the sophomore||muke

||27||

Daryl laughed nervously.

"Michael that's not true."

"Yes, it is!"

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, son."

Michael shook his head. He had already had a bad day. This was just making things worse.

"I'm out of here."

Daryl placed his hand on Michael's chest before he could leave. The senior looked down at him nervously. He had never gotten into a fight with his parents before.

"You're out of here? What is that, teen talk? You're not leaving until you apologize!"

"Apologize for what?"

"You do not get to speak to me or your mother like this, alright Michael?"

"Daryl", Karen spoke. She suddenly felt guilty for calling her husband.

"No. This is not like him at all. What has gotten into you Michael, huh? Do you understand who's in charge? Because it's definitely not you."

"I've just had a bad day alright Dad? Let me go."

"Well, you have no right to take it out on me! I raised you to be a respectful person, Michael. You can't have a bad day and use it as an excuse to act up! You really need to think about your actions, especially how you are going to UVA next year-"

"Oh my god!", Michael interrupted, placing his hands on his neck. He couldn't help the anger that was building up inside him. The senior couldn't hold back anymore, he had to get it out.

"Don't you get it? I don't care about UVA!"

Daryl stared at him in shock.

"Excuse me?"

Michael groaned and wiped his hands over his face.

"Can't you give me one day? One day where I don't have to be the basketball guy?!"

"Michael, do not shout at your father.", Karen said.

Daryl furrowed his eyebrows.

"Son, what are you talking about? You wanna be the basketball guy, it's who you are!"

"No dad!", he shouted. "It's who you want me to be."

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?"

Michael gulped and looked down at his father.

"I don't want this anymore", he whispered.

Daryl frowned.

"You don't want what?"

"UVA. I don't want to go!", he yelled.

His father shook his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're just saying that. You're just saying that Michael because you're scared-."

"No! I'm not. I mean it, Dad. The only thing I'm scared of is not pleasing you, and you know what? I'm not even scared of that anymore."

Daryl looked at him with desperate eyes. Michael had never seen his dad look so helpless.

"You don't mean that."

Michael laughed bitterly and wiped his eyes. He didn't want to cry anymore.

"You don't have a clue who I am, do you? None of you do", he looked across the room at his mother.

Karen placed a hand on her chest. "Michael, stop talking like this."

The senior exhaled slowly as he looked at his parents. He had never seen them look so disappointed in him before. But Michael didn't want to be the golden child. He was sick of never talking back, and always letting his parents have the first say. Right now, the senior didn't think twice before speaking the words coming out of his mouth.