It's Complicated, Okay? [BoysXBoys]

Chapter 3: Family Matters

POV: Theo

I ran up the steps to my house, open the door and slam it shut. Aroma of fried chicken filled the air and Dad's head pop out of the kitchen. My Dad looks younger than other dads in the world I suppose. He is in his early forties, still having brown hair and now I realized that he has some silver hair growing already. He is masculine, from all the workouts he had spend his time after the accident. He shaved, leaving him with stubble and he looks neat. With the fact that he is wearing a business suit (under the apron), makes him look like a very attractive adult, like David Beckham. Apparently, he is free today and he was cooking dinner, which is very rare. For the first time, after that accident, he had stepped into the kitchen. Dad spoke with the tinge of tiredness, "Hey buddy, how's school?" 

Wait, is he making a conversation with me? After so many years?

"Oh well, other than the fact that my school counsellor thinks that I'm dumb and there's a new kid who sat beside me during Math class copied my answers for the quiz, everything is well... same." I answered plainly. 

"Oh, a cheater. I know you hate people who don't have integrity, so did you report it?" Dad asked, while having one eyebrow raised. 

"No. I...don't have any evidence. And he claimed that he did not cheat and he was smart." I looked down embarrassingly. I quickly change the subject. I fired the question, " Aren't you suppose to be working now?" 

Dad looked at his watched and cussed. He quickly dump the apron and switch off the gas. He quickly put on his tie and grab his bag and car keys. "Son, I made rice and fried chicken. I don't have the time to eat now, so save some for me okay? Just put the leftover into the fridge. Do your homework and don't ever let a stranger in, got that? Love you son!" He shoot whatever he had to say like a machine gun and left the house. After a while, I could hear Dad's car zoom off.  Seriously, don't let a stranger in? Who do you think I am, a 5 years old kid. Now that makes 2 people implying I'm dumb. What's worse is when one of them is your own Dad. I rolled my eyes at that thought, silently grateful for the fact that my Dad isn't here to see me rolling my eyes. He hates it when I roll my eyes. Tsk.

I bolt up the stair and head straight into my room. I dump my bag under my table, and lie onto the bed. I love my bed. Especially times like this, all I have is my bed. Lying on my back, I could see glow-in-the-dark stars pasted on the ceiling. It makes me feel so peaceful and believe that there's something called wishes come true. I know it's immature but whatever, judge me all you want. I got judged thrice today and you judging me now won't make a difference. I still remember when I was younger, my Mother and I went to shopping and we saw this cool glow-in-the-dark stars in a toy shop. We got home and my Mum helped me paste the stickers on the ceiling. Ah, my mum. She is really pretty, probably has the potential to be a Victoria Secret Model. From what I could remember, she has wavy blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, angular face with rosy cheeks. She has a slim figure and she looks pretty good in anything. 

My vision went blurry and that's when I realized that my tears welled up and threaten to spill out of my eyes. I quickly blink back the tears. The accident... That freaking accident took what my precious to me, took my Mum away from me. I still remember clearly, like how people remember their first kiss.

8 years back, I was walking home from school, there was no one around except the fact that there was a black SUV nearby. The other kids went back home already. I stayed back in school to do my research until school closed, thus the street was deserted. I kept walking and then I saw my Mum at the front of our steps of our house. I began to run towards her but before I could, there was a hand covering my mouth, and the other hand, pulling me off the ground. The hand that was covering my mouth held a handkerchief damped with some liquid. The more I breathed in, the more I was losing focus. Before I passed out, I saw my Mum running towards me. There was another man with a black balaclava mask covering his face suddenly appeared from my side view and stopped my Mum from reaching me. My Mum fought with him, putting up a good fight. Suddenly the one who was holding me, let go one of his hands, whipped out a gun and fire a shot. I saw a red spot appearing on my Mum's yellow cardigan, getting bigger and bigger. My Mum's eyes tore away from the masked man she was fighting and looked at the red spot. Her hands went over to the red spot, as if to check she was dreaming it. Then, she collapsed onto the ground. I collapsed right after Mum did. 

Next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital, while my head was still pounding. My Dad was sobbing beside me and looked up. His eyes were bloodshot red from crying. Before I even asked, I knew my Mom was dead.  

A policeman came into the ward and filled me in. Apparently, 2 men tried to mug me. They followed me in the black car, and once I stepped out of school, the hunt began. I almost got home when 2 muggers came out of the car and tried to mug me. Mum saw what was happening, and began to ran over to me and fought with one of them. She was shot at the heart, and died. The neighbour next door heard the gun shot and came out to see what was happening. The muggers were discovered and abandon me on the street. The neighbour, called the police and ambulance while the muggers drove away. Apparently, the neighbour noted the SUV's plate number, which will definitely helped the police to track the muggers. I couldn't remembered what the policeman said next as I was crying very badly while my whole body was shaking. 

Dad became lifeless. He drank at the bar till late at night, and came home drunk. Sometimes he came back with blue-black and wounds, I guessed he fought with someone, which was not surprising, after all he was drunk. Not only I lost my Mum, I lost my Dad in the process too. We held a funeral where my extended families gathered. I still remember that when they were burying my Mum at the grave, I jumped into the grave with my Mum's coffin, clutching at the side of the coffin, not letting go. It took 30mins for my Dad to pull me away from the coffin and I watched the wooden box being buried. Ever since the funeral, I stayed in my room, crying on the bed, cried till I slept, cried again when I woke up, realizing my Mum would never come back alive.

The police came to our house and updated us that the 2 muggers were caught. But to me, it didn't matter. My Mum is still dead. Having those 2 muggers caught will never change a thing. It definitely didn't make me feel better either.

My Dad kept drinking, coming home late, getting into troubles, fights for 2 years. After that, he woke up or snapped, or both and changed into another man I couldn't recognize. He started working hard in his job. Going off for work early in the morning, coming home late at night. He was so committed that he never went to dates, or even remarried. I guess commitment to his job is his priority now. Even when he had free time from his job, he would head to the gym and work out like crazy. I guess he needs all the distractions he could get. He never cook for my meals anymore, and I couldn't blame him. Kitchen was where Mum would always be, whipping out great dishes. Dad and I would always try to steal some of the food that she was making before dinner was served. Mum would playfully scold us, and then pretend to hide the delicious food. Kitchen was the place full of laughter and smiles and now she's gone, stepping into the kitchen can be overwhelming. Dad will now leave me money for food on the table. Every time I wake up, he will never be in this house. You could also say that Dad and I don't really talk much nowadays. Well, probably it was both of our faults. I cried in my room while he worked super hard in his job, communication between us just disappeared into thin air. Even if we do see each other, it will just be "hi" and "bye" conversation. If Mum was here, she will definitely fill this cold and lifeless home with warm and sunshine. 

Tears stream down my face, which jolts me back to reality. I didn't even realize I was crying. I wipe my tears with my sleeve and heave myself out of the bed. I breathe in and out deeply, calming my nerves. I wish I could continue crying on my bed, but I have a mountain of homework to do. I guess my Dad and I are a little alike, we need something to distract ourselves, distract us from the pain, the agony of missing someone. I pushed myself away from the bed, and shut down every emotions I have. Time to deal with my homework and boy, this is gonna be a long night.