Boys Will Be Boys (discontinued)

Chapter Nineteen

<Kieran's POV>

"How's my future NBA star doing of late? I haven't been hearing much from you Kieran"

I wonder why.

I pulled at my collar, the stiff button-down Mum had forced me into making my neck itchy. I was in khakis and a short-sleeved button-down all per her request. I wasn't sure why she tried so hard to impress the jackass, but I did what I could to make her smile. Especially because I knew he would flip it around just as fast.

"It's going well. Talked to a few recruiters and they invited me down to watch them this coming season. Both my school and travel coach are writing me rec. letters" I recited monotonously, catching the excited glimpse in my father's eyes.

"Good, good" He hummed in faux-thoughtfulness.

There was no "how are you" in this conversation. The only reason my dad was interested in me was because I was good at basketball. He checked his watch again and I looked at the clock on the mantle. Visiting hours were two hours long and we were only half an hour in with nothing left to discuss.

I wanted him to leave.

"How's school?"

"Good."

He relapsed into science, trying to stir his two brain cells to come up with another question. Hopefully, he'd try and fail to make this one open-ended in response and then he'd recognize that he'd lost this battle and take his shit and leave. Hopefully.

"I have snacks for you boys" Mum cheerily entered the room in her Sunday best.

She always got dolled up when my father came to visit, a perfect little apron around her waist and make up covering all the blemishes he'd called her out on. This version of Mum was a recent development. When my father remarried he'd brought me over to his house to see his new wife. She was tiny, barely up to my chest. She sounded like a squeaky toy, and looked like a doll. Suddenly, after that, every time he came over was a desperate attempt for my Mother to prove herself. It made me nauseous to see her try so hard for something that wasn't even worth half of her little pinky.

I muttered a quiet thanks, looking at my father who looked past Mum like she wasn't even there. She waited a few seconds.

"Anything else?"

He dismissed her with a wave of his hand and I grit my teeth, hands curling up into a fist.

"Actually, Mum" I called her back and she scurried over, excited.

"I need a book, it's for the summer reading"

"Oh, of course dear. I'll take you out after--"

"--Could you actually order it on Amazon for me?"

I tried to shake of any guilt I was feeling. My mum had absolutely no clue how to navigate electronics, much less how to navigate Amazon. I just needed her busy and out of this room.

"Of course dearie. Call if you need me!" She smiled brightly, aiming the effect at my father, who was busy typing away at his phone. Her smile dropped some and she left. I let out an audible sigh, running a hand down my face before I turned back to deal with him.

"Thank god." He laughed, pocketing the phone.

"Thanks for getting her off my back" He smiled.

"I didn't do it for you" I spat.

"I did it for her. She doesn't have to put up with your bullshit"

His eyes sparked with anger but they fizzled out. His slate gray eyes slid down their gates and I suddenly felt the room get ten degrees colder.