𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖔𝖕𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖎𝖆 - 𝖆𝖕𝖔𝖑𝖑𝖔

Chapter 3 - Grover unexpectedly loses his pants

We decided to ditch Grover the second we got off the bus. Poor guy got so nervous he needed to go to the toilet. The whole way to Manhattan he was muttering under his breath about the meanings behind reasons, or the other way around, what-ever-the-hell he meant by that. I wasn't paying that much attention, still creeped from the old ladies and about every other thing that happened after that. And before that, for about a year.

After complaining for around fifteen minutes that my feet hurt, Percy finally gave in to calling a taxi and then we were of to home. To mum.

Here's something about her. She's the most caring person ever even when she has every right to be angry and horrible. She wanted to be a novelist, but her world crushed down before she even begun to live it when her parents died in a plane crash. She was five. After she moved in with her uncle who didn't care much about her at all. Because of his illness she never got to finish her high school diploma. Than the worst thing that could possibly happen to her happened.

She met our father and had us. He abandoned her before we were even born.

Then she  married the asshole that lives in our apartment. Gabe was the only reason I ever raised my voice to mum. For years I begged her to leave him. To throw him out and let him rot in the streets. She never did.

Now she has two eighteen year old kids that have been kicked out of yet another school. Perfect gift for coming home.

Speaking of coming home, the taxi came to a stop in front of the apartment building. I glanced at the price atop the inside window and my eyes widened. The prices only kept on rising and jobs were harder and harder to get. One summer both Percy and I worked three jobs just to get by. Now you can't even get three jobs. After a bit of bickering in front of a very impatient driver we finally emptied our pockets and paid half the price each.

The second we entered the apartment I could smell the cigars. Few steps in I found exactly from where, or rather whom it was coming from. Gabe sat in the living room with his friends. Half of them looked over me and smirked. I made a disgusted face, unable to remine unaffected. From the looks of it mum hadn't been home for a few hours. There was leftover food all over and more cans of bear then glasses, all empty and on the floor.

"So, you're home." Gabe said, not even looking at us.

"Where's mom?" Percy asked, already angry. His nose was scrunched so much that his brows touched. It had to be because of the cigarettes, he could never stand them. I smoked enough packs over the years that I wasn't as bothered anymore. I never actively did it, but every once in a while when I would sneak of to go to a club or something alike, I would give in to the offers.

Once, when it had been my turn to bring them, I had to steal them from my step-father. That was the first night he looked for me when I was out past curfew. Mum and Percy worked night shifts that day. He threw me in the car and drove us to the apartment where he beat me bloody and then kicked me out. I was so tired and hurt that I fell asleep on the ground in front of the door.

Mum found me in the morning and let me in with her keys. Cleaned me up and made me a meal after, promised he would never do that again. As I was washing dishes after dinner, Gabe came from behind me and took out the flame from cigar on my shoulder. Said something like: If you ever steal from me again, you will feel this a lot more. I still have the scar. I never stole again, but the burning never stopped. I never saw those friends again, either.

"Working." He said, confirming my guess. "You got any cash?" 

"No." I told him bluntly. Every time he saw us he asked for cash. When we were kids we always gave him in fear that he would hurt us. I didn't give a fuck anymore.