Sub Rosa Ties ( A High School Dark Romance)

Zera

I reclined on my bed, with my hands resting behind my head, gazing up at the ceiling. My mind drifted into deep thoughts. Subdued noises emanated from the lower floor, the familiar voices of my parents in the midst of yet another heated disagreement.

Sounds of a bird chirping by my window pulled me out of my thoughts. I shifted slightly toward the window an..d spotted a familiar bird, the one that occasionally keeps me company during my lonely days. I got up from my bed and walked over to it, softly stroking its head. It shivered and fluttered away.

"It's your fault!" I heard my mother's shrill voice, more like a scream, followed by the crash of shattering glass. I swiftly turned and dashed out of my room, racing down the stairs.

I had always anticipated this day, the day when my father would return home drunk, as he always did, and tear the entire house apart, beginning with us. Yet, I hadn't expected it to arrive so suddenly, to be today.

My eyes widened as I took in the living room's condition. The couch was shredded as though a lion's claw had devoured it, broken glass littered the floor, and the TV lay on the ground with a sizable crack on the screen.

My gaze shifted to my mom; her once-blonde hair had turned a disheveled, dirty blonde from stress, clinging to her skin due to sweat. Her eyes lacked emotion, burdened by the weight of stress, a clear sign of her exhaustion with everything, with my dad.

Her chest heaved rapidly, as if she had just completed a marathon, and she clutched a pair of scissors. Now I understood who had wreaked havoc on our couch. My gaze shifted to my dad, the one responsible for transforming my mom into a person who resembled a recently released psychopath.

He stood there, his black hair gleaming in the dimly lit living room, his eyes ablaze with anger. His fists were tightly clenched, knuckles white, ready to strike anyone who dared to impede his way.

"You can go to hell for all I care," he muttered, casting a spiteful stare at my mother. "And make sure you put a leash on her," he added, redirecting his attention to me.

His voice shattered the silence in the living room. I glanced at my mom and saw tears welling up in her eyes. She clenched the scissors tighter and moved swiftly towards Dad, shouting.
"Daniel, you freak! You're a monster. I regret ever walking down the aisle with you. You are..." I interrupted her tirade by rushing over and holding her waist to prevent her from reaching my dad.

"Mum, stop!" I whispered, but I was certain she didn't hear me. She was too fixated on getting to him to even notice my plea.

She suddenly halted, her chest heaving.
"If you leave this house, Daniel, don't ever return or step into our lives again. If you're leaving now, I want you gone. Forever," she ground out, breaking free from my grasp, causing me to stagger backward.

Dad nodded. "I can't even wait to leave," he muttered before turning and exiting the house into the night, slamming the door with such force that the whole house quivered.

Mum glared up again, bolting towards the door. I quickly followed her and held her by the waist.

"He's leaving again, that son of a bitch is leaving us, Zera," she yelled, trying to free herself from my grip and go after him.

"Mum, stop! He isn't worth it," I said, raising my voice for the first time today. I had remained quiet throughout the whole day, ever since I got back from school and saw her humming, something she always did when she was ready to confront Dad. I had stayed silent in my room, refusing to listen to her questioning him when he got back or when the sound of a slap resounded. I had just been focused on the ceiling of my room, quiet.