Whatever, Cowboy.

The Ride Home_5

Silence suffocated the car, the bumps barely knocking his stomach back to its normal position. Austin felt he would be sick from the stares of his family. His sister mingled her feet with his to comfort him without their mother's knowledge as she drove rigorously. She hadn't said a word to him since he'd called her to pick him up. She knew he was homosexual but she never seemed to fully come to terms with it. Austin's eyes floated up to the rearview mirror, locking eyes with his mother, a chill striking down his spine. Both eyes dart away from each other, a sigh escaping his mother.
  "Arizona, when we get home, you go straight inside." Their mother enforced roughly, an angry facade covering her shaken voice. "And Austin, you stay in the car. We need to have a chat." His stomach dropped lower, the lump in his throat bobbing with an audible dehydrated gulp.
  "Yes, mom." The siblings replied in unison. A notification from Arizona's phone dings, canceling any chance of a calming silence, her eyes lit up upon reading the screen from left to right. A soft grin crept up on her rose-shaded face, the first obvious sign. He knew he shouldn't, but Austin took his phone from his pocket and opened uText to find "HouseRat💕."

  What are you smiling at??

  Nothing! Arizona's eyes glance above the screen to a cheeky smirk from Austin. Don't look at my phone, jerk.

I wasn't looking, I saw your tomato face.

  Both teenagers turned their phones off as the gravel driveway shook the car violently, Arizona clumsily banging her head on the window. Austin forced a laugh into the darkness of his chest to prevent more trouble in the upcoming talk. Their mom glanced back with anger slit eyes. The car came to a halting stop in the garage, and their mother unlocked the door for Arizona to exit quickly. Waiting until she'd gone inside, Austin's mother glanced at the time on her car clock, 9:48 PM.
  "I heard about the party and the morning after." She began sternly, not daring to look at Austin. He stayed silent as he knew he should've. "That was completely irresponsible and will cost you your allowance money for the next week." His stomach lightened. That's all the punishment I get? No, do all the dishes, then go find a job and plan to move out? No skipping dinner? No soap in my mouth? Just ... no allowance for the week?
  "Yes, mom." He whispered guiltily, his hands in his lap with his shoulders tense. He could hear a sniffle that hadn't come from him. His eyes daringly lift to his mother.
  "Are you alright, at least?" Tears filling her eyes as his mother asks through a coarse and painful voice. "You were gone all day, and I hadn't known where you'd gone, Mrs. Johnson said you weren't to be found, and Aaron said he hadn't seen you." She weeped loudly, shoving her palms into her leaking eyes. Her ghostly pale wrists cracked quietly as she maneuvered them to wipe her eyes dry. "I was so worried about you." Austin's eyes swelled high with water as well, his breathe skipping and his chest heavy. His mother's hand reached for the unlock button once again after she'd locked the door after Arizona had left. Both doors opened fast, hopping out without collecting either's items, Austin and his mother held each close. The anger in his mother's heart dissipates away along with the fear of losing her only son. "I'm sorry, mom." Austin whispered quietly, his shoulders shaking and his hands fidgeting. He was taller than his mother by a good 6 inches so she could easily rest her head on his chest if she wanted to. However, she kept her head disconnected from him. Austin cowered over to lay his head on top of hers. It took him a moment to realize the deja-vu he'd been feeling and smiled slightly, thinking of Tyler meeting his mother. Eventually, the garage became cold enough for both of them to collect their belongings and venture inside, where his father waited for Austin's return, asleep on the wicker couch that sat near the front door for guests.
  "Do you think he'll be mad at me for not coming home straight away?" Austin asked in a cowardly manner. His mother shook her head calmly.
  "No, if anything, he'll act all tough and detached until he feels you've learned your lesson." She admitted, packing away her handbag.