Players Run the Game (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 16: Cushion the impact

Charlie's Point of View:

       After we came from dinner with George parents he walked with me back home because he parents told him to go back to the party we threw with a couple of people from school... A little fibble here and there but I did it for my friend. So it's okay.

        George and I were playing video games after cleaning everything up, when the house door opened. To my surprise my parents walk through the door. I jumped up not having seen them in months. 7 months and two weeks to be exact. They came home early this time!

       I crush my dad and mom into a hug and they hug back but my mom  just pats my back awkwardly. She doesn't like affection much. I shrug it off. She pulls back from the hug first while dad follows shortly after kissing my forehead and ruffling my hair.

       "Why is there a boy in the house? You whoring around now?" My mom jumps to conclusion making me furrows my eyebrows she doesn't act like this when comes home after their regular time maybe she's just mad she didn't have enough vacation time.

        My dad gaze travels to George and he scowls. Dads are going to be protective when it comes to boys obviously. Parents are parents, so I brush my mom off.

       "This is George, he's my best friend!" I shake my head rapidly in which my father nods off his Guard and my mom keeps pressing.

          "Yeah right! Next thing you know she'll be a drop out and a mom. We should've never had a disgrace like you and I will always regret not getting the abortion." She yells in me face and she sends a slap to my cheek before I can even process what she said. My mom doesn't even hit hard so I didn't flinch it σя even move but I'm pretty sure it's a red mark there.

         "Aye! Watch your fucking hands there lady?" George comes to stand beside me while my dad gapes at my mom dumbfounded.

       Her words finally sink in and pain courses through me. Pulsating, pushing at my every nerve. Everything finally starting to catch up.

         "Jeanna what is wrong with you? Feeding our daughter bullshit like that and putting your hands on her are you out of your mind?" He hisses before turning to me. "Baby girl I think she's just tired she doesn't mean it." His tone softens from the rough voice he used to mom. She scowls at our exchange.

      "Yes the hell I do. I never wanted you. I had you because of your father and it would be good for our image. Now that your a whore there's no need for you. gєт συт." My mom seethes. Her words hurt more than her slap.

       More pain courses through me. Bones, heart, me infected. All the pain I pushed away, all the sadness I pushed away, all the effort I made to treasure life, crumbling. I almost allowed myself to feel that emotion sadness. Anger. No I didn't need that. I wanted happiness. I have friends now. I have me and life gets better. I hope.

            "Jeanna shut the hell up what has gotten into you?" My dads face is red with anger. Can he feel what I feel? It's like the words were aimed at him.

             "No Pete! Do you want to know why I always convinced you into leaving? Want to know why you miss your precious little one? Because I didn't want to see her. I didn't want her and she's all you ever think about." Mom..Jeanna seethes back at him. She's not tired. She meant it. So I was right? My parents don't love me. Well, I don't know about dad. She never wanted me? She never loved me? Dad loves me right? Dad loves me! ....right?

           Dad starts screaming at her again and I silently tug Georges arm out of the house. I should've never been born. I made my moms life bad that's why she didn't want to вє around me. I should've done something differently. Have I really been a bad daughter? Oh gosh, what if I'm a bad friend.

       George and I are walking, wandering all though I don't know where when I think. Is he ok? Does he still want to be my friend knowing I was a punishment to a woman's life? That I tore my family apart. I know he's thinking it. I know it so! We see Alex walking too and he slowly comes to join us. He still hasn't gotten used to friends yet.

      I flash him a smile pushing aside the events of tonight. It will be okay. Everything will get better! It always does. Just like when I was lonely I have friends now. I'm happier than I was.

         "Hey Alex!" I chirp much to Georges amazement. He jumps back as if burnt and stops in his tracks. He gives me the face when I already know what his question is.

         "How?" He squints his eye seeing something only he would see.

        Alex and I both confused ask him the same question at the same time. "How what?"

      I snicker at it and so does Alex. George stands in front of me and bends down to grab onto my shoulders while crouching to my eye level. "Is everything -" his eyes flicker to Alex- "okay. Charlie it's not okay you can let it out." Thank him for not letting it slip to Alex.

"Why wouldn't she be fine? Charlie what happened?" Alex's curiosity will not be fulfilled because I would never flood my problems to someone else.

Too bad George did it for me...

"She What?" Alex exclaimed. "What type of mother says that to her child?.. Well maybe she didn't mean it." Alex sighs and gives me a pity stare.

"It's okay I'm going to be alright." I smile trying to ease their states off of me. "She means it though because all my life they've never been home. They just got back from 7 months ago and they never spend a week at home. I barely know anything about them but I assumed they loved me because I'm their child but I shouldn't of assumed I guess. Please don't give me pity stares because I honestly got over it already and I don't need your pity." I kind of snapped the last part to get my point across and both of them looked away.

"Ok." Alex says at the same time George says :

           "Alright." Same answers, two different meanings. Ones convinced and the others not.