Where Will I Go

23||Loner Phase

Won't you give me distance
Just swallow the words you put on my plate
And maybe then you'd listen
And I could get out of this one act play
You see me waving my white flag
~~~~~~~

"I'm only gonna be gone for a week!" Alex tried to reason with his mother, but the middle-aged woman remained stubborn.

Since the day Bristol had asked him to join her to go to a ski resort during winter break, the young boy and his mother argued constantly about it. In Alex's point of view, he was going to be leaving December 27th, and would be back by January 4th. Therefore he wouldn't miss Christmas (not that he celebrated it personally, anyway) with the family, and would be spending most of winter break with them either way. However, in his mother's point of view, they would finally be able to celebrate Christmas and relax during their break without having to worry about his father. In her eyes, it was rude for him to be leaving his family during such an important time of the year. Especially with Jesse leaving to Tennessee for college soon, they wouldn't be able to have a family gathering for quite some time after Christmas.

"I don't care, Alex." She bickered. "It's Christmas, you're supposed to be spending it with the family."

"Oh my god, mom!" He groaned irritably. "I am going to be here for Christmas! I'm just gonna be leaving 2 days after."

"So? You'll still be missing New Year's."

"Nobody does Jack Squat on New Year's. It's literally just like every other single day, just with more fireworks... And alcohol." He grumbled, mumbling the last part quietly to himself.

"Alex, don't be ridiculous." The woman scoffed.

"I think I'm being perfectly reasonable, actually."

"Well, of course you do. I doubt you've even considered how you're going to get a ride there."

"Ran said he'd drive me."

His mother looked at him strangely. Her eyes were squinted in confusion, and one eyebrow was raised quizzically.

"Who's Ran?" She asked.

The young boy stuttered, as he remembered that he had never told his mother about Ran. But now that the situation was there, what was he supposed to say? Should he have been honest and said he was his boyfriend? Or maybe he should've lied, and told her that he was just a friend who would also be going on the trip. After a mini debate in his head, and several seconds of giving his mom the poker face, he decided that it was better to be safe than sorry.

"He's just a friend." He bluffed. "He's going on the trip too. He offered to drive me if I didn't have another ride."

If he hadn't of paused before answering, then his answer could've been convincible. If he hadn't of fidgeted nervously, then it might've worked. But the issue there, was that he had paused, and he had fidgeted, and it was obvious now that he was blatantly lying. It was so clear that he was bluffing, that his nose might as well of started growing.

His mother stared at him knowingly. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she waited for him to either continue with his lie or cave in.

"Alex." She warned.

"I'm telling the truth!" The brunet swore, putting his hand over his heart for emphasis.

The woman rolled her eyes, and Alex grumbled in defeat.

"Who is he?" She repeated, voice firm.

"He's a friend."

"Stop lying."