Crash and Burn

•3•

September
Kennedy

"Hey, Mom!" I shut the apartment door behind me and set my skateboard down. I kick my sandy flip flops off and walk through the living room to the kitchen.

When we moved here ten years ago my mom rented this apartment until she could get back on her feet. We weren't living that great in New York either. Dad wasn't rich in any means and didn't leave much in the will. So when we moved here mom took the first two-bedroom apartment she could find.

You're probably wondering why we moved to California if we didn't have much money. Well, my mom grew up here before she had met and married my dad. She wanted to come back and I've enjoyed it. We get by alright.

The apartment opens up into the living with two bedrooms off the far right wall. A pocket door right ahead leads into the kitchen and eat-in dining room.

My mom's in the kitchen cutting some vegetables to put in the ramen. Mom is a beautiful woman and my favorite person in the world. I feel guilty when I say that because it used to be my dad. She's a few inches taller than me with an average body. I got my mom's blonde hair and my dad's hazel eyes. My mom has ocean blue eyes and a good tan skin tone. She's wearing ripped mom jeans with a white T-shirt and her hair is in a messy bun. My mom also hasn't taken her ring off since the accident.

     One more thing: mom had me when she was eighteen. We're pretty close because of it, but I don't want to be like her. Does that make sense? I love her and all, but I want to do something with my life.

     "Smells great, mom." I open the fridge and pull out a vitamin water before sitting at the small dining table.

     Mom turns around with a smile brighter than the sun. "Hey, Ken." She set the knife down and takes the ramen out of the microwave. "How was the beach? Is Hope excited for fall break?"

     I get up and help divide the vegetables into the two bowls as Mom forks noodles into them. We take our dinners to the table and I answer her questions. "The beach was hot. Uh, Declan's back for his fall break, so I got to see him." I felt my mom looking at me but I wouldn't look at her. It might have been the ramen steam but my face was heating up way too quickly. I felt my cheeks flush and I shifted in my seat as I continued. "Hope's always excited for time off of school." I shove a forkful of noodles and vegetables in my mouth.

     "Kenny," she says seriously. I look up with a noodle dangling from my mouth. "Declan huh?" I swallow and look back at her. She knows. She's know for years. "Look, Ken, you know I adore Declan but you guys might have been a cute couple back when . . . it was legal." She kind of scrunches her face up like she's cringing.

     "Oh my god, mom!" I put my face in my hands. "You know I'm not going to do anything about my feelings. I haven't for ten years!"

     Mom nodded with a shrug. "But now hormones have a say in your decision making." I look up at her, raising an eyebrow. "I guess what I'm saying is, I don't want you to end up like me." She gives me a sympathetic look.

     I can't believe her right now. She legit playing the horny teen card. News flash: I can keep my legs shut unlike some people in this room. This is ridiculous. Dad would never have blamed me for losing my virginity with my best friend's adult brother while I'm still a minor when I hadn't!

     I wasn't going to sit here and listen to this. She could put a sympathetic face on all the fuck she wants, but it doesn't change the fact that she targeted me. "I don't want to either," I say flatly.

     "Excuse me?" My mom looks shocked.

     "I don't want to end up like you either. I want to go to college and make a life. I don't want to live off my dead husband's pennies." I sit back in my chair. My mom's eyes widen and, I think, I see tears appear.

     "Get out," she doesn't even blink. She's kicking me out with a straight face. I think I went too far with the mention of Dad. "Go!" She screams.

     I push my chair back and get up. I stomp to the front door and slide on some checkered vans. Grabbing my board, I walk out of the apartment and slam the door behind me.

~•~•~•~

     I'm not sure where I'm going. Hope's place is on the other side of town. Everything's closed so I can't hang out at the board shop. I guess I'll go to sleep at the beach. I've done it before multiple times. Sometimes I just can't live with my mom. I live here, but I always got along better with Dad.

     I hop on my board and start skating down the mostly deserted streets. There's mostly just bars down here, but they're pretty deserted till spring break.

    I skate off a curb and ride across the street before jumping back onto the opposite sidewalk. Just as get back into a groove with my movements a guy walks out of a bar and I try to avoid him, but all I accomplish is taking both of us down.

     "The fuck—?" The guys yell as they hit the concrete.

______

How are y'all during this fine quarantine? I hope your all doing good.

What do y'all think of the story so far? Anything you want to suggest or see in future chapters?

This story will go over a number of years with obvious time jumps. Is that okay? I was thinking of only going till the end of college, but I was also thinking of making it go after so you could see marriages and careers. How's that?

______

So I was watching Apple TV's new show, Defending Jacob, last night and I was inspired to finally write my murder mystery! I'm very excited but I want to know if y'all would even be interested.

This isn't very convenient, but I won't have the summary for Sinister till my next chapter. Sorry!