You're Supposed to Hate Me

Chapter 17

Travis

We are like a one-way mirror, me and you.

You're on the side that can see through, watching my every move, observing me, judging me. Knowing every single little secret of me, knowing every single move I'm about to play, every step.

And me? I'm on the opposite side. I'm completely oblivious of your eyes. I'm oblivious of the knowledge you have over me. I only see myself, but you, you see me. You know who I am, and I don't even know me.

You know more about me, than I know about myself, father.

I stare at him, and he stares at me. But in this situation, all I see is myself in the future. I will be like him.

There is no stopping this outcome. No matter how hard I try, no matter how hard I push it away, no matter what I do, he is my father, after all.

I watch him observe me. I watch him judge me. I watch as his brows furrow, pinching together in anger or maybe disgust. I watch as he frowns at me, as his fists clench.

Maybe I remind him too much of himself.

"Who are you?" He finally breaks the silence that was so loud, way too loud, but now, now that silence is gone, I fear I might wish for it back.

But I won't show him my fear. Not anymore. He fed off my fear like a monster, but without food, they starve, they become weak, they show their weaknesses.

"Who do you think I am, father?" I reply, my eyes shimmering with a hatred that I've so carefully locked away. A hatred that I can't hide from him any longer.

I notice the small detail of the faintest shake in his fists.

He's scared of me. Like I said, once he loses his food source, I see his weaknesses.

Now I'm on the other side of the mirror.

He's scared, because he's seeing himself in me.

"I'm you."

5 Minutes Ago

I was simply trying to make myself dinner before father came home. I failed a test that I had recently, like really bad. 

So, I knew he was going to be absolutely pissed when he came home.

I just got done warming up my food and I was speed walking as fast as I could towards the stairs when he stormed in. I guess speed walking doesn't matter when a monster is nearby.

I didn't even hear him get home.

He slaps the plate out of my hand before his hand grips my chin.

Suddenly, I slap his hand away, surprising us both.

He stares down at me, and I stare up at him, completely forgetting the food he slapped out of my hand just moments ago.

Current

The look on his face was something I've always dreamed of seeing. He was completely horrified by my answer.

I could see the veins on his neck and jaw because he was clenching his teeth so hard.

"You can't push me around anymore. Hit me, I don't care, I'm leaving. You don't scare me anymore." My brows pinch together, my eyes still shimmering with hatred like a fire; a huge fire that won't go out for a long time.

My eyes widened with what he did next. His fists unclenched ever-so-slightly, and he stepped back. Then he did again.

Then he turned.

He walked towards the stairs, stopping with one foot on the bottom step. "I see. I will not stop you. Go. Go, and never come back. If you come back, you won't ever take a step out of this house again."

I watch as he disappears, then I hear his bedroom door slam shut. I let out a deep breath I didn't know I was holding in, and it slowly dawns on me as I walk up the stairs towards my room that he threatened me.

My heart started racing as my mind starts to think of what he meant by that, but I decided I didn't want to stay to figure it out, so I quickly pack my essentials in a bag.

In a matter of minutes, I was done packing my bag, and opening the front door.

I'm free. I did it.

I take one step onto the porch, my whole body suddenly feeling light, like a feather. As if a heavy burden that was dragging me down was pulled back into the house, back to where it belonged, with my father.

Once I reach the sidewalk, I turn and look at the house for one final time. Suddenly it looked dark. Creepy. Empty. Dull.

Mother would be proud of me for getting out of here, getting away from him. She would be proud that I'm doing the one thing she always dreamed of doing, the one thing that she failed to do. But I succeeded, and I am never coming back.

But I felt amazing for the first time in years. I felt like... I felt like I wanted to go see a stupid blue haired boy.