Stupid Boy

Kassidy

Tears rolled down my eyes as I laid in my bed staring down at the rain. I guess God knew exactly how I was feeling because the gloomy weather matched my mood.

Romelo had showed a side to him that I never saw coming. Somehow he saw Dontae and I chatting and took it upon himself to break three of my fingers.

Yeah, you heard that right. Part of me blamed myself, because I knew how haunting his past was, the other part was screaming at me to leave him alone. I was in too much pain and too exhausted to listen to either at the moment.

The crazy part about all of this is that Romelo didn't even have the common decency to drive me to a hospital. I drove myself an hour away just to avoid running into my parents at the local hospital.

I couldn't bring myself to go back to Romelo's place, so here I was at home and not prepared to answer any questions.

Tapping at my door alerted me that I needed to get a story together quickly.

"Well hello stranger! I thought I was gonna have to do a pop up visit at the school to see your face. How is sch-"

My mom's talking ended abruptly as I rolled over and winced in pain. My hand sat in a cast with my three broken fingers laid out on a splint.

My mom's eyes narrowed into slits. "What happened to your hand?" She asked through clenched teeth.

Sighing I thought of a quick lie.

"Went skating and fell down pretty hard. You know how clumsy I am." I laughed nervously.

My mom pursed her lips and folded her arms across her breasts. I knew I was in for it once she did that.

"Kassidy... is that boy hitting you?!" My mom yelled out.

"No mama! I just told you what happened! Why ask if you're gonna make your own assumptions anyway?!" I snapped.

It was something about the way my mother was looking at me with glazed eyes. It was more like her looking through me, which caused me to turn away and look out my window again. The disappointment was evident in her eyes and I couldn't take it.

My mom chuckled lightly.

"Who do you think you're talking to? You must have forgotten that both your parents are doctors. If your story about falling down was indeed true, your hand would have been broken and not just a couple of fingers! Now I don't know what kind of bullshit that hoodlum has put in your head, but you are not to see him again!" My mom yelled.

I knew she was pissed due to the simple fact that she cursed. My mom never cursed.

"Mama I'm grown. You cannot tell me who I can and can't see. I told you what happened. If you don't believe me, that's on you. Now could you leave my room please so I can get some rest?" I asked.

"YOU'RE GROWN?! LEAVE YOUR ROOM?! HONEY ANY REAL GROWN WOMAN WOULD NEVER MAKE EXCUSES FOR A MAN WHO PUTS HIS HANDS ON HER! ANY REAL GROWN WOMAN WOULD HAVE NEVER LET IT GET TO THAT POINT! AND FYI, EVERY ROOM IN THIS HOUSE IS MINE! YOU WILL NOT SEE HIM AGAIN! NOT WHILE YOU'RE LIVING UNDER THIS ROOF!" My mom screamed with fire in her eyes.

"Fine!" I yelled jumping up and walking inside my closet.

I came out with my luggage and went back to retrieve my clothes.

"Whoa... what's going on in here? I heard you guys yelling from the driveway." My dad walked in and asked. "What happened to your hand princess?"

"Daddy-"

"Tell him the truth Kas! Tell him how you wanna protect a coward of a man who can't keep his hands to himself!" My mom cut in.

"Kassidy, is that true?" My dad asked as his face dropped.

Now I was my dad's number one fan, his favorite girl. I couldn't take the pain behind his eyes so I dropped my head.

"Daddy, I fell." I said just above a whisper.

My dad's face dropped and so did my heart. I have never seen that look of disappointment in his eyes.

"Baby girl, don't do this to yourself. Don't be that girl. If this guy is putting his hands on you, he certainly does not love you. You were raised with better sense than to put up with that Kassidy. And what's with the bags?" My dad asked.

"I'm leaving daddy. I'm too old to still be living with you guys anyway. It's about time I spread my wings."

"Baby no! Don't do this... you had plans. Please don't let some guy get you sidetracked. If you want, I can get you an apartment right outside campus. Kassid-"

"My mind is made up daddy. You have to let me go." I said as silent tears fell from my eyes.

Romelo needed me. He was battling something on the inside that no one understood. No one saw the sweet side of him that I did, they all wanted to make him out to be some kind of monster. In reality he was just broken. Nothing a little love couldn't fix.

"I-I can't do this right now." My dad broke out into a sob.

My heart shattered as he stormed out my room and slammed the door.

My mom shook her head. "If you're leaving, you're not taking anything that OUR hard earned money paid for. So all those clothes you're packing, are mine! Leave the car keys on the dresser. But if you leave Kassidy, there is no coming back!"

With that being said my mom left out the room. I fell to the floor and cried my eyes out. I can't believe she wouldn't allow me to take my things. Picking myself, and my pride up from the floor, I called me an Uber and made my way down the stairs.

My mom was sitting on the couch in the dark nursing a glass of wine.

"I take it you've made your decision? I love you Kassidy and I don't know where we went wrong for you to think this is acceptable. We can tell you your worth baby, but if you don't see it for yourself, you'll never know. I'll be praying for you."

My mom walked off and I hesitated to twist the doorknob. Once I heard a horn blowing I opened the door. Taking one last look inside my home, I walked out.

At some point, a baby Bird will learn to fly.