Breaking "Bad"

S i x t e e n

Dedicated to @jojo296502 for being really supportive of this book :)

~Hailey~

I was in the middle of revising for a test when my parents started fighting. It was the fourth time that evening they'd started to bicker about some nonsense, and it was beginning to piss me off. Sighing, I put down my pen and cradled my head in my hands. Why couldn't they just stop?

Something smashed - maybe a vase or a glass - becoming the final straw for me. Forcing my chair back, I pushed it towards my desk and headed for the stairs.

"- Well if you'd bothered to have looked, you would have seen that I'd paid the bills last month!" My mother was tapping her foot against the linoleum tiling in the kitchen, her arms crossed. She almost looked comical.

I repressed a sigh.

My father was standing next to the sink, the remainder of a wine glass held in his hands. His posture was so stiff it was a wonder he could actually stand that way. "Talk to me like that again, Lorraine and I'll -"

"You'll what?" My mother countered, taking a step forward. "Sleep with that damned PR again? What was her name again? Lindsey, was it?" It was either my imagination or her voice actually shook with indignation, making me pause in surprise. "You've done that too many times for it to be a legible threat anymore, Darren! This whole marriage has gone to shit and you've done nothing to stop it with your grotesque affairs!"

My mouth dropped at the cuss.

Rarely did my mother ever swear. She thought it was unlady-like; a trait reserved only for those of a lower class. To hear her do so could only mean one thing: My father had pushed her over the edge.

She certainly looked it.

My father pushed himself away from the sink and threw the remaining bit of glass on the floor. I flinched. "Damnit, woman! This marriage has gone to shit because of you!" As he moved closer, she jutted her chin out with defiance. "Do you think I wanted any of this?" He asked, gesturing around the room with his arm.

"We've got a daughter who fucking pushed another girl down the stairs and it stemmed from the lack of attention you've given her! She has issues, Lorraine! Christ! Not to mention you ignore me every time I enter the bloody house!

It's like you don't even recognise me. You make no effort with our marriage at all." My mother's lips trembled as he stepped closer yet. I almost felt sorry for her. "Would it kill you to be a little bit less cold?" This last bit was spoken with a particular level of spite.

I instantly knew he'd gone too far.

My mother screamed. It was a sound so full of rage and despair that I was sure my heart would snap in two at any moment.

It was then that my father finally noticed me.

On meeting my stare he exhaled loudly and dropped his gaze, refusing to look at me. "Get out, Hailey."

I was unable to move, frozen to the spot when my mother whirled around, tears streaming down her face. "You," she spat, "This is your fault!"

My father cursed.

Her hand shook as she pointed at me in accusation, "You were never good enough!" I stiffened as she continued with her onslaught, feeling both weak and disoriented at the harsh retorts.

"You were never going to follow in my footsteps, were you?" She sniffed. "Or your father's." Her face twisted with rage as she kept on going, spitting out horrible things to make me feel of even less importance.