The Addie Alexander Challenge

⁕ 16| Oliver ⁕

As I pulled into the driveway, I suddenly felt cold. I turned my car off and ran into the house "Mom?" I called. There was no answer. "Mom!"

I ran throughout the house. I checked the master bedroom, the bathrooms and even the backyard. I stopped dead right outside the office in the basement. The door was open slightly and I could see my mom sitting in the chair in front of her desk. Her head was in her hands and her shoulders were shaking. Quiet sobs wracked her body. I looked closer and could see a small packet of papers on the desk in front of her.

I ran up the stairs and into my room. I threw my backpack on the floor and collapsed on the bed. I had a feeling I knew what the papers were. And I didn't want to think about it. To block out thoughts, I took out my phone and Googled ways to ask a girl to a dance. I spent a few minutes looking when I heard the garage door open. At nearly the same time, I got a text.

I ran throughout the house. I checked the master bedroom, the bathrooms, and watched out my window as her car pulled away. I ran back down to the basement. I threw open the door and saw the papers were still there. I took a step forward then back. Did I want to know? What if I was wrong and invading my mother's privacy? But I was nearly positive what it was.

As I walked forward, my heart began to thud. I was going to find out anyway so I might as well find out now.

From outside, I could hear the puffing of the bus. Hattie was home. It was now or never. I picked up the papers. I read the short sentence heading and my body turned to ice. Yes, this is what I thought it was. I put the papers down just as I had found them.

"Mom? Oliver?" Hattie called.

"Coming," I said shakily. I turned out of the room and closed the door. I came up the stairs and was face to face with Hattie. "Why are you down here?" she asked. I pushed past her. "Because I live here too."

"Why are you so mad?"

"Maybe cause you're here."

Hattie huffed. "I'm telling Mom!"

I whirled around. Hattie took half a step back. "Mom's not here," I growled. "Stop being such a baby and a tattletale."

"Shut your mouth!" Hattie yelled, tears forming in her eyes. "Stop being-"

"What, a meanie?!" I was yelling now too. "Grow. Up."

Hattie smacked me. I pushed her towards the stairs. She slid down two steps and caught herself. Her face was red with anger now. She screamed and ran at me. She was so little she merely bounced against me. "Stop it!" I said. I grabbed her wrist and squeezed with my nails. She gasped.

"This is why no one likes you," I said cruelly. I let go of her. She looked at her wrist, where three bright red indents were beginning to bleed.

"I hate you!" she screamed before running past me to her room.

"The feeling is mutual," I called after her. She yelled something unintelligible.

"Brat," I muttered under my breath. I walked to my own room to think about the paper on the desk. In the large heading, one word was burned into my eyes: divorce.

I flopped onto my bed. I was too tired to care about anything now. I wanted to call someone but who would I call? I had no friends whatsoever. Life hates me.

My parents had been split, but not officially, for about a year now. I thought some time apart from each other would show how much they really loved each other. I was wrong, clearly. I closed my eyes and felt my eyelids burn. I opened them and sighed. I needed to leave. But I wasn't supposed to leave Hattie alone. Whatever. She's like, 9, so she's old enough to stay home.

I grabbed my keys and phone, heading for the door. I walked down the hall and out the front door.

Hattie called after me. "You can't leave me."

"Yeah, watch me." I slammed the door behind me and headed for my truck.