Long Gone

Amir

I went back home with a feeling that something bad might happen. Walking on this cracked concrete pavement didn't feel as relaxing as it used to be. The backpack over my left shoulder burdened me; more than it should be but I didn't mind. Those fallen leaves drift into the sky as a car swiftly passed by. The trees lined up naked along the sidewalk. Branches reaching out as if they're about to snatch the life out of me.

Take it.

My neighbor, Mrs. Lian been washing her car since the moment I left home for school. Woman, do you even have a life? Like seriously, it's been like 8 hours. Her car is practically drowning by all the water that's been poured onto it, sheesh. As I came closer to her, I literally could feel her glare at me; pure hatred. This was nothing out of the ordinary in my daily life. it's amazing that when someone does something good, they forget them. While if it was the opposite? Yeah, complete rejection of one's existence.

The nearer I got to the house, the gloomier the atmosphere became. In front of me, my house, the only place I could call a safe haven in this godforsaken world. I walked up the front way and turned the doorknob. Locked. Figures. Didn't want any unwanted visitors she said. I entered the backyard, my sister was out here talking to her annoyingly clingy boyfriend on the phone. Relationships, oh how I despise those things now. At the far side of my eye, I peeked at the looming spiky brown carcass standing with stillness to it. Big ol' green had been reaching for the sky with its claw-like branch waiting to be free. So was my heart.

I enter the backdoor to see my mum preparing dinner on the table. This smell, what was it? Nasi Lemak? I can't really tell with this stuffed nose. nothing really goes well these days. My stomach roared. I haven't eaten since lunch, not since that day I guess.

"I'm home", no reply.

Sure, that's how I'm treated here ever since that day. She must've given up with me. Climbing the stairs was getting harder day by day. As usual, There's that thumping sound inside of Ana's speaker blasting from her room. So that's why she went outside. Into my room where everything was gray, I toss my shitty bag across the room and leaped for my bed. I took the novel from the desk and open it in front of me.

Amir! Amir! Come down here !!

"In a minute! "I lazily replied.

I knew from the tone of my mother's voice that she was furious. I closed my Kite Runner book and slowly got out of my bed and went out of my bedroom door. I strolled down the stairs and saw my mom waiting impatiently at the bottom of the stairs.

"YOU GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT YOUNG MAN!!," shouted my mother.

I rolled my eyes. "Mom please, I'm 18 years old."

"You got into a fight with your friend didn't you."

How does she know about this stuff? I caught a glimpse of something very familiar on the screen of her phone. It read the school. Great. News travels so freaking fast it's so annoying. "No I didn't. What're you talking about?" I try to lie.

"Don't play dumb with me Amir Faiz. Your eye is swollen."

Didn't really thought she would notice. She never looks at me nowadays. Heh. No point in lying now.

"Yeah, so what."

"So what?!" Young boy, you've been stirring a lot of trouble in the neighborhood lately. Mikhail's mother called y'know. She said you're becoming more and more violent. What happened, Amir. You're not like this."A look of worry. "You're grounded for a week. Now go back to your room and think about what you've done."

I look back at her. She's staring intently at me. Her facial expression showed that she was both angry and sad at the same time. Period maybe? Nahh. A week? Heh, I couldn't care less."Okay fine."I turn around and went up the stairs to my room. At least I have my phone.