I started dating Aria again—We've been dating for a while now. Ever since she gave me a ride home that night, about 5 months ago, we started talking.
She's changed.
She's not nearly as controlling, or jealous as she used to be. We decided to try again, and so far it's been going great. I'm starting to fall for her.
I'm in a bad mood today. It's Saturday, and instead of getting to spend the whole day with Aria, I get to help move. Lucky me.
We get to Taylor's place around 7am. He's got a lot more stuff than mom and I have.
"What's up guys?!" Taylor asks. He's in a good mood.
Dad just smiles at him. "You're excited, aren't you?"
"I'm ecstatic," he says, with a huge grin on his face.
Dad claps him on the back. "Ok, Preston. Put us to work."
Dang there's so many boxes
"I thought we'd carry all the furniture down, and then do the boxes last. You good with that?" Taylor asks.
"Sounds good to me," dad says, moving towards the couch.
~*~
We spend a couple hours moving Taylor out. When we get to the new apartment to unload his stuff, I look around for a couple of minutes. It's actually really, really nice. This must be costing a fortune.
"Is mom paying for any of this?" I ask. There's no way she could afford a place like this on her own.
"Ummm," Taylor hesitates. "I don't really think that's any of your business, Liam."
I just roll my eyes. I'm sure she's paying for some of it—Mom would never have agreed to move in, rent free.
"Dude, this place is amazing! I bet Ellie is excited about that kitchen," dad gasps, as he looks around.
"Yeah, she loved it," Taylor grins.
"Ok, we better head to Ellie's. Ummm, before we do though, let's stop at McDonald's. Maybe if she gets biscuits and gravy she won't be so cranky." Dad says with a chuckle.
Taylor and I both nod, and Taylor chuckles. Mom has been kinda snappy these last couple of months and we ALL know it.
~*~
We get to our place around ten, and mom opens the door with a smile. Dad steps in first, handing mom her food, and a large coke.
"Here, El. We all know you'll be in a much better mood if you eat biscuits and gravy," he says with a chuckle.
Mom tightens her eyes as she looks at him, yanking the bag from his hands. "My mood has been fine, thank you very much."
We all start laughing—She's been a crank and she knows it.
Mom sits down and starts to eat her food....Funny how that worked out. She sits, we work. I doubt Taylor would have let her do anything, though. Heaven forbid she lifts a box!
"You gonna pull your weight this time? Or are you gonna pretend to get a cramp again?" Taylor asks as he claps dad on the back.
"It wasn't a cramp, you dropped the couch on my damn foot. Watch yourself this time, Preston!"
"Ok ladies, quit bickering," I say rolling my eyes. "You see what I've been putting up with all morning?" I ask, looking at mom.
Maybe she will see how mistreated I've been and take some pity on me...The one who made her a mother and fills her life with endless joy.
"You poor thing," mom mocks as she takes a sip of the soda we brought her. "You've got a couple things left in your room that needs boxed up. I asked you to do that before you went to dad's yesterday."
Fantastic. Mom's already on my case.
"You too, huh? We just had a discussion at home last night. He hasn't cleaned his room in three weeks," dad says.
Dad and I actually got in a pretty big fight about it. He told me that if I didn't clean my room last night, I was going to be grounded. We had plans to go to a game tonight, so that really pissed me off. Long story short, I cleaned my room, and I got grounded anyways. I may have called him a few choice words that he didn't appreciate. Dad wasn't happy with me. At all.
The look on mom's face, though, is stunned. She still has absolutely no idea that dad ever gets me into trouble. I don't know why it's such a big deal to dad that she doesn't find out, but it is.
"Yeah, well I'm losing my patience. This is your final warning, Liam. Get it packed, and then help your dad and Taylor. Now."
"Yes, Ma'am," I say as I quickly go to my room to finish my work.
It only takes about an hour to get everything out of the apartment—We didn't have much to begin with. We head to the new place after mom gives her keys to the office.
When we get there, mom gets started unpacking boxes right away as we bring up the furniture from mom's place.
After another hour or so, Dad and I take off. "Ok, El. We're gonna get out of here. Liam and I are headed to a game," he says, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
I silence a groan.
Dad totally just lied to mom, and I have to pretend to be excited for a game that I don't get to go to anymore. What I get to do instead, is try to convince dad that I'm sorry, and that I deserve to have Aria come over. He already gave the tickets to his buddy.
In case you're wondering, I never got to have her come over. I spent the remainder of my night with dad at the laundromat, getting caught up on our laundry. So stupid.
~*~
I get to mom and Taylor's on Monday after school. I had track, so I'm completely disgusting when I get home.
"Hey buddy," mom says, coming over to kiss me. She scrunches up her nose when she notices how sticky I am. "Ick. How'd track go?"
"Fine," I say as I start to sit down on the couch.
"Oh no you don't, go take a shower, please," she says, grabbing my arm before I can sit.
Taylor starts chuckling. He knows as well as I do that this is common knowledge with mom. He had put up with it for years. Thankfully for him, he gets to put up with it again. He doesn't even get laid anymore to make up for it.
Ew! Did that thought really just enter my mind?
"Can you for ONCE not be completely anal about everything? I just want to sit for a minute!" I say, knowing full well that I'm gonna have to go take a shower no matter what I say.
"You sure can—After you take a shower. Don't even think about sitting down, mister."
"Ok, fine... you can still boss me around... but you can't him. I'm just waiting for the day that he works out and then decides that he doesn't feel like showering. There's officially nothing you can do about it. You didn't even buy this couch!"
"Go take a shower, Liam" Taylor says in a clipped tone. When I look at him, I decide to do what he says.
He REALLY didn't like that comment.
I watch tv for a bit after I get out of the shower, and Mom starts in on me soon after.
"Bud, you need to start unpacking. I already did most of it, but I'd like to take the rest of the boxes to the recycling in a bit."
"Can't you just finish it?" I snip.
"No. I already told you that I was uncomfortable going through your stuff. So all the boxes that you packed, I'd like you to unpack, please."
I just sigh. "You've seriously never seen condoms before?" Then I stop and chuckle for a minute..."Well, maybe you haven't."
"Liam Alexander, do we need to have a discussion?" Taylor asks from behind me. I didn't even know he was here.
"No, sir. Sorry mom," I say as I get up and go to my room.
~*~
I sulk around for the next couple of days, having an attitude and not doing much of anything to help out. I can tell that I'm getting on both of their nerves.
I'm playing Call of Duty, when Taylor comes by, and trips on the skateboard I left on the carpet. It was actually kinda funny. He steps on it and falls forward, slamming his hand into the fireplace to catch his fall. He curses under his breath.
"Liam, what are you trying to do? Kill me so you can keep the new Xbox? Pick this up!" He says, more annoyed than angry.
I just roll my eyes. "Watch where you're going next time and there won't be a problem."
Taylor sighs. "Now."
"No thanks," I spit out, as I find a new gun to use in this game.
I can't see Taylor's face, because I'm intentionally ignoring him, but I can hear his teeth clamp together. He promptly comes over and unplugs the Xbox from the tv, making my game disappear.
"When did you become such a loser?" I bark, slamming my controller down on the coffee table.
Taylor chuckles darkly. "I've always been a loser. You throw my controller down like that again, though, and you're really going to see how big of a loser I can be."
"Oh, I'm sorry Taylor. I would hate to ruin your precious Xbox."
Before I know what I'm doing, I grab the console off the stand and throw it as hard as I can through Taylor's 72 inch TV, shattering the screen.
"WHAT THE HECK IS YOUR PROBLEM?!?" Taylor screams.
"YOU! YOU'RE MY PROBLEM! JUST GET OUT OF MY FACE!" I scream as I push him away from me. He's still totally stunned, so I actually make him lose his balance a little.
"What's going on?" mom asks, coming out of her bedroom quickly and walking over to me.
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" I scream again as I start heading for my room.
Mom puts her hand on my chest and stops me. Then she looks at Taylor for an explanation.
Taylor doesn't say anything, he's too mad. Instead he just points at the tv—It's completely shattered.
"What did you do to the tv?" mom asks, turning to me for an answer.
"He threw the Xbox through it." Taylor says, still trying to get his voice under control.
Mom then grabs me by the arm and spins me around so I'm facing her. "Start talking!"
"I'm sick of this! You never even asked me if I was ok with moving again. Apparently I'm just along for the ride anymore. But I'm sick of him bossing me around."
"All I asked him to do was pick his skateboard up off the carpet. I didn't see it, and I nearly broke my neck on it a minute ago." Taylor explains. His feelings are hurt more than anything now—I can only remember one other time that I've been truly mad at him..When he made me get a job.
"What's going on with you?" Mom asks me again.
"Nothing."
"Liam Alexander, you've got one more chance to start talking."
When I say nothing, her eyes narrow.
"Fine, well, I guess your paychecks will continue going to Taylor until you can pay him back for the Xbox and the tv."
"You're funny." I say so darkly that Taylor actually stiffens, about to step in.
"Do you see me laughing?" She asks, starting to get in my face.
"If you think I'm going to keep giving him my checks, then you're even dumber than I thought."
"HEY!" Taylor yells.
"You are going to continue giving him your checks, until your debt is paid. All of it. You're also going to go to your room. Right now."
"No," I say quietly as I turn around and leave the apartment, slamming the door as I go.