Status & Glory

Fourteen

I'd had my own share of awkward and tense situations but none this tense especially with my parents. They got back from their trip two days earlier than planned and I could see the barrier between them.

When I got back from Ace's house earlier they were standing in the kitchen, the island separating them and a deafening silence. When I asked them what was wrong all they said was 'it was a rough trip' I didn't want to push it so I pretended that everything was normal.

Dad suggested we watched a movie so we were now seated on the couch, me literally squashed between my mum and dad.

The doorbell rang and I was quick to stand up, "I'll get it." I walked to the door.

Luke, my brother was standing there, a duffel bag in his hand and his backpack slung over his shoulder.

"Luke!" I threw myself on him and he caught me, wrapping his arms around me in a bear hug.

"Liv, oh I missed you," he ruffled my hair.

I ruffled his messy black hair at least that was one thing we had in common, raven black hair.

I pulled away from the hug with a goofy grin on my face and took his backpack from his shoulder. He stepped into the house and I locked the door behind him.

"I thought you weren't supposed to come here till tomorrow?" He placed his hand over my shoulder and I leaned into him.

"Mum and dad called me to come home earlier," he shrugged. "How have you been?" He ruffled my hair again and I pushed his hand away.

"I've been fine. Has college been good to you?" I dropped his bag on the kitchen counter and watched as he took a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Mhm," he hummed while gulping down the water.

I looked at the kitchen door before looking back at Luke, "just a heads-up, mum and dad are acting strange. It's like they don't want to be around each other." I whispered.

Luke sighed and dumped the now empty plastic bottle in the trash. "I noticed, the other day when they called me, they were in the middle of a quarrel. They didn't even know when I hung up. I'm kind of scared you know, they never quarrel like this." His grey eyes darkened.

I bit my bottom lip, "I'm scared too." I admitted.

I helped him take his bag upstairs and when we went down to the living room both my mum and dad were now standing up, arms crossed as they glared at each other.

"Kids sit," dad ordered.

"Geez dad, you can't even welcome me back home," Luke said in an attempt to lighten the mood but dad just glared at him.

"Okay," Luke rose his hand in defeat and sat on the couch that mum, dad and I were sitting before.

I sat beside him and tucked my legs under me waiting for either mum or dad to speak.

"Kids, your mum and I are getting a divorce," dad announced and my breath hitched in my throat.

"What?" Luke was the first to speak. "Why?"

"Your dad and I just aren't working anymore," mum looked at Luke and I.

"But you love each other right?" I looked between mum and dad.

"That's not the point-"

"Just answer my question. You love each other right?" I stopped mum from speaking.

"Yes," dad answered.

"Then why?"

"Like your mum said, we're just not working anymore." Dad shook his head.