Home Sick

I was walking down the street the other day. I walked by the park and sat on a bench. I saw a family there. One like mine. A brother, two younger sisters, and two parents. Not exactley like mine, but close enough. It always made me sad to think about stuff like that. The family at the park...they...they were good. They looked nice. They were middle class. The mom and dad were pushing their daughter and son on the swings. Their other little girl came running over to them and tripped and skinned her knee. I quickly got up off the bench and stopped myself. The dad picked up his daughter and held her close and looked at me like I was crazy to think I was gonna help her up. I mean yea I'm a greaser. People can tell, but I wasn't going to go over there and rape the poor child. The mom put a bandaid on the kids knee she stopped crying and ran off to play with her brother and sister. The parents looked at me. I sat there and thought. I thought about my...old life. swinging on the swings with Johnny and Dawn. Fresh, Ice cold lemonade made by mom. Dad putting a bandaid on my scraped knee...or maybe I remembered our parents acctually caring for us. The parents were talking now and giving me dirty looks. I gave them one back and walked off. I couldn't get the idea of home out of my mind. I walked past the curtis' house. I saw Johnny, Twobit, and Dallas outside. They asked me were I was going and I just shrugged. I knew. I just didn't want to tell them. My old house wasn't far from the Curtis'. I didn't want anyone knowing though. I opened the gate to the backyard. The same old swings were still there. The porch looked duller than ever but I liked it like that. That's how it's always been. The swing's chains were all rusty. Nobody's been on it in years. Not that I remember anyway. There were small blood stains by the door of the porch from when we all fell when we were little. I probably shouldn't have been so close to the house were I was treated so badly ,but I felt like I needed to be there at that moment. I walked off the porch over to the swing set. I ran my fingers over the cold metal handels on the top of the slide. I sat down on a swing. It made a creaking noise because it was so old. I lifted my feet of the ground and started to swing. I kept swinging till I felt a cold hand on my sholder. I gasped and turned around. It was my mom. She still had that cold mean stare in her eye. She screamed "MIKE! GET OUT HERE! SHE'S BACK!" I don't know why the hell they wanted my back. My dad...he was mean. His hands were cold and when he slaps you it's even colder. I didn't want to see his face again. When Johnny told us we were leaving I packed up without a moments hesitation. He slammed open the back door and gave me that evil glare. I got a tear in my eye. I wanted to scream but I couldn't. My mom said "See I told you she'd come back if I told them you were dead!" and her grip tightend. I wanted them to change, I wanted them to be proud of me that I could do a backflip and acctually land it unlike most of the cheerleaders. There parents were just proud that they tried to land it! Not mine though. All they cared about was getting drunk and high. I snapped back "Why the hell would I come back for you?! I hate you two! You never cared for me! All you care about is your booze and cigs!!!" my mom slapped me across the face and told me to never disrespect them like that agian. I said "I'll stop when you will!" with a smirk on my face and beat it outta there! I didn't bother opening the gate. I jumped the fence. I tripped though from some stupid branch from that stupid oak tree that died so long ago. My mom got her broom that she was laying outside on the cround and started smacking me with it. The bristles on my face hurt like hell. I was screaming at her to stop. She screamed back "How do ya like that?! You like bein disrespected?" her voice raised. "DO YA!?" I shoved the broom out of my face and booked it. I ran all the way to the Curtis' house and ran into Dallas. He said "whoa kid whats up!?" I didn't say anything. I was in shock then and gave him a hug. I know you don't hug Dallas unless you either hooking up with him, or dating him. I wasn't doing either. Then again nobody hugs Dallas. The only person I ever remember hugging him is Bri ,but that's it. He pulled me back by my shoulders and saw my face. I wasn't crying just shocked. One side of my face was red from my mom slapping me. The other and my arms were redish whiteish cause of the broom. Johnny ran down the steps and asked what happend. my voice was shaky all I managed to say was "mom...broom." His face went pale and I started balling. I fell to the ground and I couldn't get up. He knelt down beside me and gave me a hug. We went over and sat on the steps. Dawn came out and looked at me. She halfed smiled and brushed my hair outta my eyes and said "How ya doin kid?" in a  sweet gentle voice. I put my head on her shoulder and looked at the sunset. Johnny put his head on my shoulder. I put my arm around his neck and he put his arm around my shoulder. Dawn put her head on top of mine. I know sometimes we don't act like it ,but we're a family. I'll always be there for you cause I know you'll always be there for me. I love you guys!

Brooklyn Cade