IT'S COMPLICATED -- MARCUS BAKER

Riddle Me This - 20

(A/N): Finally, I've finished episode 9 and I'm working on episode ten! It'll probably be about 2-3 chapters, depending on how long the writing gets. We're almost finished!

"I'm leaving."

I had just gotten home from Field Hockey and walked into a fight between my mom and dad. "You're leaving. So, after everything, after that whole speech, that's it? That was all bullshit?" He tried to reason with her, "Hey..." She stopped him short. "No. No, you came in here like a tornado, and now you're just leaving. Well, that's perfect."

"Look, I don't wanna leave. Riddle me this...You want me to leave." Mom crossed her arms, with her signature, "the fuck you think you are" look. "Riddle me that. How do you know what I want?" He looked at her incredulously, exclaiming, "I know you better than anyone. I saw you today. All right? You want all this, not me. And I want you to get everything that you want." Mom looked shocked and confused. "What the hell." They both whipped around to see me standing in the door way. "What? Oh, Y/n! Did you have a nice time at practice?" I scoffed, mimicking my mother's pose, "Oh, cut the bullshit, I heard you. Ginny told me you wanted to stay. That you were gonna get an apartment."

"Y/n, please, you guys don't need me here." I shook my head, "No, no, you mean mom doesn't need you here. And, of course you were only here for mom, right?" He seemed scared? Maybe just at a lost for words, which was weird. He usually knew exactly what to say to make Virginia and Mom fall for his shit. "I just think it's so funny, really. How you came here and tore mom's world apart and Ginny's, too. You do that everytime we go somewhere. And then you leave again. You're a horrible dad and you're never here. You see, I'm used to it Zion. But, Ginny, she isn't. You make her feel so happy and excited whenever she sees you and, then, then you leave again." He looked to the ground, pushing his bag behind him.

I rolled my eyes, "The worst part is that Virginia likes you more than mom. But the difference between her and you is that mom is here. And don't blame this on mom either. You leave because you're a bad dad. And she only left the firs time because you were a bad dad and she wanted to continue to be our mom. You see, I respect her, not you. It's not fair to Virginia and it's not fair to mom."

"Why- why do you do this? Does it make you happy? Is it fun to fuck with your daughter, with, with our mother? What is it?" He didn't answer. "Yeah. Yeah, well. I want you to know you're not welcome in our house. Not any more." I walked over to the door, them following. I swung it open, and looked back to Zion. "Leave. And know that this is the last time you'll be coming in this house. Or the next one. Or ever." He shuffled closer and tried to hug me, but I dodged it. "Leave. Now." He picked up his bag and with a last look, from me to mom, he walked out the door. I slammed it so hard behind him that the lights shook. 

Mom hugged me from behind and I grabbed her hand. "Are you okay," I asked my mom. She nodded, pulling tighter on me. "Yeah, I'm alright. Are you?" I nodded like she had. "Yeah, I don't really care." She pursed her lips, with a 'hmm.' "You care. Even if you don't want to." I know. I knew. I didn't want to care, but I had to. He was my father, whether I liked it or not.

"I'm gonna make dinner." I nodded  and walked out the door. I decided to try something I'd seen done a few times.

--

"Interesting entrance. Hot." Marcus grinned as I jumped down into his room. "Inspired by this neighbor of mine. He's like super attractive and an artist too. I think I have a crush." He chuckled as he reached out and hugged me. "Oh really? This guy must be great." I nodded enthusiastically. We both laughed and I smiled at him as I got comfortable in his arms. "Hi." He pushed my hair out of my face. "Hi. My Zion left. Well, my 'father,' I suppose." He sighed and squeezed me harder. "Shit, I'm sorry." I shrugged, with a grin.