"Hey Miguel, have you seen my dad?" I asked as I sat on the ground in front of my apartment, smoking a cigarette.
Miguel looked down at me, his backpack over his shoulder. "Should you be smoking?" He asked me.
"Absolutely not. Have you seen him?" I asked.
Miguel just sighed, shaking his head. "Im actually trying to avoid him right now. Your dads dating my mom."
I snorted at that answer before taking a long inhale from my cigarette, "really? My dad was able to pull your mom?"
"It's so weird. Sensei keeps trying to be like my dad or something." Miguel said shaking his head
"Your dad?" I asked, my face falling lightly.
"I think he feels guilty for... messing up with you and Robby." Miguel said.
I turned away from the boy and took another big inhale from the cigarette.
"Yeah probably." I muttered.
"Okay I gotta go, but I'll see you around?" Miguel asked walking up closer and holding out his fist. I hit it with mine, "yeah. Peace."
I watched as he walked away, his words replaying in my head.
Did dad think his kids were disposable? That every-time he messed up one of them he moved to the next.
I was gone for a year and dad already got a new kid to play parent with.
I put the cigarette out on the ground before throwing it in form of me. I was overeating.
Dad did mess up with me, he left my mom and didn't talk to me for 16 years but he was here now and that all that matters.
Miguel wasn't taking my place.
~~~~
"You know, I think you spoke to me when you were old Eli." I told Eli as I sat on his floor, pushing some random button on a controller.
I had no clue how to play this game and Eli wasn't even playing with me, he was sulking in his bed.
He didn't answer proving my point even more. I sighed and continued to play the game.
I eventually died somehow, I didn't even know you could die.
"Think I could go pro." I joked.
He didn't say anything.
I stood up and threw the controller on the bed.
"Am I bothering you?" I asked him, cocking my eyebrow at him.
Eli sighed, "no Sage."
"Really? Because it sounds a lot like you don't want me here." I said joking, smiling at the boy.
"Maybe i don't." He whispered.
My smile fell and I looked at the boy with confusion, "what?"
Eli sighed, "ever since you came back you've been acting the Same, like nothings changed."
I shook my head, "nothings has changed-"
"Everything's changed!" Eli yelled causing me to step away from the bed. "Me, you, karate. It's all changed. And you can't just come back into my life and pretend we're dating again, because we aren't."
"I know we aren't, i just thought-"
"You just thought what? That id just run back into your arms?" Eli asked.
"Don't you dare think your allowed to cut me off or raise your voice at me." I stated glaring at the boy.
Eli shook his head, "I'm not scared of you anymore Sage."
My face fell, "anymore?" I said, my voice breaking slightly.
Scared? Was Eli really scared of me for the last 3 years?
Is that the only reason he was friends with me, dated me, was because he was scared? Because he felt like he had too?
