Reaching Fame - Watty Awards 2011

Reaching Fame - Chapter 4

I opened the front door to hear shouting. I sighed as I stepped in, Dad must be home. 

"We haven't seen you in four bloody days, and you've actually got the audacity to tell me to freakin' stop moaning!" I heard mom shout.

"Well maybe if you were a better wife I wouldn't go away for four days in the first place!" dad shouted.

"I try my best, but nothing seems to be good enough for you!" mom cried.

"Try being better than Stacey then!" screamed dad. I heard a smack, and I peeped through the door frame. Dad was rubbing his cheek and then he smacked mom across the face, leaving a scratch and blood trickling down her face. His ring must have caught on her skin.

"I didn't want to do that!" he shouted, "but as you can see, all this marriage brings us is shit!"

That was it. I stormed into the room and grabbed my Dad's shirt before punching him hard on the nose, "You actually have the guts to smack her across the face after you cheated on her!" I shouted. Blood trickled down out of his nose. He hit me back, on the mouth. I could taste the blood on my lip, I wiped my face. "If that's how you want to play it, you selfish bastard," I growled. I punched him in the stomach and he doubled over. Before he could straighten himself out I pushed him over and hit him in the face until he hit me and pushed me over and continued to hit me. It went on for a while until we were out of energy and breath. We were both slouched on the floor, leaning against the wall. I could feel my eye bruising, and I felt the blood on my nose and tasted it on my mouth. The man I once called my father was looking at me, with sad eyes, blood smeared on his face, and already bruises forming 'round his eyes.

"when mom questioned your faithfulness, I told her you're a good guy, and you wouldn't do that. I can't believe you," I said quietly.

"I know," he said, barely getting it out of his mouth. I got up and pulled my Dad up with me.

"Go," i said.

"I'm your father Curtis-"

"Just freakin' go!" I shouted. Dad grabbed his coat and stormed out of the door. I wiped my face and went upstairs. I walked angrily into my room and snatched the letter from Stereo high Records from my bed, where it was lying on, and pulled my phone out of my pocket.

"Fuck it," I said before dialing the number.

***

It was monday morning, and as always the annoying alarm went off. I knocked it off the bed side table and got up lazily. I went downstairs, just in my boxers. Mom didn't mind. I entered the kitchen, there my mother was, like always reading one of her celebrity  magazines or whatever it was. She looked up from the mag, "hey sweetie, you alright?" she smiled at me. I smiled back, 

"yeah, I'm fine mom," I sat down with a bowl of cereals, "mom, I've gotta tell you something,"

She looked up from her magazine again and said, "what is it honey?" still smiling.

"I, uh, might be getting a record contract," I mumbled, rubbing the back of my head.

"Oh that's brilliant honey! That's what you've always wanted!" she put her magazine down and smiled ecstatically. 

"I know mom, it's great, I'm meeting up with some dude to have in informal discussion next weekend!" I was smiling like a goon now too, but then I saw moms smile fade.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said, quietly.

"Mom, tell me,"

"Oh I don't know," she sighed, "you're great, and you'll go far, so you'll obviously be very busy, and it's just, well, I might be a bit lonely," she said, but then smiled again, "but it's fine! Honest! I just want you to be happy," she said.

"Don't worry mom, if I get the contract I'll spend near enough every spare minute with you," I put my bowl in the sink, gave mom a kiss on the cheek, and then went upstairs to get ready for school.