Caught (completed) - brance

7

My parents stared at me as if I had just asked the most world shaking question. All I had asked was about the party tomorrow night. "Have you lost your mind, Bruce?" My mom asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

I sighed deeply as I rolled my eyes and looked down at my food. I poked at the green beans on my plate, not feeling hungry anymore. "It's just a party, mom," I mumbled.

"Just a party? No party held by some other high school student is just a party, Bruce," my dad lectured me. "Back when I was your age there was already drugs and alcohol and violence."

I just huffed, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, but the people at my school ain't like that," I said.

"Ain't?" My mom looked at me with an odd expression. I felt my heart stop beating for a second. I was already starting to talk like Vance and I had only been hanging out with him for less than a week. Maybe I just really liked him—as a friend. "You don't use such..common language," she informed me.

"Was it that fag Finney?" My dad asked, not even holding back. "Or that poor kid Arellano?"

"It just slipped out, sorry," I muttered, looking at my feet. "It's not a big deal."

My dad slammed his hand against the table, causing me to flinch. I stared at him, my eyes wide. "It is a big deal, Bruce," he snarled at me, his voice loud. I looked at Amy, who was startled too. "You don't talk in poor talk, hear me?" I quickly nodded my head.

After dinner I sat in my room, watching a video on my phone. I was still upset by dinner, but was trying to keep my mind off it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my door open and a little pink night gown walk in. I took out one of my earbuds and paused my show, "you should be in bed, Amy."

"I know," Amy spoke quietly as she approached my bed. "Why are mom and dad so mad at you? Are high school parties like that?" She asked, climbing onto my bed.

I sighed deeply as she crawled and cuddled against me. "I don't know why they're mad with me," I told my sister simply. She nodded her head as she closed her eyes. "If I snuck out tomorrow night would you keep it secret?" I asked.

"Of course, Brucey," Amy told me, a smile growing on her small face. "You're my favorite person...besides Ella and Gwen," she said with a giggle. I smiled as well, glancing at my phone as its lock screen lit up.

"Do you want to know who I'm going with?" I asked it, feeling as if I could trust her. She was honestly the person I trusted most. I loved having Amy as a sibling even if she got annoying and rude sometimes. She nodded her head with excitement, sitting up to look at my face. "Vance Hopper invited me," I whispered to her.

I could see her eyes lit up in curiosity and wonder. "Really?" She whispered back—the best whisper a 5 year old could do.

"Mhm," I nodded, "but don't tell mom n' dad. You know they hate him."

Amy nodded her head sweetly, but slowly as she dozed off into slumber. I soon followed suit, not even checking whatever notification I had gotten. That was tomorrow's problem.

The next night I sat in my bed, pretending to read a book, but actually hiding my phone behind it. "Goodnight, Bruce," my mom yelled from down the hall, "go to sleep soon!"

"I will," I yelled back, "goodnight." But that was a lie. I was set on sneaking out and going to the party. I mean..what could go wrong? It had to be just a little hang out, plus I was going to be with Vance.

When I heard my mom start to snore, followed by the creak of my dad shifting around in his sleep, I knew it was go time. I quietly got out of bed, went to my closet and changed. I put on some baggier jeans that I had bought some time ago, with a tighter red shirt that really only barely fit. When I had everything stored—like my phone in pocket and my pj's neatly folded—I headed out of my room and very quietly down the stairs.