Him and I

Chapter 42

Ty POV

After we leave Nana house, we stop at a gas station. Dad said he hadn't had any time to get gas this week. Dad, Demrest, and I got out and went in. Demrest went right to the back to grab a slushee. I went and grab some other snacks. Dad went to pay for gas. Demrest stayed close to me. We check out and walked back to the car. She seemed like she had something to say, but didn't.

When we got in the house, I went right to my room. I didn't realize the tears I was holding back. I slid down my wall and started to cry again. This amount of tears is unsavory. I brought my knees to my chest and let it all out. So much so that I didn't notice my door open. Before I realized I was hoisted off the floor. Dad was holding me bridal style and bouncing me. "Shhh is my big baby sad?" He made kissy sounds. He flipped me up and put me on his hip and kept bouncing. "Daddy's here, shhh, it's okay."

It took me a minute to understand what he was doing. I started to laugh. I pushed off of him and he put me on the ground. I just looked at him and smiled. "Wrong child. I think your lack of sleep is making you delusional!" He laughed.

I walked over to my bed and sat down. He followed behind me. He laid on the other side of my bed. I started to tell him how I didn't wanna go to college and about how I was scared. And about how I was mad at Nana for pressing the matter and whooping my ass. He listened. I told him I felt like he was gone love me less if I didn't go to school and about how truly I was scared that after I graduated high school, he would be done with me. I had seen online video and kids never speaking to their adoptive parents ever again after they turned 18.  I didn't want that to be me. To be us. 

Saying that aloud made me start crying all over again. Dad just rubbed my back. I continue to spill. "And I know I sound ridiculous. Because you've never given me a reason to feel this way and you work so hard to raise me and my siblings. And I love you." I just keep crying. He sits up and rubs my back. I just sob.

We stay together until my sobs die down. Exhaustion is apparent in his eyes. He goes back to work in 2 weeks. He should be with the baby. I sit up and wipe my eyes. Dad is still just looking at me. "Lay down Ty. Go to sleep. I'm gone stay right here. I think you need a nap, like your brother." He laughed. You know, he's probably right. I lay back down. He keeps rubbing my back. Before I know it, I'm asleep.

The next couple weeks whizz by. Adonis is finally on a sleep schedule. Dem hasn't been as bitchy. I guess she  just needed to get some sleep. She's much better. I've been researching some college alternatives. I think I'm just gonna do a gap year and work. Stay home and take care of the baby. Stay with Demerest one more year. I'm gonna tell dad about it. He said I can do whatever I want.

Final bell rings and I head right to student parking. I wait at the door for Demrest to come. Car after car leaves. The parking lot thins out. Where is she? I checked our shared calendar. No practicing today. I text her, she about to get left. I end up waiting for another half hour. She comes jogging out the building.

"And where were you?" She gets in and slams my door. Well our. I guess. She doesn't say anything immediately. I'm just gonna drive us home. We ride the entire time in silence. When we get to the house, she doesn't move. "What happened Demrest?" She looked down and started crying. Oh, she about to get her ass beat. I can tell by how she crying.

I uncrank the car. I wait for her to say something. "Ty, I really been trying not to stress Abigail and Andre out. But I hate Ms.Bryan so bad. She just is so mean and her class is so hard..." I'm just waiting on the whoopable offense. "Today while I was in class, I just didn't get it. So I started talking to some other kids. We were just a chatting. Then she just started handing out detentions! When she gave it to me, I shrugged. When we was leaving the class I threw it away. Her bitch ass called me back into class. She started to lecture me about misbehaving and stressing out Andre and the new baby! I told her to shut the fuck up cuz' she don't know what she talking about! She told me, she'd be calling Abigail. I told her that I don't give a fuck. And I walked out her class and on to my next one." There it goes. She probably could have gotten away with her saying she don't give a fuck, but she directly disrespected that lady. Poor her.

I reached for the door, she kept talking. "Ty I'm not done." Oh okay. I closed the door. "Then I went to my next class and fought this other girl. I was angry that sh e Calle Abigail and I just... lost my temper." Ohh yea. She's done for. Since the whole jumping, brawl incident at her basketball game Dad has had special no fighting rules. A fight is an automatic meeting with his belt. No questions. "That's what I'm really upset about. I could have talked my out if it was just Ms.B but the fighting! He's gonna get me good!" I don't have anything to say. She's very much right. I'm scared for her.

We both walk into the house hand in hand. I'll hold her for as long as I can. When we come in Abigail is on the couch with Adonis and dad is in the kitchen. Demrest looks at me. I look at her. I try to head towards Adonis. She pulls me towards the kitchen. I follow. Dad turns around and looks at the both of us. He greets us. We both give him a hug. I can't read him. He doesn't seem pissed, but something is clearly up. We pull back. I start to walk to the island, Dem close behind me. I put my bag down on the floor. I began to unbutton my shirt. Demrest sits beside me and glances up at Dad from time to time. She's waiting for him to address it. Me too, hell.

Demrest and I continue business as usual. We joke, play,
and do homework. I hold Adonis while Abigail goes and takes a shower. Dad changes the channel to something else. He's going back to work next week and Adonis is going to day care. I wonder if they're ready. I'm not.

We eat dinner, I feed Adonis, I hand him off to go take my shower. Demrest follows me to my bed room with the baby and sits on my bed. It's kinda aggravating when she follows me around like this. Then I remember we're gonna be grown soon and she won't want nothing to do with me. That's the real scarey thing. I'll get over my aggravation.

While I'm in the showers I hear my door open. Uh oh. I hear dad talking but I can't make out what he's saying. He's not yelling though. I hear the door close. Hmm.

I finish my shower and come out. Demrest is still sitting on my bed with Adonis. I ask her wassup. "He said when you get done to give you Adonis and come to their room. And to not mess around." She's so sad. I just nod. She puts Adonis down and walks to the door. She looks back at me over her shoulder. A final send off into battle. I smile back. She exits and goes out the door.

I lay on my bed and stare at my brother. I love him so much. WHACK. And so it begins. Adonis jumps a little. Can't believe he's gonna be a bad ass little boy one of these days. WHACK. I turn my tv on and focus on the show. Adonis is tired. Maybe he can sleep with me tonight.

My eyes flutter open. Only a few minutes have passed. My door opens. I squint my eyes, trying to adjust to the light. It's Demrest. She walks in silently and closes the door. She crawls into my bed and slips under the covers. Her tear stained face says it all. I reach around her and pull her a little closer. She wasted no time going to sleep.

It's at this moment. I've decided I'm gonna take a gap year. I wanna hang around just a little bit longer.