Teenage Troubles (Prequel for Teenage Baby)

Chapter 20 | Aaron

Aaron sighed and forced himself to drink it. Then another. Then... another. Then, then—

Why was the world swaying? Aaron clutched the edge of the table. He blinked too much, shoulders slumping, relaxing. Slowly, he smiled. He raised his chin, lashes colliding, and burst out laughing like a manic.

David gave him a weird look. "Drunk on what? Three glasses? Come on, Aaron."

Aaron stopped laughing and turned to look at his father. "I can't see," he mumbled, rubbing his eye with the heel of his palm. "Everything's so blurry—" he giggled tipsily "—I love it."

"You love that you can't see? I knew you were an idiot."

Aaron frowned like he was offended. "Excuse me, I'm not an idiot," he grumbled. "Do you know why I love it?"

"Why?"

"'Cause I don't have to see your stupid face!"

David raised a brow, unimpressed. "Well, you're my son. So if my face is stupid then so is yours."

Aaron bit his bottom lip then said, "No," extending the word a lot longer than normal whilst shaking his head. "I look like mom. I only took your eyes."

"Yeah, great. Now—"

"Shhh." Aaron reached over and slapped David's mouth drunkenly. "Stop talking. Your voice's so annoying."

David caught Aaron's wrist and lowered it. "Don't hit me, you little shit."

"You know, dad," Aaron suddenly said, twisting in his seat so he was facing his father, tucking one leg beneath him. "I hate home because of you and I hate school because of the bullies, so where should I go?" Elbow into his thigh, fist into his cheek, it seemed like he was genuinely mulling over it. "I think I just wanna sleep forever and ever and ever. Actually, I wanna sleep now." Aaron started leaning towards his father's shoulder sleepily but David quickly pushed him off.

Aaron grimaced then rested his arm on the table and leant his cheek on it. "I'm so sleepy, why am I awake? What even is sleep? Is it temporary death—"

"Wait, bullies?" David dumbly repeated. Aaron had never brought that up. "You have bullies?"

"Yeah, there's a shitload of them." Aaron stared at his dad through his lashes. David almost felt something in his chest again. Aaron looked too young and fragile, too impossibly like a child. "I have like five, and, and they bother me every every day. They never leave me alone and they say that I'm a pretty boy but then they say that I'm not actually pretty so I'm not the only idiot who can't make up his mind? I just want them to leave me alone—"

"How come I never knew about this?"

"'Cause you're a shitty father, obviously," Aaron said it like it was common knowledge. "And they keep making fun of my skinny legs." He laughed as he straightened and raised his leg, just about knocking David's jaw with his foot. "Look, it's so thin. Why's it so thin?"

David caught Aaron's ankle and pushed his foot away. "Aaron, lower your damn leg you dumbass."

Aaron shrugged but then he whined when his father forcefully pushed it down. David said, "You know what, I can barely tolerate you sober. You're even worse drunk." He caught Aaron's arm and tried pulling him but Aaron squirmed away. "Get up."