everything, everthing

owtsyd

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the universe and i don't seem to get along right now. i'm winning mom's game that we're playing in the den. fonetik is a lot easier than expected for most, and especially for my mom. but for some reason i'm leading by seven points. i have owtsyd, fridum, and seekrits. she frowns down at my board.

i look at the score then back at her. "are you sure that you added that right?" i ask. i didn't want to beat her at this and on top of everything else.

i take a piece of paper and a calculator to make sure she was right. i tallied all the scores, i won.

her eyes are on my face, staring straight at me. maybe i'm being paranoid but seems watchful the entire night. almost as if i was a puzzle she was figuring out, her eyes don't move. it's probably because i'm being selfish for wanting to be with farkle right now. every moment that i'm with him, i learn something new. i become someone new.

she takes the calculator from my hands and brings her hand to lift my chin. "what's going on, babygirl?"

i'm about to lie that i'm not feeling well when there's a sudden high pitched scream. another scream follows then with indistinct yelling and finally slams. we both spin and i start to make my way to the window when mom puts her hand on my shoulder. i let her hold me still, but another scream of "stop" has us both to the window.

the three of them, his dad, his mom, and farkle are outside on their porch. farkle has a arm, blocking his dad from reaching towards his mom. his fists are clenched and he's in fighter stance.

farkle and his dad face off. his dad holds a drink in his hand, swishing the ice cube around making a clicking sound. he finishes the drink, not taking his eyes off of farkle. he holds the empty glass for his mom to get but farkle tries to stop her. she does what she's told and gets the glass, but his dad grabs her wrists. she shrieks in pain as farkle breaks his mom free.

his dad doesn't seem happy as he strikes to hit farkle, but misses each time from farkle's quick reflexes. that angers him even more. farkle tries to take the attention away
from his mom, which works. he's able to push his dad back onto a wall, but he doesn't fall.

farkle dodges left and right when punches are made. he steps backwards down the porch steps as his dad swings again. the momentum sends farkle flying down the stairs and lands on the concrete driveway.

farkle doesn't move. his mom gasps, running down to her hurt son. mom has her arms around me and my forehead leans against the window. my breath gets heavy as i wait for the next move.

farkle tries to move his mom away but she doesn't listen. his dad eventually makes his way down the steps, hoisting his mom up like a trophy. she yells when farkle interferes before a punch sends him back down. his dad lets go of his mom and begins to kick farkle. his brunette hair swaying back and forth.

his mom screams and so i do. he kicks again.

i don't know what happens next since i'm running to the front door, and out the air lock. i don't think, i just move.

i don't know i just need to see him.

i hear mom screaming but i don't listen. i'm a lot faster than her.

i sprint across the grass lawn closest to his house until i lunge myself forward in front of farkle.

"stop!" i yell out. they both freeze momentarily look at me shocked. i ignore the looks and face farkle. my arms are on his shoulders.

"are you okay?"

he looks up at me from the face of pain to joy to fear. "what are you doing, may?"

"i needed to make sure you were okay," i say. my hand caresses his cheek and we share a smile.

"go back inside, mayflower. i'm fine," he tries to reassure me but clutching his stomach doesn't help.

my mom reaches out and grabs my arm, dragging me away.

"you promise you're okay?" i cry out.

"i promise may, go back inside," the full weight of our feelings for each other hangs between us.

"i promise," he says again as i'm dragged inside.

-

"outside, maya!" mom paces around the living room as i sit on the sofa.

"i'm sorry," i say, knowing that it still won't make anything better. then it hits me. did i really go outside? just for the sake that farkle doesn't get doubled in pain? i risked my life for that?

"why though, honey? why risk your life for a stranger?" mom kneels in front of me and places her hands in mine. she sees through me and frowns even more. "he's not a stranger is he?"

"just an online friend," i say. "i wanted to make sure he was okay."

i'm shaking. more than i think i am and my heart doesn't stop pounding. my shaking seems to derail my mom's questioning and sends her into worry mode.

"did you touch anything?" she asks over and over again. i respond "no" each time.

"it was less than a minute," i say for both of our benefits.

"sometimes a minute is all it takes."

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