Zachari Adams: Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Chapter 5 - I'd Rather Look Forward.

I got home and mom was watching Netflix and she barely noticed me when I came in.

"Hey mom."

"Hey honey. How was your day?"

"Good. What about you?"

"Good. The food is in the microwave, warm it up and go upstairs if you aren't gonna watch with me. You're distracting me." She says consumed by the show she's watching.

"You look a mess." I say to mom. She's in her PJ's and her hair is all messy. She's got snacks all around her and most of them are finished.

"Imma make you look like a mess if you don't go upstairs. I'm watching Insatiable and it's really interesting. So can I enjoy my Sunday watching my favourite show." She says jokingly.

"Ok Mom. Don't stay up too late."

I got the food and headed upstairs. Mom had cooked steak, mash and mushroom sauce. It was good, delicious in fact.

After finishing my food, I took the dish downstairs, washed it and made my way back up...

So, now what? I'm just looking at the ceiling with absolutely nothing to do. The silence is so loud and the boredom is eating me up alive. For the first time, it's been so hard for me to intentionally be lazy. I'm screwed and the night is still young. 

We'll maybe not totally screwed...

I remembered the box that I kept at the top of the cupboard, it's been a while since I've looked in it.

So I got it and now I'm sitting on the bed holding this big-ass box. I open it and the first thing I see makes me smile. A photo album.

Wow. It's been a while. I run my fingers along the cover hesitating before I revisit my past.

Well I'm gonna have to open it eventually if I wanna kill this boredom...

So here goes.

I turn the page and it's not that bad, it's just the good old days. The day Mom and Zeke got married, the day they had me, my first soccer match when I was six, vacations to places I couldn't even pronounce back then. Memories.

But as I turn the pages, Zeke is out of the picture, leaving just me and Mom. You can see the change in Mom's eyes, they don't shine like they used to but she tried her best for me.

As I turn the page, a photo falls out and lays on the bed. Mhmm, Mom must've forgotten to put it in the photo album.

I flip it over and immediately, I regret it. I feel the corner of my eyes sting and my chest pains...it's getting harder to breathe. My hands tremble and I can't stop the tears from falling. My face feels hot and the events replay in my head, over and over again. Why'd she have to be the source of my misery?

It feels like the walls are closing in on me and I need to catch some air before they do.

I rush downstairs and grab my bike heading out with my wallet in my pocket. I jump on it quickly and ride as fast as I can to where I'm going. My vision is blurred as I can't control myself from crying and the icy wind is giving me goosebumps and it's just a lot.

I stop my bike in a dark alley and walk deeper into it.

"Yo CJ!"

"Wassup?" He says coming out the darkness. He looks at me and his look looks like one of disgust.

"You look like shit." He says.

"I know."

"What you need?"

"Your best sleeping pills and your best booze." I say with a slight stutter.

"It's gonna cost you homie."

"How much?"

"One hundred dollars."

I pull the money out and exchange it for the pills and the alcohol. Sure, they're overpriced but they do job.

"See you one of dem bougie mofos. I would've settled for fifty." He says laughing.

"Whatever." I say as I walk away.

"Ayy Adams!"

"What Pope." I say. I literally have nothing left in me.

"Don't take too much. You don't wanna be stoned at school tomorrow. That shit is strong as hell. Be careful."

"Whatever." I say as I peddled back home but this time at a much slower pace.

I get home and mom is still watching Netflix but this time she doesn't even pay any attention to me because I go out regularly.

I head upstairs and lock the door in my room. I pack the box up and put it on top of the cupboard.

Now it's just me, the pills and the alcohol, flushing out all these depressing emotions. Cheers to tomorrow being a better day.

I take 2 pills, place them under my bed and drink the bottle away. I feel myself lose myself, good, that means it's working. And I slowly drift in to sleep as I put the booze under the bed too.

Now I'm the tears are just flowing and I'm slowly blanking untill...nothing.

All because of her.

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Yes! You've made it to the end of a very short but important chapter. Who do you think her is?👀😏 What has she done to have him so messed up. You'll find out soon enough but I'd like to hear your theories in the comments. Please click on the star and share the story...I'd really appreciate it ♥️🤞 See you in the next chapter 😉

-stoopid.genius