𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

THE REAL LIFE OF A NUMB TEEN 4

ARRLO

Tuesday

I arrived home at 8:30 pm, my usual time for an after school shift. I worked my 4 hour shifts on school days, and my full 8 hour shifts on the weekends. I worked for one reason: to help my struggling single mother keep the roof over our heads.

I make my way to my bedroom when I notice my mom isn't home from work yet, probably pulling a double at the hospital. I made sure to be quiet as I tip-toed to my room, and attempt to avoid my obnoxious rude older brother, Aaron.

I take my uniform off slowly, staring at myself in the mirror, hating the way the skirt hugged my manly hips and body. I hate these clothes.

I throw on a purple oversized t-shirt and my favorite sweatpants before crawling into bed feeling exhausted from a day of school and work.

I get angry at myself when my mind shifts to Rivers Cross. He was just so interesting in my eyes. My heart skipped a beat remembering the way he went off at me at the cafe on Saturday. He really didn't look well, I guess I pushed too hard?

It hurt. It hurt to see someone the same age as me looking like they had given up on everything, the way I have felt one too many times. When I saw him at school today he looked as if he was avoiding my existence, not that I'm sure he ever really noticed me anyways. I know myself, my caring nature would force me to try and talk to him again, even if I knew it would just end in him getting mad again..

He was one of the few people who didn't pay any mind to my girly outfits. Unlike everyone else at school, I never caught him stare at me till the day I sat across from him at the cafe.  I just wanted to help.

I hear a door open and shut, and keys being thrown on the counter. Moms home! I rush up from my bed and run down the hall to the kitchen were I knew my mom would be.

"Hi sweetie." She says to me as I give her a hug. I look at her noticing the prominent wrinkles forming on her tired face. All I wanted to do was give my mom a better life. She's always tried to give me everything.

"Hi Ma. I missed you." I tell her with a small smile. "I missed you more my love, go get your brother see if he's hungry." She tells me. "Ma, it's like nearly 9:30 I doubt he's hungry, he's probably getting ready for bed." I tell her with a laugh.

"Right. You're right! I'm so tired sweetie, think I'm just gonna head to my room then and crash for the night... my next shift starts at 6, you gonna be okay?" She asks me while rubbing my shoulder. "Yes. You go to sleep, I'm fine. I ate at the cafe before I came home, homework is finished. I'm probably just gonna head to bed too." I tell her wrapping my arm around her shoulders and walking her to her bedroom.

It hurts just to see my mom so exhausted. I wish my brother would help out around the house or even just get a job. He's too worried about himself to even see how hard my mom works trying to provide for us.
Asshole.

I walk upstairs to lay back in my bed debating what show I should fall asleep too when my brother suddenly barges in my room. Oh what a joy it is to have siblings.

"Hey fag, you hear about that Rivers kid? The other gay dude at our school?" He says to me, inviting himself in my room and sitting down on one of the bean bags I had in a corner. "Stop calling me a fag Aaron." I say to him with a dirty look, "it's already enough you let Parker talk down on me all the time, I don't need you doing it too."

"Little bro with the way you dress I wonder why you just haven't became a fucking girl already." He says back with a laugh. "That Rivers kid-" he starts, "I don't want to hear any gossip, okay? Whatever you want to say about Rivers is probably 99.9% false, you know Parker hates him! How can you believe anything that comes out of that idiots mouth?" I glare back at him.

"Don't talk about Parker that way little bro, don't forget he doesn't like you either." He retorts back, crossing his arms over his chest. Most older brothers would want to protect their younger brother or sister but mine only wanted to make me feel bad for the girly things I liked, or my sexuality.

"Don't care. I'll just tell mom." I threaten him waiting for what he always tells me after I say I'll tell our mom how my brother and his friends really acted.

"No Arrlo- sorry I meant Aria! You won't say anything to mom because if you do it'll just be a repeat of last time, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that." He says with a smirk.

"Don't care anymore, you should now that..." I tell my stupid older brother. My brother and his friends loved to bully people for some unknown reason. I couldn't understand why he even hung around those guys, he used to be a decent person but now all he cares about is impressing his friend Parker.

We had all grown up together, and before I came out as gay I was always invited to be with the group. That all changed when I started showing the world my love for pink.

There was a time it made me extremely depressed and hopeless. I mean getting ridiculed everyday for the way you look will take a toll on you....

But I've gotten stronger. So much stronger. I couldn't give a flying fuck about what people had to say now which is why I angered Parker Wanes every time he saw me.

- r