Torn Between Rivals

9.

"you think you can just walk around here like you own the place?!" my dad's voice echoed through the house, harsh and biting. his words hit me like a slap, sharp and unforgiving, and I could feel the familiar knot tightening in my chest.

i didn't respond. i never did. what was the point? it would only make things worse.

he stood there, glaring at me, his face twisted with frustration. "you're nothing but a burden in this house. you don't listen, you don't help, and all you ever do is cause problems. get out of my sight, aurora. i'm done with you."

my stomach dropped, and the room seemed to tilt for a moment, like the ground was shifting beneath me. he'd threatened to kick me out before, but something in his tone was different this time-harsher, more final.

"what are you waiting for?" he snapped, his eyes burning into mine. "get out."

i swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. for a moment, i just stood there, frozen in place, my mind racing. where would i go? what would i do? but i knew better than to question him. questioning him only made things worse.

without a word, i turned on my heel and headed for the door. my heart was pounding, my hands trembling slightly as i grabbed my jacket from the hook by the entrance. i glanced back, just for a second, hoping to see something-anything-that would make me feel like maybe this wasn't real, like maybe he didn't really mean it.

but his eyes were cold, indifferent, as if he couldn't care less if i walked out and never came back.

i stepped outside, the cool morning air stinging my skin. the door slammed shut behind me with a deafening thud, and the sound reverberated in my chest, making everything feel even more final. i didn't know what to do, didn't know where to go. all i knew was that i couldn't go back.

i pulled my hood up over my head and started walking, my feet moving on autopilot. school was the last place i wanted to be right now. the thought of sitting in a classroom, pretending everything was fine, pretending i could focus on math or english when my whole life was unraveling-it was impossible.

so i didn't go. instead, i kept walking, my shoes scuffing against the pavement as i wandered aimlessly through the streets. the city felt strangely quiet, like the world was moving on without me. cars passed by, people hurried along on their morning commutes, oblivious to the chaos inside me.

i didn't know how long i walked, but eventually, i found myself at the park. it was mostly empty, just a few early-morning joggers and a couple of kids playing on the swings. i made my way over to one of the benches near the edge of the playground and sat down, pulling my knees up to my chest.

what now?

the thought bounced around in my head, echoing over and over until it was the only thing i could think about. i had no money, no plan, and nowhere to go. oakley and ben were still at home, probably still asleep, and i couldn't bring myself to reach out to them. what would i even say? how could i explain that i'd been kicked out?

i sighed, resting my forehead against my knees, the weight of everything pressing down on me like a heavy blanket. this wasn't supposed to happen. i wasn't supposed to be sitting on a park bench, wondering where i'd sleep tonight. i wasn't supposed to feel this lost, this empty.

as the minutes ticked by, my phone buzzed in my pocket. i pulled it out, expecting another message from school, maybe something from oakley. instead, it was a notification reminding me of the time: 8:30 a.m. school had already started. the world kept moving, even when everything in mine felt like it had come to a halt.

i stared at the notification for a moment before shoving my phone back into my pocket. what did it matter, anyway? none of it mattered. not school, not the endless assignments or the classes i couldn't concentrate in. i felt numb, like everything around me was happening in slow motion, like i was watching my own life from a distance.