Walking on a Tightrope

Chapter 7

The instructor shows up and we begin the day's lessons. Thankfully he pairs us up again, just by day two it's become apparent just how close we've become. The day goes by so quickly, and before I know it I'm back into Skylar's car. We get in and she starts the car before asking me "How did you like today, you did a lot better." She laughs at her remark, I say "It was a lot of fun. I just don't want it to end. I need to face my parents eventually, and if I don't they'll face me. I basically ran away from them for no reason, I was just scared of what they'd say. I was scared they would stop me from coming to the camp this week. And if they didn't stop it now they'll stop everything next week. I have always obeyed them and now I suddenly haven't, like a flip of a switch. It's going to raise suspicions." I sigh due to frustration. She says "Follow your heart and what you want to do. I'll support you no matter what." I think for a minute and say "How did you become so amazing?" We pull up into my driveway and both my parents are gone, probably at work. I take out my key and say "Want to come inside?" She thinks for a long time before saying "Sure, why not?". I take her inside and introduce her by saying "Here is where I became fucked up" and bow while spreading my arms around my house. She chuckles and sighs before saying "Im sorry your parents are so hard on you. I'm sure I don't even know all of it." I laugh and say "It's alright I am kind of joking, but not really. And yes you're right, you don't know most of it. But that will come with time. My parents are probably going to be here soon but I have something for you up in my room." I smile before leading her around the corner and into my small room. I sift around a bit before finding what I was looking for. I hand her a teal turtle bracelet and say "I hope you like it. I made it from some beads and charms I had laying around" she grins from ear to ear before hugging me tight. She pulls away and kisses me gently on my lips and says "I love it. Thank you so much. I had one like this as a kid but I lost it, and it means a lot that you were the one who brought such a sentimental thing back into my life". I smile just at her reaction. But suddenly I hear a car door shut. Our driveway is at the front of the house and my room is in the back, so I quickly devise a plan for her to escape out the window without my mom or dad noticing. Without thinking I push her towards the window and she climbs out like she did the other day. She whispers thank you one more time before leaving. "Shit" I quietly curse to myself. Her car is parked in front of my house, and there is no way my mom missed it. I immediately go down stairs to greet my mom and fix this mess I made. As expected she greets me by asking "Who's car was that outside?" Should I bend the truth or tell a lie? My brain answers it for me when I say "Oh the neighbors probably parked their car in the driveway again." She suspiciously says "Ok... Then why did they have two cars parked outside?" with curiosity clear in her voice. Shit. "Uh probably a visitor then." 

I head back up to my room to call Skylar.  I make sure my door is locked before dialing her number, and when she picks up I can't help but to start laughing. She joins in without even knowing why. I love how contagious our laughter is. I calm down quickly and say, quietly to avoid my mom hearing, "I have never lied to my parents! I have never stayed out past curfew, or anything! I feel so alive" She chuckles and says "That's one of the things I like about living without my parents". We talk for an hour or two until my mom calls my name. "Crap, I need to go Skye. I'll talk to you later." She laughs and I say "What?" with a giant smile on my face. She says "Nothing, I just love it when you call me that. I'll talk to you later. Good luck with your mom." I hang up and sluggishly go to find my mom. 

I am exhausted from the amount of time I've spent in the sun mixed with knowing how big a secret I am keeping from everyone around me. It feels like I'm walking on a tightrope, carefully trying to stay on top of everything. One misstep and everything could come crashing down. I want to tell Skye I'm closeted, but I just can't. I emotionally cannot risk it. She would want me to come out and I'm just not ready. I may not be happy with my living situation but my mom has been pushy towards me for years and I got used to it and I don't think I could live without her high expectations until I graduate. I find my mom in the kitchen cooking something that smells terrible and looks even worse. When she notices me she says "Dinner is ready hon'." I sit down and remember what happened the last time I didn't want to eat something she made. She yelled at me and called me ungrateful and when my dad tried to defend me she started yelling at him for not supporting her. I can't handle the constant arguments so I just do what I know she wants. I sit down and wait for her to tell me what it is. It looks like... Soup? Maybe meatloaf in gravy? I have no clue. I see her and my dad start eating it and I just eat it how they are, with a spoon. This is even more disgusting than the last time. When I have had enough of this hell spawn, I grab my bowl, stand up and say "I'm going to head upstairs, I'm not really hungry. I had a big lunch today." I smile the best I can without seeming fake and I just head upstairs to get ready for tomorrow. 

Before I go to sleep I text Skylar and say 'Goodnight, I hope you sleep well. Pick me up the same time you did this morning. I can't wait to see you' she responds very soon with her own goodnight message and confirming her picking me up tomorrow. I am genuinely surprised that my parents haven't been questioning how I get to the beach every day. I guess they assumed the friend I had asked to bring was doing it. I eventually drift to sleep.