I Should Hate You

Chapter Five

AN: Okay, so, this chapter sucks and I hate it, but it's super important for the storyline and all that, so...

"I can't believe you," Newt's father muttered, clutching the steering wheel of their car.

Newt winced. He hated displeasing his dad. His father always had... less than small reactions to Newt's screw-ups.

His mother sat in the back, with him in the passenger seat.

"You started a food fight?" he roared. "Who did you even fight with?"

"To- Thomas," Newt muttered, refraining from calling him "Tommy."

His mother looked up at him, tilting her head like a curious kitten. His father, on the other hand, snarled like a furious tiger.

"Well, was it worth it? Getting detention" —he said it the same way someone would say life sentence in prison— "just to settle a little argument?"

Newt stayed quiet.

"Answer me."

"No," Newt whispered. Whether or not he was lying didn't matter. His father wanted to hear what he wanted to hear, and he wouldn't accept anything else.

"So why," he said, his voice shaking, "Did you think it would be a good idea to do just that?"

White-hot anger burned his skin. No, anger wasn't the right word. Rage. Fury. It was a feeling that had his fingertips buzzing, his vision red, his head pounding. He wanted to punch something. Kick, scream, shout. Why did it matter? So what? He got detention. Other than that, he had a pretty clean record, not counting the rare times he'd been a few minutes late to class.

Carefully placing his well-crafted mask over it all, he muttered, "I don't know."

"I don't know," he mimicked. He slammed his palm down on the wheel, turning to face Newt. "You sure as hell know, and it's unacceptable! I won't tolerate this kind of behavior from my own son."

The car swerved suddenly. Newt jerked to the side in his seat as his mother shrieked, "Watch the road!" She sounded furious. With what, Newt wasn't entirely sure.

His dad righted the car with another sudden jerk. At least now he looked less angry, and more shocked.

The car was silent for a few beats, and Newt watched the scenery pass by him in a green and gray blur. All of it was so familiar. The sound of his father's voice rising in senseless rage, the sight of the roads and buildings he'd memorized years ago, the alarming lurch as his dad momentarily forgot he was driving.

Finally, they pulled up into the driveway of their house. They all got out of the car, following behind his father like baby ducklings. He inserted the key into the door and stepped inside with Newt and his mom in tow. His voice was low and menacing when he said, "This is not over. We will be continuing this conversation after my meeting. Until then, I want you in your room, studying." He marched off to his office with a sort of dramatic flair.

His mother, who had been in line behind Newt, sighed. "You've been on thin ice for a while, Newt. And you just broke it. Tread water carefully." She took a step away, as if she was going to leave, then paused. "Remember, though; your father is only so strict with you because he cares." She sighed again, like this was something she repeatedly told herself before she wandered off.

One of the things Newt found hilarious about his father's go-to punishment—the go to your room and study, just study—was that he never thought to take away his phone. He fished it out of his pocket and quickly typed a text to Sonya:

You: hey

where are you?

Sonya: im so so sorry

i was at harriet's house

im coming home rn

how mad was he?

You: its fine

he was pretty angry

but you dont have to come home

Sonya: yes i do

yk how dad gets

plus, im more than halfway home

see you soon

You: see you soon <3

The green light indicating she was online blinked away.

AN: I took I lot of time debating whether I should ask this, and I basically said "screw it." So, here it is: If you liked this story, it would be AWESOME if you could vote, and if you really liked it, it would be even better if you shared it with some of your friends! Honestly, I've come to realize that because it's a Human AU, you don't even need to read the books/watch the movies to understand it. So. Yeah. Please? That'd be nice? *little desperate smile*