new kid - stozier

2. A Bunch of Losers

*Bullying, abuse, homophobic slurs

     "Maybe if you stopped drinking so much, we would actually have a family!"

     "Oh, so I'm the one who should stop drinking? What about you, Wentworth? How about instead of going to 'work' and getting drunk afterward, maybe I'll get out of this hole that you dug for me! Or you can go ahead and go with that other woman!"

     "There is no other woman, Maggie!"

     Maggie pulled Wentworth's collar down so the stains were visible. "Oh? Are you sure? Are you sure there are no lipstick stains on your neck right now?"

    "Look, I'm sorry, but if you would take time to take care about this house and our son, maybe I wouldn't have to escape so often!"

    "Oh, so now you're escaping to get away from the responsibilities? I didn't know dentists were so friendly to their clients, I should go more often!"

    This was when Wentworth was pushed over the edge. Before he knew it, his fist flew towards Maggie's face. Maggie stumbled backward while holding her right cheek. She looked up at Wentworth with pure anger and threw herself on him. They were now pushing, punching, and slapping each other. Maggie finally got out of his death grip and ran towards the door, but Wentworth took this as an opportunity to grasp the empty beer bottle by its neck and throw it across the room, narrowly missing Maggie. Richie just sat there, against his door in his room, listening to the whole fight play out. Physical fights like these happened almost once a month, but verbal fights were very common among the Tozier household. All Richie did during these fights was sit and try to drown out the yelling with the Walkman he had gotten for his 13th birthday. He did try to interject, once, but that led in a black eye and a busted lip.

-

     It had been about 30 minutes since the fighting died down. Richie decided it was safe for him to leave for a bit and enjoy the warm afternoon. He first looked at himself in the mirror of the bathroom wondering if this was all his fault. Maybe if he was a good son they wouldn't have too much to handle. Maybe if he just disappeared all of this pain would go away. He examined his face for a bit. Counting each freckle, staring at the uneven tear stains leading down to his neck, looking behind his long wet eyelashes to stare at his dark emotionless eyes that were once full of life. He looked down and gripped the sink to somewhat stable himself. All these memories of the past came flooding in like a tidal wave of emotion and the only way to escape it is to go away.

    He unlocked the door and carefully made his way downstairs. He passed his parents' room and heard quiet sobbing, which could only be from his mother because it was his father who spoke up from his slouched position on the couch.

    "Where are you going, young man?"

    His voice lacked any sort of remorse; it was dull. He just stared straight with his beer bottle in hand and the static screen lighting his facial features Richie could not read. It felt as though Richie was staring at a stranger yet a person he had always feared.

    "I'm going t-to the d-diner to, um, check it out."

    "Wait, I want to give you something."

     Wentworth stood up and reached into his pocket to take out his wallet. He took out $50 and reached his hand out to his son. Richie flinched and looked at the man in front of him. He could see that Wentworth was trying, so Richie tentatively took the money and held it in his hand. He stood there, shocked, as his father made his way back to the couch. Richie then made his way to the door and left.