Oddity

26

"You're gonna be spending the month at your Mom's. We already talked out everything. Go pack up please," Dad declared in a softer tone.

I wanted to protest. I did not like not being able to see Mitch. I did not like the idea of spending a month with Mom.

But I did not protest, because it would not help anything.

So, I went up to our bedroom. Zack was sitting on his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest. "I'm so sorry Scott..." he murmured, just above a whisper.

I stared at him for a moment, but I did not respond.

The drive to Mom's was silent. I expected some kind of lecture, but Dad had stayed quiet.

When we arrived, I had to watch uncomfortably as Dad explained to her that I had been responsible for bringing Zack to a drug deal.

She began to cry, and once Dad left, she began to yell at me.

She told me that I was careless and irresponsible. She had been drinking before we arrived, so her anger was even more fueled.

I did not speak, and it made her angrier.

She asked me what was wrong with me, and why I couldn't be normal. And then she told me that she and Dad should've sent me away a long time ago. After this, she sat at the table, grumbling to herself and shaking her head.

I did not speak. It was hard to speak and cry at the same time.

...

I did not like this punishment. It had been a week, and I felt like I was dying.

It was very lonely at Mom's place. She worked a lot, and I was not allowed to leave so I was usually alone.

I could not call or see Mitch, and I had no other friends anyway.

I could not even talk to Zack, Lauren or Lindsay.

I could not go any further than the front or back yard.

Whenever Mom was home, she would try to start an argument. I was not the type to argue, so I did not. This would make her angrier, but I still did not argue with her.

I did not think things could get worse, but there's always a possibility for anything. And things definitely got worse.

It had been almost a month since the drug deal, and I thought it had blown over.

Michael Turner was taunting Mitch, and Mitch forgot that he was not supposed to know about the drug deal. He slipped up and blamed Michael Turner for my state.

Michael laughed. "I knew sooner or later he'd tell you about it," he commented before smirking in my direction. "Didn't we have a deal?"

I instantly reached forward, grabbing Mitch by the hand and pulling him back. I stood in front of him, glaring at Michael. "Over my dead body," I challenged.

His chuckle made me flare my nostrils in anger as he stepped forward, eyes level with mine, "How about over his?" he murmured, looking toward Mitch.

I had never punched anyone before. It hurt, but it was satisfying seeing Michael Turner stumble backwards.

Before I could process, Michael tackled me at mywaist, and less than a moment later, I was being slammed into the lockersbehind me.