heartstrings

Chapter 6

Nicholas
October 6th 2017

I slammed the door to my room, the echo of my father's angry shouts still ringing in my ears. Leaning against it, I tried to steady my breathing, but my chest felt tight, my fists still clenched in frustration.

"How dare you speak to her like that! She's pregnant, Nic! Show some respect!" my father had yelled with this thick italian accent in his voice. His face had turned a deep shade of red, and the veins in his neck bulged with rage. I couldn't remember how the argument started—something about chores—but it had quickly escalated.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. My father's accusations still stung. "She's not my mother!" I had shouted back, my voice cracking with anger and hurt.

"I don't care if she's not your mother!" he bellowed. "She is my wife, and you will treat her with respect. You've been acting out ever since she got pregnant, and I've had enough!"

Denise, my stepmother, had stood there, watching us with wide, uncertain eyes, one hand resting protectively on her swollen belly. I felt a pang of guilt seeing her like that, but my father's words had already set something off in me.

"I'm not acting out! I just don't want to be treated like a child who has to do everything she says! She's not my boss!" I had shot back, my frustration boiling over.

"This is my house, and you will follow the rules! You're part of this family whether you like it or not. And that means helping out and being respectful!" His voice was cold and final, like there was no room for my feelings or perspective.

I shook my head, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness. "I do help out! But it's never enough for you, is it? You always take her side!"

"She's pregnant, Nic! She needs our support, not your attitude!" he shouted, his face inches from mine. "You think this is easy for her? For any of us?"

"Oh, so now it's all about her?" I said, my voice thick with sarcasm and tears. "What about me? Do you even care how I feel?"

"How you feel?" He let out a bitter laugh. "You're a teenager, Nic. You don't know the first thing about responsibility or sacrifice. This family is about to change, and you need to grow up and accept that."

Don't let him get to you Nic.
Grow up.

"I'm trying, but you don't see that! All you see is what I do wrong!" i said with my voice slightly breaking.

"I see a boy who needs to learn some respect," he said coldly. "And until you do, there will be consequences."

That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. "You don't understand me at all," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. Then, I turned and stormed out of the house, ignoring his angry shouts behind me.

Once outside, the cool evening air hit my face, a stark contrast to the heated atmosphere inside. I walked quickly to my car, my steps fueled by anger and hurt. Climbing into the driver's seat, I slammed the door shut and rested my head on the steering wheel, my breaths coming in ragged gasps.

For several minutes, I just sat there, eyes closed, trying to calm the storm inside me. Slowly, my breathing steadied, the anger giving way to a deep, aching sadness. I wiped my face with my sleeve and pulled out my phone, sending a quick text to Matt: On my way. Be there in ten.

I tried really hard to calm myself down on the way to Matt's house. Although he knew my situation at home, the fights between me and my father and my stepmother always crying while we fought, I didn't want to bother him with my drama.

I pulled up to Matt's house, the familiar sight of the neatly kept lawn and the basketball hoop in the driveway bringing a sense of normalcy. I honked the horn lightly, and Matt appeared at the front door a moment later, bounding down the steps with his usual energy.

He slid into the passenger seat, his eyes scanning my face. "Hey, man. You okay? You look... tense. Are you alright?"

I forced a smile. "Yeah, just had a bit of a fight at home. Nothing new. Ready for the game?"

Matt nodded, a sympathetic look crossing his face before he changed the subject.
That's what I appreciated most about him, he always knew when to stop pushing for more information.
"Guess who's coming to watch us play tonight?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Lacy," Matt said, his grin widening. "And she's bringing some friends."

"Oh yeah?. Anyone we know?"

"Yeah, Eve's coming too," Matt said casually, but I could hear the teasing tone in his voice.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of my lips. "Let's just focus on winning the game."

The gym was alive with the sound of squeaking sneakers and the buzz of chatter. I felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as I stepped onto the court. The game was intense, both teams pushing hard, but Matt and I's team had the upper hand. With each basket, I felt the stress of the day melting away, replaced by the thrill of the game.

When the final buzzer sounded, we had won. I felt a surge of triumph, my earlier anger forgotten. As we gathered at the center of the court to shake hands with the opposing team, I noticed a group of girls approaching. Lacy, Eve, and two other friends were heading our way, all smiles and cheers.

"Great game, guys!" Lacy called out, her voice carrying over the noise of the gym.

I caught Eve's eye as she smiled at me, a look of genuine admiration on her face. I felt a warmth spread through me, different from the heat of anger I'd felt earlier.

"You guys were amazing!" one of Lacy's friends exclaimed, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Matt grinned, turning to me. "You know what this calls for? A celebration. Party at my place tonight. You girls in?"
Then Matt looked at the one guy in their group "You can come to of course !"

Lacy and her friends exchanged excited looks before nodding. "We're in," Lacy said with a smile.

I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Tonight, I'd forget about the fight, about the tension at home. Tonight, I'd celebrate the win with my friends. And maybe, just maybe, I'd get to know Eve a little better.