Don't Leave Me Alone

Øut

-Skylar-
I decide not to race downstairs today, I don't feel up to it for some reason.

I silently sit in my chair feeling an awkward presence in the air.

What is wrong with me today?

My sister eyes me weirdly as I'm not as enthusiastic as she's used to, it doesn't matter. She'll live.

I shove the chicken my mom made into my mouth. Did I mention it was delicious?

"Are you okay, Skylar?" my mom asks seemingly concerned.

"I'm okay, Mom," I skewer another piece of chicken and she stops talking.

A few minutes later my dad clears his throat, "So, um, Seth... How's the job?"

My brother throws his head back laughing, "I'm not getting a job."

"You're not getting a job?" my dad laughs and my brother nods.

"So you're not getting money?" my father continues to cackle.

"Yeah," Seth laughs so hard he snorts. Then my father stops dead cold.

"Get out," he spits.

My brother pauses before saying, "You're joking."

"I'm not. You have tomorrow at 5pm to get the hell out of my house!" he yells.

"No!" I blurt and his heads turns to me.

"What?"

"You can't do that! He's your son! What kind of father are you?" I shout what I didn't know I held inside.

"Do you want to join him?"

"John--"

"I've got it, Stephanie."

"Do you really?" I mutter.

My father gets up and before I can react he's pulling me out of my chair. I try to run but he has an iron grip on my wrist, "I want you out tomorrow by 5pm as well."

I stare at my feet and he shakes me shouting, "Do you understand?!" I nod and when he lets go I slump to the ground. I hear a chair scrape across the ground so I get up and go to my room for fear it was my father.

I make sure to lock my door. I sit in my closet, head on my knees just thinking. Where will I go? How will I provide for myself? What if I don't leave?

I hear my phone buzz from my bed so I slowly crawl over and check it.

Tyler: "you seem quiet tonight"

I decide to text him back.

Me: "I should have come over."

Tyler: "everything ok?"

Me: "I don't know anymore"

Tyler: "what happened?? Talk to me, Sky"

Me: "I'm not sure what happened myself"

Tyler: "please, I want to help you. I know you aren't ok!"

Me: "I can't right now, Tyler, please understand"

Tyler: "no rush but if you need help, you need help"

I don't answer. I don't even have the heart to tell him. I angrily shove some clothes into a suitcase but within minutes I crumple to the floor and cry.