TWO

"Mother, I call out to thee, your beautiful son is back from his sojourn at his learning institution."

Or at least, the forest around it.

"Only beautiful because I gave birth to you", she replies, as she breezes through the room.

I stand in the doorway of my kitchen as I watch her flit about. She seems to be reorganising. My mother has hated being still ever since Ava died. I can't help but think she feels like she should have done more. As if sensing my train of thought, she stills and faces me.

"How do you feel today?" Her voice is soft.

There's a whole lot of meaning in that simple question that I'm not ready to rediscover. I answer the only way I can under such dire circumstances.

"I.....am......hungry....feed.......me."

She looks as if she wants to press further but opts for my out by rolling her eyes.

"We'll wait until your father gets home before having dinner. So we can eat together, as a family." Her voice sounds strained.

I sigh softly.

"Is he coming for dinner though?"

"He said he would."

I mime taking my phone out and making a call. "I'm sorry, Renée, but I'll have to stay over at work late. It's terribly busy today. Lots of new clients coming in."

"He promised he would be here."

"Mom, that's what he said last time. And the other two times before that."

"He told me he was sorry for all that, and he promised to try to make it right again with you- "

"That's all he does, mom! He makes promises he can't keep!" I fist my hands into my hair in frustration. "I don't understand why you keep acting like we're still a whole family when we're broken! Broken beyond repair!—"

"—Your father is trying, you know he is. People deal with things differently. This isn't what Ava would want, love–"

"—Stop trying to fix it by slapping on a band aid, this isn't the Girl Scouts. It's not ALL BETTER NOW."

"I WILL NOT TOLERATE YOU SCREAMING AT ME."

I fall into a shocked silence as I take in my mother, who looks like she is on the verge of tears. Her chest is heaving and her hands are shaking. I instantly feel about a thousand times smaller.

She turns around and places one hand over her mouth, the other on the counter in front of her, as if to keep her grounded.

"Look, Colum, you are not the only one in this. I understand that you feel like your father abandoned you when you needed him the most. But what about him? He's going through the same things you are. I know you're in a place where you don't want to listen right now, but I won't tolerate you acting like a child. You're better than that."

She turns back to face me.

"I also heard from your teachers that you've been skipping classes. I didn't want to say anything at first because I guessed you just needed some space. But I think you've had enough. You'll be in class tomorrow morning, is that understood?"

"Yes."

"Good."

I trudge back to the living room and up the stairs to my room, where I slam the door behind me, but like, gently. I need some music to drown out my mind.

I put on some Alabama Shakes and tug on my hand guards. I eye the punching bag as I stretch my arms over my head and to the side.

I bob my head as 'Don't Wanna Fight' comes on.

"I should be the one getting pummelled, here."

* * *

I groan as I am forced once again to listen to the principal's voice in the morning's announcements. I am seated at the very back of the classroom, but that doesn't stop my classmates from craning their necks to blatantly stare at me.

I catch some whispers of "—maybe he's on probation with the cops and this is a requisite to his bail—" I mean, I tend to glare at people a lot, and I am pretty built up, but that doesn't mean you can start accusing a man of crime. Let's be realistic here.

I see some new faces that I'm pretty sure weren't here at the start of the semester. I already had to eye someone out of my seat.
I have to roll my eyes at a girl coming in dropping her books at the sight of me, her eyes all wide.

To my surprise, Afro Samurai walks in, all confidently strutting and stuff, hair wild with character, and sits down right next to me. I grin at her. I can't help it, she's marvelous.

She does her eyebrow thing again and I feel my day looking up. Then I remember where I am and what I'm doing and instantly sober up. The homeroom teacher walks in and gets everyone settled.

"Okay people, as you can see Colum is back with us and we hope he's here to stay."

I give my teacher, Mrs. Wolfe, a nod. I've always liked her, she doesn't take or give any bullshit. Her dark hair is always bound in a tight knot at the nape of her neck and her glasses make her eyes seem hawkish.

"We also have a new student. She wasn't here for homeroom yesterday as she was still getting her schedule. Would you like to introduce yourself?"

Afro stands up and faces the room.

"Hey, my name is Urenna, call me Ure, I'm from L.A. and it rains all the time here."

Twilight reference, anyone?

Laughter breaks out as she sits back down.

As the bell rings I pack up my stuff to go to the next class but Mrs. Wolfe calls me over.

"Your mother asked me to keep you involved in whatever is happening in school. So I've assigned you to guide Urenna around. You seem to know each other already."

I begin to protest but remember the look on my mom's face.

"Okay, sure." I tell Mrs. Wolfe.

"Great."

Afro walks up to me and I gesture to the open door, ever the gentleman. She rolls her eyes and walks past me.

Hello again, Forest Views High.