How To Stay Afloat (BxB)

Chapter 46: How to be a disappointment to your parents 101

We arrive back at home, Caleb parking the car on the side of the street in front of our house.

"Dad just came home. Perfect." Caleb announces.

"Please don't talk to them about it." I beg him.

"Carla and Austin, you both can wait upstairs. Carla, I hope it's okay if I bring you home later than planned." Caleb says and she nods.

"Caleb, please don't do that." I plead.

"I agree, if Sammy doesn't want to tell your parents, it's his decision." Austin says.

"You shut the fuck up. You can't give your opinion. We will tell them." Caleb says angrily.

"Caleb!" I say, appalled by his anger.

"No. Austin, I don't care about your opinion. You watched long enough and did nothing. I'm not gonna do the same. I'll talk to mom and dad." Caleb says.

No one tries to argue after that.

We walk inside the house and the other two hurry upstairs instantly while Caleb holds my wrist, dragging me into the bathroom.

I quickly wash off the dried blood and tears from my face and then walk into the kitchen with him.

Mom and dad are sitting by the table, eating a salad.

"Sit down." Caleb orders and pushes me on the stool next to mom.

He sits down next to me.

"Caleb. What is this about? Don't comand Samuel around like that!" Mom says.

"We gotta talk about something that happened to Sammy." He says.

Oh god. I don't want that. Why?

They both lay their cutlery down, turning their full attention to us.

"What did you do now?" Dad asks me, already sounding disappointed.

Right. If we're already here, I could be a little honest. I can turn into an even bigger disappointment. "Dad, I quit my job." I say.

His eyes go big at that. Caleb looks equally shocked that I stole this moment for a different truth.

"Hey. No. That's not true." Caleb says. "Well, it is. But it's not what we wanted to announce." He says.

"You already quit?" Dad asks me, ignoring Caleb completely.

I nod. "Yes. I couldn't even look at my uniform without being reminded of Max's death. I'm sorry. I know it's a weak excuse. But that's how it is."

Dad seems to think about that for a moment.

"And I don't wanna become a doctor anymore." I quickly add because I feel confident.

"Oh shit." Caleb says, looking at me with furrowed brows.

Dad sighs loudly. "Okay. If that's what's best for you, I'm glad you realized that before starting to study." He says.

Wait what? That's it?

"Uhm." I say confused.

"I still want you to keep up your grades and study something else." He says.

"Uh, yeah sure." I say, a smile creeping onto my face. "That's all you have to say?"

"My job isn't easy. I understand that you don't wanna do something like that." He explains. "I never expected you to take that path, I just tried to support you."

Seriously? I stressed over nothing?

"I'm gonna quit uni." Caleb says, breaking the next big news.

"What?" Mom and dad both shout.