Of Kings and Queens

15/Commemoration/

-* FLASHBACK *-
•July, 29•

"But I don't want to stay for the summer, mother. I don't like the room I'm in! I like the mansion back home!"

"Your father left for Japan yesterday and you are staying! I want you to spend this time carefully studying the upcoming materials. I mean it! No consorting around with girls like your cousin Marcus!"

"Mother, please,"

"No, Oliver. For all this pointless argueing, I'm going to request your administrator of accommodation to relocate you to a public room. Then you will see how much you do not want to become those horrible nameless unknowns! Your marks must improve!"

"Stop yelling at me! I'm doing my best!"

"Obviously you're best isn't good enough, Oliver!"

•October, 3rd•

"I try to laugh about it,
Cover it all up with lies.
I try and laugh about it,
Hiding the tears in my eyes.
'cause boys don't cry,
Boys don't cry."

"Your grades better improve, Oliver. Your best isn't enough. Try harder and don't bother coming home this Christmas. You're not welcome."

He threw his phone at the wall with such velocity that it smashed into dozens of pieces. Oliver sat down against the stone brick wall as violent sobs over took his entire body. A numb feeling set in his gut.

Even his own mother didn't think he was good enough.

It wasn't as if he was a bad student. He got 90s in most subjects he did. Apparently that wasn't enough.

He had yet to see his father since the news of his favourite uncle's untimely death reached his ears. His mother wouldn't even let him come home for Christmas this year. Apparently he was to stay put, and focus on studying.

He tried to think of where his sister was. Whether she was drinking coffee from a café in New York, or if she was volunteering in Zimbabwe.

Less than a year ago his mother's side of the family burned his sister Jamie's name off the family tapestry. Her name no longer holding any meaning to her immediate relatives, she destroyed all ties with them all, even him.

She had lost her name. The sole thing that everyone with a name feared.

Now that he thought about it, as the tears that fell freely down his cheeks finally dried up, he didn't even need a minute to think about it. He knew exactly why Jamie left. He knew it and his parents knew he knew it aswell.

Of course, that's why they paid extra money to send him to boarding school on the other side of the country. And as he laid his forehead on his knees tucked up at his chest, he suddenly felt like he was falling apart, again.

The tightening in his collarbone began to choke him, and he loosened it the only way he knew how.

•••

"Slowly sinking, wasting.
Crumbling like pastries.
And they scream,
The worst things in life come free to us,"