A loud crash rang through the house as a vase colided with the floor, smashing into a million tiny pieces. I felt the sting to my face as my mother's hand collided with my cheek. Everything slowed down, by mind clouded with rage. Her shrill, nagging screams tore me out of my daze.
"You're going and that's final you little brat! I can't handle you anymore!" My mom screeched at me. I balled my hands into fists, trying my hardest to restrain myself from decking her in the face. Now most would find it appauling that I would even think to hit my own mother, but in retrospect, she wasn't the woman she used to be, by any means.
"You can't make me do anything, bitch." I spat back at her. She flinched, taking a step back, The glass crunching under her feet.
"Don't you threaten me, boy! I'll call the cops so fast you won't see it coming!" I could see the fear in her eyes.
"Fucking... Ugh!" I yelled, "I'm out." I headed quickly for the door, shoving her out of my way. Once I was outside, the scene that had just occurred replayed through my head. I couldn't believe she was shipping me off to live with some stranger, across the atlantic ocean no less! I flinched at the idea of my own dad being a stranger to me, absentmindedly moving my hand up to my cheek. Ouch; bitch could hit.
"Eli?" I heard a familiar child's voice. I looked over to see my little brother, Cody, sitting on the lawn.
"Hey Codster!" I forced my most believable smile at him, wincing a little as my cheek stretched. I always tried to put on a good face for my brother. He was only seven, and I tried to protect him from the terror of my mother. I knelt down on the grass next to him. "What are you up to, bud?" he held up his toy truck and grinned, his big blue eyes glimmering with such a pure innocence... it was such a refeshing thing to see.
"Just playing. Bubby, were you and mommy fighting again?" he looked up at me with curous eyes. I sighed.
"Yeah...”
"Don't go to jail again! You promised me!" He started tearing up, his lower lip quivering as he took one of my hands in his smaller one, suqeezing it firmly. I smiled reassuringly and put one hand on his head, ruffling his hair gently.
"Cody don't worry, I'm not going to jail, I promise." He stood up and gave me a hug and I smiled. I have a huge soft spot for my brother. I mean, I practically raised the kid. My whore of a mother didn't know the first thing about raising kids. By day, she worked at the gas station that was a short walking distance from my house, and by night, she worked at the strip club, giving lap dances for dollars. She claimed it was to put food on the table, but all I saw was her "hard earned" money going into her drug fund.
"Hey Cod, I'm gonna go for a walk. You gonna be okay here?" I asked my brother.
"Yeah, have fun bubby!" He smiled sweetly up at me and waved.
"Don't go near mom till I come back," I instructed him as I headed towards the sidewalk. I thrust my hands into my pockets and dug out my iPod. I only put one ear bud into my ear, as always. We lived in a pretty ghetto neighborhood, and I didn't want anyone sneaking up and jumping me. Not that they would. Most people were afraid of me. I found this pretty funny, because the reasons people were afraid of me were all rumour. People around here seemed to get some guilty pleasure out of making up brutal stories about me. I shrugged to myself, quickening my pace as I passed the sheriff's house. The guy hated me, there was no denying that; suppose he had good reason, though. I fucked his daughter, and then dumped her the next day. My reputation isn't exactly the cleanest.
I decided to stop by the gas station and get Cody a treat like I always did when I had cash. I walked through the front door, and immediately felt them staring. My mom's co-workers. I could only imagine the false stories she'd told them about me. I walked over to the cold drinks and got two Gatorades, and then I grabbed some Air Heads for Cody and a bag of Cheetos for myself. I walked slowly up to the counter, laughing to myself at how scared the women standing there looked. The cashier, Linda I think, rung me up and quietly said,
"That'll be $7.50." I dug my wallet out of my pocket and gave her a twenty. She kept her eyes down as she gave me my change. I picked up my snacks and left, happy to get away from their stares.
A few minutes later, I wound up back at my house. I was too worried about my mom's mood abd Cody being there to stay away. Before I went inside, I handed Cody the Air Heads and a Gatorade. He squealed with delight, and I smiled. I headed inside to find my mom curled up on the couch with her sadistic cat. It hissed at me, as always.
"I thought you left." my mother's cold voice pierced the tense, awkward, silence.
"I did," I retorted, "But I had to come back sometime, unfortunately." I sulked over to my room. Jeeze, it was a mess. Clothes and toys were scattered everywhere, (I shared a room with Cody). I cleared off my bed and stretched out on it, turning the TV on to some show I wasn't going to pay attention to. I couldn't help but think about the future. My dad lives in England, which is why I was so pissed about having to go there. I was just glad I could take Cody with me. Shows how much my mother cares about him. He doesn't even belong to my dad, and she's giving him away.
I could only hope that my dad wouldn't be too disappointed about how his son turned out. I don't think he understands what he's gotten himself into. I would try to respect him, but he'd have to earn my trust. All I knew was I was not going to stay in England. I'd do whatever I could to come back home, because here was better than anythin I had ever had. Home was all I knew. My life was being turned Upside down.
