Rivera was an asshole who didn't deserve a son like Zion.

Zion had been my friend for so long. I couldn't just leave him when he was suffering or when he was getting attacked. This should be Zion's fault. Why was I defending him? He got me into this mess.