~ Casey's point of view ~
It was just too awkward sitting there with Destiny, waiting for Michael to come back home. I can't believe she caught me jerking off like that. I had no idea she was home. God. I had to leave . . I'll come back sometime this evening. I just hope Dad didn't find out that I escaped through my window. I have to be careful climbing back in there, I cannot let him find out. He'll kill me. I take the bus and ride back home. I walk down the street and around the house. I don't think he saw me. At least I hope he didn't. I climb up to my window and make sure not to make any sounds.
"Casey"
OH NO.
"Get down and meet me in the living room!!"
"Dad, let me explain, ok? I was-"
"NOW!!!!"
". . . Yes, Dad"
FUCK.
I get back down and follow dad into the house. He slams the door behind me angrily and pushes me into the livingroom. Mom isn't home. If she were, she'd be holding him back now. She knows how rough Dad can be when he's angry . . but I guess I deserve it. I shouldn't have climbed out my window. Now he's even angrier than he was before.
"Casey, you have got to be kidding me. . I locked you into your bedroom for a darn reason, where the heck did you go?!"
"I . . I was-"
"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU, YOUNG MAN!"
"I went to Michael's house . . I wanted to talk to him"
"Casey, you have taken me from being mad to furious and now all I feel is so much rage, you don't even wanna know it, boy! . . I am so done with you acting like you don't give a shit! I don't just lock you into your bedroom for fun! I wanted you to think about your actions and you just run away??"
"Dad, I'm sorr-"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, CASEY! I'm the one talking!"
"I'm sorry, Dad"
. . . . .
"Casey . . your mother and I have had it . . we really tried our best to raise you the best way we could, and we were postive we were doing a great job . . but when you started smoking pot we knew something was wrong . . and we're both done blaming ourselves for the decisions you make! You're 16 years old, Casey . . it's time to grow up! ALRIGHT? smoking pot isn't fun! it's going to lead you to do other drugs . . HEAVIER DRUGS! . . you think nothing bad can ever happen to you, don't you? but let me tell you, buddy, BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU and they will if you don't stop with all this nonsense!"
"Dad, I'm sorry, I already told you-"
"SHUT UP!! I'm gonna tell ya one last time to shut up when I'm talking, haven't I made that clear?!"
"Dad, I admit that I do smoke pot every now and then but I don't take any other drugs!"
"You don't?"
"I really don't, Dad"
"Alright then . . could you please explain to me what this white stuff is that I found underneath your bed? . . it's definitely not flouer . . nor is it snow . . this is Cocaine, buddy . . what the hell are you doing with Cocaine? have you lost your damn mind?!"
"Dad . . this is the god's honest truth, I was holding this for a friend! HONESTLY!"
"I don't believe a word you say, Casey . . I don't believe a word you say! . . you have been using this stuff, too, haven't ya? Look me in the eyes, Casey . . look at me and tell me that you haven't been using this stuff . . LOOK AT ME!!"
"Dad . . I didn't-"
"LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND TELL ME YOU HAVEN'T BEEN USING THIS STUFF!! I want you to swear to the Lord that you have never used this drug in your life . . look at me Casey!"
. . . . .
. . . . .
"Dad . . I admit it, OK? . . I did it once . . only ONCE!"
Dad slaps me across the face with so much strength, I forget to breathe for a short period of time. I gasp for air, trying to hold myself back from crying. I only did Cocaine once and that was it. I wasn't planning on doing it again. Pot is the only thing I like to do every once in a while . . not just to get high but to kick back and relax . . school is hard . . being a teenager is hard . . but of course Dad doesn't understand. Dad is so strict, he never listens to what I say.
"If I were you I would not dare run away through that window again and if you do, may God have mercy on your soul!" Dad yells, slamming the door shut behind him in anger. I start crying. I have never needed Michael more than I do right now. I wish I hadn't punched him in the face. I feel so awful about it. I just want to speak to him and tell him that I'm in trouble with Dad and that I need him to help me out of it.
About 15 minutes later the door opens and Mom walks in. "Casey?"
"Mom!"
She closes the door behind her. "Casey, what is going on with you? is it true? did Dad really find Cocaine underneath your bed, honey?!"
"Yea he did . . but mom, I don't do Cocaine . . I was mainly holding it for a friend. I tried it once, but that was it . . Mom, can you please talk to Dad!"
"Honey, he's mad at you . . and he has every right to be . . you are completely out of line doing the things you do! Michael called me and you know what? he was crying when he told me what you did! . . you not only break mine and your father's heart over and over again, you also break your brother's heart. He loves you Casey . . we all love you . . why are you doing this?!"
~ Michael's point of view ~
It's 5:30pm and I cannot believe Zaira tricked me into going to the movies with her and her mother. Just like she tricked me into going to the sportspark. She knew we'd run into her mother here. I love how smart she is but I do not like the fact that she keeps trying to trick me. I respect her feelings towards Destiny but this is not right. She's trying to get her mother and me back together but it's not gonna work.
We watched an animated movie together . . and of course Zaira made sure that Nastasia and I sat next to each other. She even sat in the row in front of us to give us 'privacy' . . I cannot believe her. "It was really nice, Michael . . thanks for taking me with you guys, I guess I'll be going now!" She looks at Zaira. "Bye sweetie! I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon, alright?"
"Mom, why don't you, dad and I go out for dinner?"
"Zaira . . wait in the car for me" I say with an angry tone in my voice. This time it's not going to work. Nope. "But dad, don't you think we could-"
"GO WAIT IN MY CAR . . ."
. . . . .
"Ok"
Zaira gets in the backseat of the car and shuts the door. I say goodbye to Nastasia and let her know that she doesn't have to worry about picking her up. . I will drive Zaira back to her tomorrow afternoon. I get in the car and look at Zaira through the rear view mirror.
"Zaira, I know what you're doing . . and I don't like it"
"What are you talking about, Dad?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about . . you're not a baby anymore . . I'm not gonna go easy on your this time. You're playing a game and I don't like it. Stop tricking me into spending time with your mother. Alright? We're going home now and you will apologize to Destiny for the things you said to her, ok?"
"I will not apologize to her, Dad!"
"Oh, yes you will! You most certainly will!"
"If I apologize, she has to apologize to me, too!"
"Apologize to you for what?"
. . . . .
. . . . .
"Zaira, stop it. You are not going to keep this up or I'm gonna be real mad, alright? This is where it all stops. You're not a baby anymore, you're old enough to know right from wrong! You will apologize to Destiny whether you want to or not. I'm telling you to and that is the end of this discussion"
I hear no word from Zaira for the whole ride home. She's mad and so am I. But I don't care. She's being sneaky and shady and I don't like that. I don't want her growing up, thinking that it's ok to play mind games with people. Sometimes we have to face uncomfortable situations and learn how to live with them. Life's not candy-coated and she should know that by now.
I get out of the car . . Zaira of course refuses to get out of the car. I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder. "Dad!" I walk inside the house and close the door behind me. "You will apologize to Destiny right now, I'm telling you, Zaira"
I put her down she sits down on the couch and turns on the TV. I grab the remote and turn it off again. "Go upstairs and apologize to Destiny, now!"
"Ugh . . ."
She walks up the stairs, rolling her eyes. "If you keep rolling your eyes further back they're gonna get stuck, do you want that to happen?"
I take a seat on the couch and let out a huge sigh. She better be up there apologizing now! . . but I have a feeling that that's not what she's doing right now. I bet she went straight to her room. I go up there to check the situation. Destiny is in the bedroom at the desk, doing something on my computer. "Hi honey . . how was your afternoon with Zaira?"
"Alright, I guess . . . did she apologize to you?"
"I didn't even hear her come up here"
"Hold on"
I walk into Zaira's bedroom and close the door behind me. "You can sit on this bed and keep having that pissed off expression on your face all you want but you will apologize for the things you said to Destiny, Zaira!" Suddenly my phone starts ringing. It's Casey. I ignore the phone call and put my phone back into my jeans pocket.
"Zaira . . get up and go apologize to Destiny . . now!"
"What for???"
"For yelling at her!!!"
"She deserved to be yelled at!!!" I grab her by her arm and pull her closer to me. "You do not talk like that, do you understand?! I do not want to hear you talk like that . . to no one!! especially not to me, understood?! Destiny is my girlfriend. I can't force you to like her but I want you to treat her with respect because she treats you respectfully too, alright?!"
"I will not apologize to her, Dad"
"Fine . . then go wait for me in the car"
"What? . . why? where are we going?"
"I'm bringing you back to your mother!"
"What? No! this is our day! I'm spending it with you, Dad!"
"Not with that attitude! Definitely not, Zaira! I'm gonna give you five minutes to decide. You're either going to apologize to Destiny . . sincerely . . or you can wait for me in the car and I'm gonna drive you home!" With that said, I close the door and head downstairs. Destiny follows me downstairs.
"Everything alright, honey?"
"She refuses to apologize to you, sweetheart"
"Don't worry about it, I don't mind . . it's alright. She's mad at me, I understand"
"No! . . No, I want her to apologize . . I don't want her to be like that. This is now how I want her to handle things. She's gotta have respect for people . . you're my girlfriend, Destiny . . I wanna spend my life with you . . she will have to make peace with that sooner or later"
She grabs my face and kisses me. "Relax, honey . . you're shaking . . sit down. Let me open up a cold one for you . . I bet you could use a cold beer right now"
"A cold beer sounds like heaven right now . . but I might have to drive her back home in a little bit"
"Drive her home? . . why?"
"I told her to either apologize to you or I will drive her back home"
"Honey . . I understand your anger, I really do but don't be so hard on her . . she's just a kid . . she's upset . . she's mad . . don't do this to her . . she loves spending the weekend with you . . don't do this to her . . for me, ok? . . do it for me and let her be mad. I don't mind"
My phone starts ringing again. It's Casey. I decide to pick up this time:
". . . What is it?"
"Mike . . I'm sorry!!"
"Sorry for what? for punching me in the face at the local corner shop for everyone to see?"
"Yes . . Michael, I'm sorry . . really!! I am!"
"Alright, bye now"
"Michael, please!!"
"Casey, I have nothing to say to you right now. You freakin' punched me in the face after I tried to help you . . what do you want from me?!"
"I want you to forgive me . . I swear I didn't mean to hurt you! It will never happen again!"
I hang up the phone. He calls me back a few seconds later. I throw the phone on the coffee table and leave the living room. I'm too mad to talk to him right now. After what he did to me today, he can kiss my ass.
~ Destiny's point of view ~
Michael just left the living room. I know this is none of my business but I just have to answer Casey's phonecall. "Hello?"
"Destiny? . . is Michael there?"
"No . . I mean, yes . . but I don't think he wants to talk to you . . he's really upset"
"I know . . and he has every right to be but I want him to know that I truly am sorry for what I did. Please hand him the phone . . PLEASE!"
"Why don't you just come over and talk to him in person? I'm sure that'll be more effective"
"I can't . . Dad locked me in my bedroom"
"Casey . . you need to relax and let Michael have a breather. He's dealing with a lot of stuff right now . . I'm sure he'll come around, ok? Don't worry about it"
"Destiny, you don't understand . . my father locked me in my bedroom! . . I can't even use the bathroom. I'm stuck! I need him to come over and soften a Dad a little. I cannot deal being stuck in my room! I need Michael to help me out of here . . please, Destiny! I'm begging you!"
I put the phone down for a second to gather my thoughts. It's none of my business but I really want to help Casey out of his misery. The least thing I can do is hand Michael the phone and make him talk to Casey . . it's up to him if he wants to help his little brother out or not. I put the phone back on my ear:
"Listen, Casey . . I can't promise you that he will help you out but I will hand him the phone, alright?"
"THANKS!" I walk up to Michael and hand him the phone. "Please talk to him, honey . . he really needs you right now"
. . . . .
"DOES NO ONE AROUND HERE CARE ABOUT WHAT I NEED?! GOOD GOD! I'M DONE WITH ALL THIS CRAP. NOTHING BUT DRAMA COMING AT ME LEFT AND RIGHT. I DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO CASEY, I DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE RIGHT NOW. SORRY, SWEETHEART. I NEED A BREATHER . . I NEED TO CLEAR MY HEAD!" Michael yells, grabbing his car keys and storming out of the house.
To be continued . . .