Good Enough

Julian - Just a Scratch

"D-Dad let me explain!" I say while taking huge steps back. I know it's pointless, but I have to at least try.

"Explain? Explain to me how I could end up with a son as disappointing as you!" he yells, coming closer.

"I-I'm sorry," I choke out.

"You and your sorries!" He yells, and before I can even react, the bottle is leaving his hands and hurtling towards me. I'm too scared to move, so I stay rooted to my spot, unmoving. I hear the glass shattering before I realize that it's hit the wall next to me. Right after I hear it, I cry out in pain. I'm positive that the glass got stuck in my face, and even more positive it got into my eye too.

"Fuck!" I cry out, holding my hand to my eye.  It's watering and it stings worse than anything I've ever experienced.

Dad comes closer and smacks me hard across my face. "Stop whining like a bitch. Mateo is going to be home soon. I'm going to tell him about this. He'll be just as disappointed as I am. So go upstairs, get yourself looking decent and start dinner. Mateo and I can't always do everything for you."

"I-I have homework." I stutter out, only to be met with another harsh slap across my face. Dad holds my face by my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"You're going to go upstairs, get ready. And make dinner. No more excuses. You're lucky I don't hurt you more. You deserve to die, instead of just living here. Useless." He shoves me by the chin,  glaring at me the whole time. "Understand?"

I swallow hard and give a jerky nod before running up the stairs and straight into the bathroom. It's not nearly as bad as it feels. Just a few scratches. Whatever was in my eye must have been blinked out, because it doesn't sting anymore. Now it's just red.

Not even Dad's words sting that much anymore. They've all blurred together into he same thing everyday. They don't sting, no. They're like a dull pain, that become sharp every once in a while. I sigh and run the water, splashing my face and then gingerly wiping at the cuts with a towel. They leave a bit of blood on the towel, but I don't think it's that noticeable, so I just leave it extended on the counter. My eye is still red, but there isn't much I can do about that.

I dash down the stairs to head into the kitchen, taking out bags of pasta. We really only eat four meals here. Sandwiches, pasta, salads, omelets. Dad never gives money to buy any other type of ingredients, and that's what's fast. I put the water to boil and pour canned pasta sauce in another pan to heat it up on the stove.

"I'm home!" Mateo calls out. I can see into everywhere from here. I see Mateo go to Dad, who's on the couch and give him a hug, which Dad actually returns. Something burns in the back of my throat, and I don't know if it's anger or sadness. Maybe both.

Mateo comes into the kitchen next. "Hey there Julian. How are you?"

Simple question. Complicated answer.

"M'fine." I say, staring intently into the pan. I don't want Mateo to see my red eye or scratched face. My face barely got over the black eye, and I don't need him on my case again.

"Alright. Good. That's good. I'll come help you in a second." With that said, he runs up the stairs.

A few minutes later Mateo reappears in the kitchen. Dad is passed out on the couch, probably sleeping off whatever he had been drinking when I got home. I turn the burner off for the sauce and pour the bag of pasta into the pot as Mateo makes his way over to me. He lowers his voice as he talks to me.

"Julian, are you sure everything's okay?"

"Uh, yes. I'm pretty sure I know how I feel."

"Then what's with the bloody towel in the bathroom?"

I feel my eyes widen. Well, crap. I really didn't think he'd notice. Now I have to show him the small scratches.

I look up and give him a tight smile. "Yeah so I went to my friends house and her cat scratched the hell out of my face. You see? I went home right after and just wiped off the blood."

Mateo stares at me, trying to decide if I'm lying. "And your eye?"

I reach a hand up to my eye and pretend to be shocked. "Oh wow, I don't know. Something probably got in it. But hey the pasta is ready, so let's eat."

I cut him off by moving to drain the pasta. We drop the subject and eat in mostly silence. We don't bother waking up Dad, because he's not a happy person when you wake him up from sleeping. Although, he's never a happy person.

After dinner, I grab my backpack from where I left it and go upstairs. The first thing I do it pull out my phone and find unanswered texts from Foster when I missed the last two classes. The third text is from Mia. Oh right. I said I'd call her or text her.

I start to type out a message, but then I realize I kind of want to just lay down and listen to her voice. Mia has a really nice voice.

Me: Hey, sorry I ran out on you like that

Her reply is almost immediate. I swear she's just always on her phone.

Mia: It's alright but you said you were going to explain?

Me: Can I call?

Mia: Yeah sure

Distractions. You have so much work to do...you should be getting the work from the class periods you missed.

I push the thoughts out go my head and dial her number. It rings twice before her voice comes through the phone.

"Hey there Julian,"

"Hey Mia. How's it going?"

"You know, your voice sounds deeper over the phone."

"Really?"

"Yep. Oh and it's going...it's going."

"Not good not bad?"

"Well I got in trouble for ditching but it was worth it."

"All we did was sleep though. I wouldn't call that worth it." Even though I desperately needed that time to sleep.

"Yeah. I needed it." Her voice has a distant tone to it, and she clears her throat. "But I believe someone was going to explain why they ran out of the library earlier."

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. Now here's the dilemma: should I be honest or not? I mean I obviously can't tell her everything that happened. But she told me her mom got mad. I could say something along those lines. Maybe that I was going to get grounded. Or that-

"Hello? You still there?" Mia asks worriedly.

AN:

howdy! And oops but this one kind of sucks? Yeah and I'm sorry but thank you so much for reading. Until next time!

- MM