Bad Boy Games

Chapter 8

This chapter is kinda short. Just warning you now. Enjoy!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                I must have fallen asleep because I woke up with a start and almost fell off the bed when my phone went off. Groaning, I rolled over and got up, stumbling around to find my discarded jeans from earlier. Finally finding them and digging around in the pockets, I pulled my phone out and squinted when I tried to read the new text. I lowered it from my face for a moment and rubbed my eyes. Then I tried to read it again, with more success this time.

                Winter: Hey! I just got home. Now tell me what happened!!!

                I frowned and pursed my lips, trying to think of something to tell her that sounds believable.

                Me: Hi. Sorry I left last night. I felt sick so I decided to walk home. I didn’t want Mom to worry about me so I snuck into my room and asked you to cover for me. I guess I had a bug or something but I feel fine now. My phone’s about to die but I’ll txt u tomorrow! Love youz! <3

                I sent the message and shrugged. It’s not the best story I could have come up with but it’s better than nothing. I put my almost-dead phone on the charger and went into the bathroom, brushing my teeth and hair.

                I heard a door close downstairs and a little voice floated up the stairs. Mom and Michael are home. Pulling my hair back into a messy bun, I yawned and left my room, trudging down the stairs.

                Michael saw me and instantly ran over, flinging himself into my arms and planting a huge kiss on my cheek.

                “Hey Tiger! How was your day?” I asked him. He grinned and looked at me happily.

                “Good!” He said excitedly. Mom came in a second later with a Wal-Mart bag full of groceries. Giving him a kiss on the cheek as well, I set Mikey down and went to help her bring them in. Michael always helps us put the groceries away. He’s a good little helper.

                I went out to the car and pulled a few bags out of the trunk, carrying them into the kitchen and setting them on the counter. Mom and I carried all of the bags in and Michael helped us put them away. When we were done he went to play with his toys and I stayed in the kitchen with Mom.

                “Lyla?” She said. I looked up from the sandwich that I’m making. She looked at me worriedly.

                “Yeah Mom?” I asked.

                “The school called me today. They said that you weren’t there. Where were you?”

                “I didn’t feel good when I woke up so I decided not to go and stayed home.” She looked relieved but then sent me another worried glance.

                “Are you alright?” I nodded.

                “Yeah; I feel fine. I think I just had a bug or something but it’s gone now,” I told her, saying the same thing that I had told Carter and Winter. I really do hate lying to them but again, I can’t tell them the truth or they would all freak out. Mom, probably not as much, but still.

                “Okay, honey. Well, if you feel sick again just tell me and I’ll call the school. I don’t want to make you go if you don’t feel good.” I nodded and smiled. Mom is really laid back compared to some other parents. If I feel sick she won’t make me go to school and if I don’t want to go somewhere she won’t make me.

                I ate my sandwich and helped her make dinner. Then I went upstairs to my room to take a shower and lay down for bed. I’m really tired for some reason. Shrugging it off, I took my iPod and iHome into the bathroom like every time I take a shower. I turned the water on and waited for it to get warm before stepping in. Turning on ‘The Kill’ by 30 Seconds to Mars, I stripped down and put my clothes onto the counter.

                I know I have to tell Mom about Dad being here but I don’t know how she’ll react. I also have to tell her about Landon calling me. She’s not going to be happy and we’ll both probably end up crying. When she cries it makes me have to cry. But why would Dad come back? I’m not going to forgive him for cheating on Mom. Maybe I could have after a while but not now, not after all the other crap that he’s done.

                He hasn’t called, texted, emailed, sent letters, or anything to contact us until he called Mom the other day. When he was gone he was hooking up with sluts and gambling and all the other shit he’s been doing. He doesn’t pay child support and has never even seen Michael! He doesn’t care that he has three kids and a brokenhearted ex-wife. His oldest kid, Landon, doesn’t even live with us anymore because of him, I had to deal with having my daddy ripped out of my life when I was younger without any warning, and Michael doesn’t know what it’s like to have a dad.

                He only knows the life that Mom and I have provided for him and that’s probably the only life he will ever know. Sure, he’s happy enough, but he still needs a dad, someone who he can talk to about ‘guy stuff’ when he gets older, someone who will take him fishing and who can explain things to him that he might want to know. It breaks my heart every time he asks us why daddy doesn’t love us, and why his big brother is never here. For all of these reasons, I can’t and won’t forgive that man for what he’s done.

                I felt tears flow down my face and I sniffed, blinking them away. Washing up, I shut the water off and wrapped a towel around myself, blow-drying my hair. Then I got dressed and flopped down on my bed, closing my eyes and falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.