a hell called home (completed)

slow mornings

max's pov

i couldn't sleep the rest of the night.
next thing i know, my alarm went off.

i sighed and rolled over. fuck. it's only the second day of school and i already don't want to be there. it's not that i don't like it. i just don't want to be anywhere.

i turned off my alarm and slowly got up out of bed. maybe i should just get ready now. i looked at my arm. fuck, what was i thinking. i threw on my red sweatshirt again and some shorts. it was supposed to be really hot today. ugh i'm such a fucking idiot.

i walked out of my bedroom and into the kitchen.
"gooooooood morning, max! are you excited for your second day of school?" david said in his usual happy tone. i shrugged.
"sure..." i mumbled.
gwen came out of her and david's room. i could tell because i heard her dragging her feet. someone else must not have slept well either. david smiled at her and went over and kissed her. "good morning, beautiful." he said. gwen smiled "morning, davey." i was too tired to say anything or burst out any remarks.

david walked back over to the oven because it started beeping.
"guess who made muffins!" he said.
i gave him a weak smile. muffins were always the best. david looked at me and tilted his head to the side a little. and he made that face. ugh i hated that face. the 'concerned dad' look.
"hey, max. is there something wrong?"
"no. it's nothing. just... didn't sleep well."
david narrowed his eyes. but then said "okay."

gwen popped in. "you know, there's a remedy just for that!" she paused "COFFEE." she walked over to our keurig coffee machine and popped in a pod. she made three cups. one cup was black. one was pure white. the other was a light brown.
"oh my gosh, gwen! i don't know how you drink black coffee! it's so bitter!" david exclaimed, sipping on his literally white coffee... if you could even call it that.
"it's black like my soul." gwen said.
i snickered "mood."
david said, "wow, you're hilarious gwen! if you were drinking coffee the color of your soul, you would be drinking milk!"
gwen looked at him, slightly pissed off but then made the 'okay-whatever-you-say-david' face.

it felt like the morning was moving so slowly. i crossed my arms remembering the scars.
"something wrong, kid?" gwen said.
"i asked him the same thing!" david said, looking at me. "he said he was just tired."
gwen looked at me with a 'somethings-up' face and i shook my head.

"oh shit, it's 7:30. we gotta leave to get you to school on time." gwen said, jolting up off the couch. i dragged my feet and walked out the door, following gwen. david stayed behind since he had to get ready for work.

in the car

"hey, max?" gwen said, eyes still on the road.
"yeah?"
"you know you can tell me anything, right?"
i was silent.
"i know you probably don't wanna talk about shit with david, but just know that i'm here if you wanna talk."
i didn't notice at first, but i was digging my fingernails into my arm. well, that was until i started bleeding.
"max?" gwen said. we were pulling into the school parking lot. i panicked, hoping she didn't notice.
"yeah?"
"have a great day, sweetie."
"yeah, sure."
i hopped out of the car, grabbing my bag on the way out.

that was fucking close.

600 words

oof sorry that took a bit. dealing with some mental stuff right now lol. i'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible.