"What? No. Absolutely not."
"It's not your decision. You've had to raise yourself, I know. And... I'm going to be motherly, and make this decision for you, in your best interest."
Scott moved forward on the couch a little as he got a little more angry. "How is that my best interest? You want to tear me away from Mitch? The only good thing I have? And what about Avi? And the only mother that ever gave a shit?"
"I just want my son back. And... The only way to do that, is for you to come live with me."
"I said no, Connie."
"And I said that I wasn't giving you a choice. I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore, Scott."
Scott shook his head slowly. "God, you... Are fucking ridiculous." He stood from his seat. "I'm not going to just up and leave. Hell no. I'm old enough to make my own decisions."
Connie suddenly looked to Rick. "You're just going to sit there, and not say anything?"
Rick met her eyes and slowly took a sip of his drink.
Scott shook his head quickly. "Alright, I'm out of here. It's been a pleasure, Connie. So glad we could have this chat." He moved to walk out the door, but she grabbed his arm.
Turning him back around, she met his eyes. "Scott, please. Don't do this. I'm just trying to fix my mistakes, don't you--?"
"You can't fix that. You're too fucking late. Eighteen fucking years late."
Connie's eyes fell down to his arm, as she clung to him tightly. But her eyes landed on the tattoo he'd gotten for her, and she pulled away gently as she stared at it. "What.. What's that?"
Scott looked down too, and then moved as if to hide his arm. "Okay, see you guys later. Have fun in LA, Ma. Send me lots of--"
"Scott Richard Hoying, what is that on your arm? That's not... Me, is it?"
Scott looked down again, and he chuckled dryly. "Well sure. That's the last thing my 'superhero' said to me before she left me in the hands of this fucking drunkard."
Connie looked down at it one more time, only to frown at the words. 'Sometimes we must leave home for something better.' -C.H.
*
Scott got in his car and turned it on, eyes full of angry tears that he tried his best to will away. He cursed loudly as he smacked the top of the steering wheel, before grabbing his phone out of his pocket to call Mitch.
"Hey! How are you, ba--?" Mitch's chipper voice cut off. "Baby, are you crying?"
"No." Scott sniffled, wiping his eyes carelessly with his other hand. "Fuck. No, I'm not. I'm fucking fine. Just wanted to call so you know I'm leaving and going back to the hotel."
"Babe, you can't drive like this. You're too upset."
"What do you want me to do, Mitchell? I need to get the Hell out of here."
Mitch sighed softly. "I know... I know, honey. Can you video chat right now? I need to make sure you're okay before you do anything. Are you still sitting in the driveway?"
"Yeah... I don't want you to see me like this, Mitchie..." Scott mumbled softly, looking down at his legs.
"Babe, I get that. But I need to make sure you're okay. I'm not even with Avi right now, if that helps. I was peeing when you called, so. I'm just chillin' in the bathroom in 400 hall."
"Oh..." Scott smiled a little. "Keep your pants down for me, would you?"
"Ew!" Mitch giggled a little, and Scott heard the sink turn on. "You make me laugh, Scottie. I miss you. Video now?"
Scott wiped his eyes again. "Yeah... Fine."
"Okay. One sec." Mitch hung up, set his phone down so he could wash his hands thoroughly and dry them off quickly before grabbing his phone again to call him back.
Scott answered, looking more distraught than Mitch had ever seen him. "Hey... So tell me; Have you ever seen me look this ravishing?"
"Ravishing? Or heartbroken?" Mitch frowned at him. "Sweetie, are you okay?"
"Please don't call me that... That's why I didn't want you to see me like this. Because now you're talking to me like I'm weak and--"
"No, no, honey. I'm not. You're the strongest person I've ever met, truly. Just.. God, Scott, I wish I could be there. You put up such a front when you're around other people, including Alex and Kirstie, and... You just need someone to hold you sometimes but you're not going to let them, are you?"
"Of course not. You can do whatever you want when I get home. But until then--"
"Until then, you're gonna act like nothing happened. Pretend you're okay, when you're not. That's why you're sitting alone in your car crying right now."
"I'm not fuckin' crying. You should be getting back to class, Mitch."
"Don't you do that. I'm not going anywhere until I know that you're okay."
"I'm fine, pretty boy."
"No you aren't. What'd they say, baby? Talk to me." Mitch leaned against the wall of the bathroom, eyes full of concern.
"Connie wants me to move to LA with her. To be away from Rick."
Mitch paused, eyebrows slowly raising. "She wants to take you away from home..?"
"I told her no, Mitch. Nothing on this earth would pull me away from you."
"But... Rick's still beatin' on you, isn't he? He's... Hurting you and stuff..."
"No. Don't do that, Mitch. Don't you dare suggest that moving away would be the best option."
"I don't want you to be hurting anymore, baby. I know it'll hurt like Hell to be away from you, but... If it's gonna keep you from getting beat up all the time by your own dad..."
"No. Nope." Scott held his phone with one hand while he shifted into reverse to back out of the driveway. "I gotta go, Mitch. Go to class."
"Please don't do that to me. Please at least talk to Avi? Or call me when you get back to the hotel, after you've had time to think? Please?"
"I'll think about it. I'm not going anywhere, okay? Fuck LA. My heart is in Texas with you, Mitch. Don't you fuckin' forget that."
*
Alex was ready to leave by the time Scott came back to the room, Kirstie in the bathroom curling her hair.
Alex was sitting on the edge of the bed, texting Avi back to tell him he promised to be safe. "No, no, your outfit is very well put together. I really like it. And your make-up looks super good, and your hair is gonna look good... Fuck Jeremy. He's missin' out."
Kirstie peeked out of the bathroom to smile at him. "That's the sweetest thing I've heard all day."
"Well... It's what I do."
Scott walked into the room then, slamming the door behind him loudly.
Alex jumped at the sound. "Oh, hey. How was the soul sucking hour with your parents?"
Scott glared at him, tossing his phone onto the bed with his keys. "Do I look like I enjoyed myself?"
"Not even a little bit."
"Then why'd you fuckin' ask?" Scott kept walking to look into the bathroom at Kirstie. "So that's a yes on the going out tonight?"
Kirstie set the curling iron down on the counter, the front section of her hair still not finished yet. "I... I mean, yes. But not if you're too upset to go. We can just hang out here, if you want. Watch some movies, binge eat some ice cream.."
"No. I want you guys to be able to have a good time. I'll be the D.D. You guys should get plastered."
Kirstie frowned a little. "I don't know... I feel like, if you wanna stay here, we should all just stay."
"I don't want to stay here. I want to go out. Are you almost ready?"
"Kinda... I just... Need to finish my hair, and then contour a little... Uh... Ten minutes?"
Alex whined. "Kirstie, I wanna go now. Hurry up."
Scott glanced back at him. "You're all ready to go?"
"Mhmm."
"Call Avi. Tell him you're gonna be okay tonight. He'll want to know."
Alex felt obligated to obey him because he was in a bad mood.
Scott then followed Kirstie into the bathroom. "Mitch taught me how to contour, for when he feels lazy and doesn't want to do it, but still wants it to be done. And someone else taught me how to curl hair, so. Divide and conquer."
"Okay, uh... I'll contour, and you curl? I'll try not to move too much."
Scott nodded once, picking up the curling iron. "Kay."
**