Eccentric ( On Hold)

Chapter two

             I stand in the break room doorway, stunned and embarrassed by the circumstances. The girl sits up, her face flushed, then groans. It takes me a moment to get my brain in gear. " Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you." I finally close the door behind me and help her to her feet. Then I get a better look at her. She stands an inch taller than me and I stare into her hazel eyes. She's absolutely beautiful. She giggles, running her fingers in her long brown hair, " Wow, you really know how to knock a girl off her feet." This makes me blush a furious red. I'm about to say something when she exclaims dramatically. " Hey," she swipes her phone out before I can blink, " You're the one that beat up that boy! Uh, Alex." She turns her phone where I can see the screen. ' Oh, no.' I watch myself punch Alex again and again. When the video ends, I have to restrain myself from smacking her phone away. But I don't have the strength to stop myself say, " Is there a reason why you're back here?" She takes a step back and gives me a strange look. " Look it doesn't matter." I snatch my bag off the hanger and walk out, stoping to wish Joe a good luck.
                 Walking down my street, I cuss myself out for my unacceptable behavior today.
" Come on, Michael. The hell is wrong with you." I kick a stone out my way, ' Really need to get my shit together.' I stop at the doorstep of my house. My hands shaking at my sides, my heart leaping out of my chest. The stench of alcohol and weed consume the house. ' Have to face him sooner or later.' When I muster up the strength, I take a step inside. Almost instantly the hazardous odor chokes my senses. My father lies in his leather chair in front of the television asleep with an empty liquor bottle in his hand. Turning off the television, I lift up my drunken father and guide him to our bathroom. " Hey!" He yells at me when he knocks his head against the door frame, " Watch what... You're fucking," Finally we reach the tub. I set my father down and turn the cold water on. As the freezing water makes contact on his warm skin, he thrash's his arms around like I'm about to murder him. " TURN IT OFF!" After dousing him for a few minutes, I turn off the shower and throw him a towel. He groans as he stands up, and recoil out of the bathroom. Our eyes meet for a split second then he falls to the floor like a ton of bricks. " Dad?" I step into the room, gently shaking his bare shoulder, " Dad!" Sighing in frustration, I pick him up and drag him to his bedroom. ' This is a bunch of bullshit.' Closing the door, I cough from the exposure of alcohol and my father's musty body odor. I make my way into the kitchen just when my stomach begins to growl. I scavenge around for something to eat but turn up with nothing. ' Shit.' Whipping out my phone I text Dave for help.

ME: Hey, you home yet.

DAVE: Just getting off. Why, is it Joseph again?

ME: No, he's asleep. I was just wondering if you could drop off some food for me. If you don't mind?

I hear a loud thud from my father's room.

ME: I have to go. See you later.

  I crack the bedroom door and peak inside. He must of fell off the bed. Opening the door, I walk to the other side of the room but my father is nowhere in sight. Then something slithers around my throat and squeezes. Instantly my brain goes into survival mode and I bring my elbow down into the attacker's side. I take this opportunity to twist my way out and step back, " DAD STOP!" He lunges at me and we wrestle onto the ground. He throws a few punches at my face and side, and I do the same. I swing my leg around his and knee him in the rib, throwing off his balance. " Son of a bitch!" Before he can strike, I grab an empty beer bottle and bash it against his temple. The sound of the glass shattering against his skull makes me cringe. My father fall unconscious and I exhale while leaning against the foot of the bed. I close my eyes shut as tears stream down my cheeks, a sob escapes my throat.
" Michael?" I raise my head up, a tall silhouette stands in the hallway. " You okay?" Dave walks into the room but I stare down at the molded carpet and bawl. My chest tightens with stress, my eyes sting with despair, my heart aches with the lack of love. I just want it all to end.
Since Dave wanted me safe,( and because I had an emotional breakdown) he takes me along with him to his house, which I am grateful for. As we zip through the dark streets, I search up today's fight. And why am I not surprised that the comments are blowing up and has over a thousand views. Everyone seems to like the fight, but that's all they want to see. Nobody cares what kicked it off, they only care about the thrill. I shove my phone in my pocket and groan, frustrated by the stress today has brought upon me. I slouch down in my seat and staring at my reflection in the passenger window. I'm not entirely sure that's even me.
                " Hey dad." Marcus greets as we step into the house, " And Michael?" I give him an awkward wave, " Hey."  Dave hangs up his jacket and shoes then turns to his son, " Where's your mother?"
" Mom's still at work, she working late tonight." Dave nods understandably, " Okay."
Marcus turns to me, " I guess, since you're staying the night, you can barrow some off my clothes upstairs." I nod a thanks and start to run upstairs. " Oh, and there's left overs in the kitchen if you're still hungry." Dave calls. " Thank you!"  I open Marcus' closet but found jeans and long sleeve shirts like three times my size. " Alright, closet is a no go." Next I open his drawer and, thank god, I find a pair of basketball shorts and a plain T-shirt about my size.
            Afterwards, Marcus helps me make my bed on the couch, which was a little awkward for me. " Hey, I'm sorry about your old man. What are you going to do about it?" He asks. I tuck myself in, a little thrown back by his question. " I don't know." I sigh heavily, " Goodnight Marcus."