The LatchKey Kid

Broken Ribs

It was a week later that they finally release me after a mental health test came back stable. I grabbed my skateboard from the desk where Sky had left it, and heading home. I loved Sky I really did but I had to push her a way I wasn't going to drag her down with me. I just hope she understands. It was almost relief when I realized no one was home, I went through the front door racing up stairs before someone could get home. I really hated that I was so weak sometimes, geez I really am worthless aren't I? The moment Sky saw me she threw the window open and yelled, "Alex! Your home!" Before pretty much jumping from her window to mine. How could I break such a pretty girl's heart? "Hey Sky." She rushed to me nearly tackling me to the ground in a hug. Damn she wasn't going to make this easy. "Sky? Um we need to talk." Her look almost killed me, a face full of pain. I sat up, my arm lazily around her. "Sky, I love you and you know that but I won't drag you down with me. You need to stay away from me I'm no good for you." "What do you mean?" "We can't do this, it'll end badly for you I just can't" She stood up, pulling out of my arms. "So that's it? You're just not even going to try?" "Sky it's not like that!" "Then what is it Alex?! I fucking love you and all you're doing is pushing me away!" "You know what happens to everyone who gets to close to me it doesn't end well!" "Why can't we just try?!" "Schuyler I can't and I think you need to leave." I watched her walk away in tears, it tore my heart to bits. I took out the guitar she got me and played it to drown out the sound of the beautiful girl next door crying her eyes out.

It had been nearly a month since that night and I was dying without her. I know I sound like such a girl but I guess love can do that to a guy. I wanted to say sorry so many times but I just can't bring myself to say it to her. And this is where I started making my mistakes, I walked down stairs without checking first and ran right into my very drunk mother. "So the worthless thing lives and now thinks he just runs the house!" "No mother, sorry I wasn't paying attention" She slapped me hard across the cheek. "You'll be sorry when I'm done with you." She grabbed me by my neck slamming me against the wall before shoving me to the floor and kicking me in the ribs hard, I heard the cracks right before I went under. It was hours later when I came to it, I hissed in pain when I sat up and I knew what I needed to do. I hobbled to Sky's and knocked on her window. She opened it and looked at me with a face a pity. "What do you need Alex?" "Well I need a ride to the hospital but first I owe you an apology. I was dumb for running so yeah let's give it a go. Can we create something beautiful and destroy it?" The last part was quoting her favorite band. She nearly jumped out the window to hug me, "Yes Alex, yes we can." "Ribs Sky, broken ribs."