Save Our Infinity | A Renga Story

Chapter 17

**Flashback**

Reki's POV

My father held the beer bottle out in front of me. I didn't want to disrespect or refuse him, so I reluctantly took it from him and drank. I didn't like it but didn't say anything. After taking a sip I just placed it down on my workbench. When he saw I put it down, my father reached over patting me on the shoulder to get my attention, but I flinched away. He paused, before slapping me on the back. My eyes widened from the sting. "D-Dad...What the hell?! Why did you do that?!" I shouted.

"You think I don't notice you're trying to avoid me since I've been here? I'm trying my best to be here for you. You won't even try to enjoy some quality time with me! Now stop being such a pussy and drink that down."

I held in the pain as I tried to keep from crying. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I wanted to run away and hide in my room and never come out again, but I knew that wasn't a possibility. I was afraid of pissing off my father but the more I thought about it, the more I felt like this is what I deserved. Why else would that be happening to me? I must have done something to deserve this. I didn't want my father to hate me anymore than he already did, so I slowly took a couple more sips from the bottle. I gagged on the bitter liquid as my eyes teared up.

"Hey, I told you to drink it, not sip it. That's an order," my father yelled, pushing the bottle back in my face.

"Okay, Okay. I'm sorry. It just tastes really gross," I said, trying with all my might to control my gag reflex.

My father laughed and pulled me in for a hug. "Aw, look at my little man." I tried to push him away but he only held onto me tighter. "You're still just a little boy. I guess that means I still got to protect you from the big bad world."

It was becoming next to impossible to fight the tears back. I wanted so desperately to push my father away, but I was terrified of him, and he sounded crazier than ever.

"Please, let go of me," I mumbled under my breath.

"What was that, son?" My father asked, pretending not to hear me.

"I said let go of me, p-please," I said, louder this time, while submissively keeping my head down.

"Is that any way to speak to your father? You know what happens if you're a bad boy? How about I give you something to really cry about. In fact, how about I make you scream until you beg me to stop," he threatened as he pinched and squeezed my face.

I was beyond petrified at that point. I felt completely powerless.

"You wanna cry for me, Reki? Huh? Just a little baby. Just let it out, Reki. You can cry for daddy. Cry for daddy."

"Stop it! Stop! Please stop!" I begged.

"I said cry!" my father yelled as he slapped me across the face.

"Please don't hit me anymore," I finally let the tears fall.

"Now, if you're going to act like a baby, I'm going to treat you like a baby."

At that point, I had had enough. I tried to use all my strength to pull away from him but he grabbed my hair and threw him on the cold concrete floor.

I couldn't breathe. My chest was rising and falling rapidly and I felt dizzy. My father had a tight grip on my hair and his face was close to my ear. "You know, if you had been a good boy and stopped hanging out with that faggot friend of yours, none of this would have happened. Now you're going to regret it."

My face turned pale. I could feel my heartbeat quicken and my pulse rise. I felt so weak. I couldn't do anything but let my father drag me to the side of the car and toss me against the hood. I tried to fight back but I was too weak.