Devon walked inside like normal, hoping to convince his parents he found some friends or some after-school activity that he would soon come to enjoy. He wasn't sure how successful he'd be with it, seeing how the sun had just set outside. The walk back had taken him just a little longer than anticipated, Devon only hoped he could keep his facade up.
Within seconds, he heard his mom from the kitchen, "Devon Sparly! Where have you been!?"
Quicker than he intended, "I was out exploring town, nothing dangerous."
"Well, next time come home first and check in! You had me worried sick!"
She came over and embraced him in a warm hug, Devon feeling safe and loved in his mother's embrace.
"Well now that you're back come to the kitchen. Did you make any friends yet? Have any weekend plans?"
Devon thought of how to answer for a moment as his mom made her way back to the kitchen, "Uh kinda."
"Well, what part? If not I'm sure you and your father could do something together again."
"Yeah, it's uh, friends, at the library. We're reading for a book report, and we all have to write an essay to summarize and tell what we think about it."
"Tomorrow?" his mom asked.
"Yeah! Possibly Sunday too, not sure, but they're a good group of people! Can't believe I didn't meet them sooner." Devon said as confidently as he could.
"That's good to hear, I told you time would help! Dinner will be ready soon, so go do any homework you have until it's ready."
Devon did so, making his way to his room, feeling bad he lied to his mom. Although he did have a book to read, hanging out with friends sounded better in his mind than, 'Hey Mom, I'm going into the woods in the middle of nowhere to read and explore by myself.'
He set his backpack aside and thought back to the peaceful nature of the woods. Part of him was excited to head back there tomorrow, like a calling. It was a new place to explore and maybe even find something new he would like.
His mom called not an hour later for dinner, Devon had worked on some of his homework and laid in his bed for the rest of the time. Upon getting to the table and sitting in his chair, he was greeted with a warm plate with mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, and the main course, Alfredo. It had always been his favorite since childhood, his mom made it better than anyone.
Watching his mother take the seat across from him, she said grace before they dug in. What spoke loudest to Devon at first was his dad's absence, which made Devon feel oddly uncomfortable, seeing as how they always ate together as a family before.
"When is Dad coming home?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh probably another hour or two dear, would you like to stay up? It is the weekend after all."
"No thanks," he said taking another bite, "remember I have the study group?"
His mom waved a fork in his direction, "Chew with your mouth closed."
Devon nodded, putting his head down slightly. His mom started in again, "Your father and I have actually been talking, and thought it might be time to get you a phone of sorts so we can contact you if you're going to start going out and about."
Devon coughed, nearly choking on his food, "Wait, seriously?!"
His mom chuckled, "Better to be safe than sorry, we were going to go shopping tomorrow and grab you one. Do you want to come with us?"
"Study group," Devon said simply. The lie felt more gross the more he kept it up, but he didn't want his mom to worry.
"I'm sorry sweetie. Well, do you have a preference for any brand or style?" his mom asked.
Finishing his bite, "No, I think I'll just be happy to have any kind of phone."
A brief silence was shared, the two of them smiling at each other with the sounds of silverware clinking against plates. Devon felt a bit awkward as the silence grew longer, but kept eating and didn't say anything. He was finished before he realized it and was leaving the table even before his mom was done eating.
"All done?" she asked.
"I have a long day tomorrow, I'm just gonna shower and brush my teeth before heading to bed," Devon said placing his dish in the sink.
"Alright, well, see you tomorrow after your study?"
"Yeah, I'll be back then," he said making his way to the stairs.
"Alright sweetheart, I love you, sleep well!"
"I love you too Mom!" Devon said halfway down the stairs.
After getting to his room, he started to prep for his day in the woods.
YOU ARE READING
Dragon's Gate
FantasíaDevon doesn't know what to expect after moving to North Carolina. He can't make friends, and his relationship with his parents is starting to crumble, so Devon finds his peace in the nearby mountain forests. Devon learns to accept that his future wi...
