Wildflower [c.h.]

Prologue

 Sydney, Australia 2016

"Calum, don't walk away when I'm talking to you," Mum said sternly. She stood facing my back on the other side of the island, the kitchen feeling much smaller than usual.

I turned around to face her. "Sorry Mum."

She said nothing and continued to pour her drink. The usual whiskey almost dripped down the sides as she added too much to her favorite glass.

Setting the bottle down, she took a sip and said, "You're not still hanging out with that girl, are you?"
    
I stood completely still. "No."
    
"Are you lying?" she asked, taking another sip. "You know what happens when you lie to me."
    
I played with the ring on my index finger and met her hard stare. "I promise, I'm not hanging around her anymore."
    
I avoided her eyes and looked at the rings I put on this morning. One was, in fact, given to me by V, but I'd never tell my mum that. The big stone was black and held a single silver bird in the right corner. She had got it for me weeks ago as a surprise, and I never took it off.
    
I looked back at Mum and met an angry glare. "Calum," she said, slowly, "I know you're lying to me. And I know for a fact that you didn't buy that ring yourself. You might as well tell me before you make it worse for yourself."
    
Fuck.
    
"Mum, I'm not lying. I told Valentyne not to talk to me anymore and you know I got that job downtown at that movie theater. I saved up to buy the ring, I swear."
    
I noticed that the glass was almost empty and about bolted out of the house.
    
She took the glass and eyed it before drinking the rest of the alcohol, hissing as it burned her throat. "Oh Calum. My sweet, sweet Calum. What am I going to do with you?" She chuckled with no emotion and continued, her words getting louder, "Why must you lie to me? I didn't raise a liar. You are such a disappointment!"
    
I looked at her with pure hatred in my eyes, hoping that she'd let me go to my room instead of what I knew she was going to do. But I'm not one to sit back and watch, I fight fire with fire.
    
"You're just a drunk who whores around with half the neighborhood," I practically yelled at her, "You wonder why I'm never truthful to you, yet you've never given me a reason to trust you enough. I've had enough, Mum."
    
I knew I'd immediately regret the words pouring out of my mouth, but I wasn't prepared for the glass that was thrown at me. I flinched as the cup broke, slashing my cheek and the skin right below my eyebrow. I wiped the back of my hand against my cheek and looked at my red hand, wondering how we got here in the first place.
    
"Do not speak to your mother like that," she seethed and that's all it took.
    
"I hate you!" I didn't look back as I ran upstairs and slammed my door, locking it behind me. I took my duffel bag out of my closet and poured all of my football gear onto the floor before filling it with clothes, slipping in a few of my personal items. I zipped it up and slung it over my shoulder, my bookbag going over my shoulder.
    
I ran across the hall and got all of the things I needed from the bathroom.
    
My mum was crying in the exact spot I left her, gulping the contents from the bottle.
    
She stopped and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Calum, if you walk out that door, you're never allowed to step foot into this house again," she said.
    
That was the last push I needed. "Fine by me," I spit at her and walked out the door, hearing a loud scream before slamming the door.
    
I was at the end if the block when I took my phone out of my pocket and called the only person I trusted.
    
"Hello," her voice crackled through the phone and I found it hard to hold back tears.
    
"Hey V. Could you come pick me up?"

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*This is my first book, so please go easy on me*