Age of Atticus

Chapter 17: I'm Practically Your Kid Anyway

Back to Atticus's POV!!

I've been home for a few days now and everything seems to be okay. Dean's doing pretty at home as a stay at home dad and I'm honestly really proud of him.

If I'm being honest, I didn't think he could do it. Not gonna lie. I love him and all but he's not a good listener and leant pay attention. I'm happy he did when it came to the kids though.

Dean and I were sitting on the couch with Carter and Maverick while Mavis was upstairs. I've gotten used to this new behavior of hers and she told me not to worry about it so I'm not.

She walked downstairs and her eyes were red. "I told you she was a stoner." Dean whispered causing me to smack him in the back of the head.

"Shut the hell up Smokey."

I looked over at Mavis as she grabbed herself a glass of water and looked at us. "You alright sweetie?" I asked.

"Actually there is something I want to talk to you about but I don't Carter down here for it." She said sniffling.

"Dean take Carter upstairs-"

"No I don't want to be in the same house as her."

I nodded and then texted Seth to come over and take Maverick and Carter. We sat in the living room and I was beyond scared. She sat in the chair by herself clutching her phone in her hands.

Her hands were pale and I noticed a scratch on her wrist under the sleeve of her sweater and she pulled it down before I could exam it more. "Alright talk to us baby girl." Dean said.

"You have to promise me that no matter what you'll support me and not tell anyone especially Carter."

Dean and I nodded. "Here's the good stuff. The only good thing about what I'm about to tell you. I hope." She looked down at her hands and would not make eye contact with us at all. "I do love Steven and he is my boyfriend but before him there was a girl." She paused and started shaking. Taking slow and rapid breaths. "I was in love with her but not as in love with Steven. That was when I realized I was bi."

"Honey that's great. I'm so proud of you for telling us." I said.

"Yeah we're really proud of you and really happy for you."

"Thank you but I'm not happy with it. KJ was my best friend but after the whole thing happened with Steven and her, she knew there wasn't a chance of us being friends again. So she shared it with school. I get gay shamed every day at school and Steven gets punished for being with me." She began crying but tried pushing it off. "I told KJ everything though. I told her about the girl, I told her about Gordon, I told her about my rape, I told her about my mom, and I told her about everything. And she told everyone everything."

She began sobbing and that meant there was more to it. "It all started a few weeks ago when she told everyone. My reputation and my life was fucked. I thought I was going to lose Steven and I thought I was going to lose everything but Steven stuck by me and that's why I've been with him so much." She wiped her tears. "He has been getting physically beaten up by the big bullies and I've been verbally bullied. I've also had trash poured on me, paint, my injuries have been because of them throwing things at me or pouring things to trip me up. I'm falling behind in school and honestly I'm sick of it.

"I don't want to wake up anymore because I have to go to school with a bunch of assholes and I get tormented for who I am. I have to live everyday with pain. Physical pain and emotional pain. I broke my phone. Carter didn't break my phone I did. I actually didn't want a new one but Steven insisted I get a new one."

"Why did you break it?" Dean asked.

"Because they started saying this on social media for every one of your friends to see and judge me for."

I was crying and Dean was tearing up. She still would not look at us. "I wanted to kill myself." She said starting to sob causing me to sob as well. "I hated who I was and I didn't think I had a purpose. I really didn't want to live anymore and I almost attempted but instead, I cut myself." She showed her left arm and I was beyond crying.

"I want to dropout of school." She finished.

"You got it." I said before running over to her and hugging her tight to me as I kneeled on the ground.

Dean came over crying as well and hugged her just as I did. "Mavis why didn't you tell us sooner? We have been worried about you but you didn't want to talk and you didn't want our help." I said putting my hands on her knees.

"I just didn't want to cause any stress or worry or anything."

"We worry anyway. You're our child and we love you more than anything. Your well-being is more important to us than anything. You said you wanted to kill yourself?"

"Yes I did, I didn't though because of you guys and Steven."

"Well thank god because I don't know what I would've done without you Mavis." Dean said kissing her head and hugging her.

"We love you. Don't ever be worried to talk to us about anything. I'm beyond happy you came to us and Mavis I love you so much." I said hugging her neck to me as she got on her knees and sobbed into my arms. Dean wrapped his arms around us and hugged us as we all cried on the floor.

The front door opened ten minutes later and it was Seth. "Carter is sleeping in the car with Maverick. Is everything okay?" He asked.

Mavis nodded and stood up, walking over to him. "Uncle Seth?"

"Yes Mavis."

She wrapped her arms around him and started to cry a little bit. "I'm a bi-sexual high school dropout." She said causing Dean and I to smile just as she did.

"What the hell did I miss?"

"Everything but that's all you need to know." She said and Dean wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Don't say anything to Carter or anyone."

"You got it kid?" Seth said as a question as he was still confused.

Mavis walked over to us after Dean and I stood up. "Is there anything I can do?" I asked.

"Take me to the school tomorrow alongside Steven's parents, and take me out of school."

"Can I make a statement to or no?"

"I'm not gonna stop you, mom."

I smiled and hugged her to me fast and hard. It was harder for me to do that though as she was almost taller than me. "I love you Mavis and you will forever be my baby girl even if you aren't my actual daughter."

"I'm practically your kid anyway."