Not Having Fun

011

I sit on the edge of my bed, crying. Its been two whole days since I've been allowed outside! Being stuck inside isn't that bad, but I hate being grounded! It's such a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Way better than a spanking though.

"Dad's a prick," Chris appears at my door.

I sniffle and wipe my eyes on my sleeve. "Go away,"

"Alright," he sneers. "I was trying to fucking help you," Chris notices a box of Legos beside my door. He kicks them harshly and the little plastic parts spill all over my floor. He walks away, leaving his mess. I have no desire to clean it up. I didn't make the mess - he should have to clean it!

But Dad doesn't see it that way. When he passes by my room, he notices the spilled Lego. "Max, clean this mess right now,"

"It's not my mess!" I whine. "Chris kicked over my Lego box because I made him angry,"

Dad frowns and visibly relaxes. "Sorry Max. I didn't mean to blame you,"

"S okay," I shrug. Dad gives me a sympathetic look and kneels down by the Lego massacre.

"How about we clean these up together?" Dad uprights the box. Giving him a little nod, I hope down and kneel beside him. We start putting the Lego away together.

"Hey, look what I made," I look up to see Dad holding a cool Lego aeroplane!

"Woah!" I start to piece Lego together and make a tank. "I can shoot all the way into space!"

"Well, I can shoot fish at the deepest depths of the ocean!" Dad defends, shooting at my tank from the sky. What a mean pilot! So I strap some canons to my tank and blow his plane away!

"Dammit, you win," Dad chuckles. I smirk, crossing my arms.

"Ha! I win the sky and the land!"

Dad smiles. He starts to take apart the plane and put it back in its box. "Max?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"You're almost finished with Primary 1," (1st grade) Dad smiles. "Are you excited for Primary 2?"

"Yeah!" I grin. Then my grin falls. That means I'll be getting my first school report soon. They always mean a spanking for Chris because he gets really bad ones. I'm scared I will too. My teacher always complains about homework and me not paying attention.

"Don't worry Max," he ruffles my hair. "You'll have a great last term. We just need to try really hard at school until the summer holiday okay?"

I nod. "Okay Dad,"

Mum knocks on my doorframe. "Are you boys being good in there?" She smiles.

"Yes sweetie," Dad gives her a toothy smile, just like I do!

"Well, I'd planned to go to the park today," Mum shrugs. "But since you're grounded Max, maybe we could have a painting day?" 

A painting day sounds fun. I look around at the toys and other things strewn about my room. "N-No thanks Mum. I'll clean my room instead," Maybe if I clean my room and keep it tidy all week, I'll be allowed to go outside at the weekend!

"Oh," Mum smiles, a little taken-aback. "Good boy Max,"

"Yeah, I'll help you," Dad ruffles my hair. It makes me giggle. I like Dad again, even if he's super mean sometimes.