Bruised Knuckles

33. fast forward

TWO WEEKS UNTIL GRADUATION

I'm nervous.

Not because of my family, not because of Axel, but because of my future. How am I supposed to be successful when I'm dead broke with nothing to my name?

Graduation is in two weeks and I'm fairly certain my parents will kick me out the next day. Things haven't gotten any better with them and I'm almost shunned to one room (mine) of the house.

I'm not even sure if Aspen understands me anymore. She's been in a lot of counseling for various things and it's changing her.

The day I came home and Aspen told my whole family Axel was my boyfriend was the day I stopped trusting her. Axel and I aren't even classified as anything yet... yet.

I walk cautiously walk downstairs and sit on the top of the sofa, my legs dangling over the back of it so I can see my mother in the kitchen. She has a cigarette hanging out of her mouth while she scrubs some dishes, her head bopping like she's singing a song in her mind.

I don't say anything at first, because I just want to be somewhere besides my room while keeping the benefit of silence.

Suddenly, I hear a telephone ringing and my mother quickly slips off her rubber gloves to pick it up from the other end of the counter. Since when did we get a landline?

"Hello," she says into the phone, which has to be from the late 90's.

"Yes, I was inquiring about moving to California..."

I perk up a bit while holding my breath.

"It would be a family of 5."

Shit. She's taking us with her.

"Thank you so much, my husband will call you back later tonight with the offer."

My mom hangs up the phone and casually struts back to the sink, slipping her gloves on as she continues what she was doing three minutes ago.

"California?" I say, voluntarily breaking the silence.

My mom looks surprised to hear my voice, but she fake smiles like it doesn't bother her. "Yes, California. We're moving there the day after Aspen's graduation."

My eyes widen and I'm not sure if my mom is in her right state of mind. "You mean in two weeks? Why aren't we packing? And, actually, it's my graduation too!"

My mom shakes her head and gives me a sophisticated laugh that almost sounds eerie. "Oh, honey, all we need is plane tickets and your father's lottery check."

"Lottery?!" I spew, half surprised and half angry, gripping the sofa with white knuckles. Was I really that isolated?

"Yeah, 150,000!" My mother enthusiastically states, pointing her finger at me, "the best part is that the plane tickets are on our realtor."

"I want to stay here," I plead, my heart sinking into my stomach. I don't just want to stay here, but I need to stay here for Axel.

"Good luck figuring life out then, Orion," my mom chuckles.

"I can't believe—" I cut myself off and stand up on my two feet. With my heart still in my stomach, I head out the front door while my mom says nothing.

I walk to Axel's house and by the time I'm at his front door, my fists are in balls. I pound on the door and his father answers immediately, scrunching his eyebrows in when he sees me.

"Something up?" he blankly asks me, keeping the screen door between us.

"Is that Orion?" I hear Axel state from behind him.

His dad doesn't move, but keeps staring at me.

"I'm moving to California the day after graduation," I tell his dad who is unphased.

"What?!" I hear Axel exclaim from behind, "why?"

I shake my head and run my fingertips through my messy hair. "I forgot to ask."

"Who the hell forgets to ask why," Axel states while letting his voice get louder.

"I don't know!" I exclaim, throwing my hands in the air. I realize that Axel's dad is still staring at me. "Am I allowed to come inside?"

"Half an hour," he says bluntly while opening the screen door. I guess he truly didn't like me staying at his house.

I walk inside and immediately feel the cool air from the air conditioner, getting chills before I even make it all the way inside. I smell soup cooking on the stove and it reminds me of a normal home, with normal people, doing normal things.

"Come upstairs," Axel says abruptly and my thoughts drift away from the air condioner and soup.

I follow him upstairs to his bedroom, which seems way too familiar. He tells me to sit down next to him on his bed so I do.

"Tell me what you're doing," Axel slowly says. I watch his lips part and meet for each different word.

"I don't know. I've been isolating myself but apparently my dad won a lottery drawing and he wants to move to California with my mom and they're already placing a bid on the house and the plane tickets are free—" I stop to take a breath before continuing, "because the realtor is paying for them so how can my parents pass this up, you know? It'll be a better life for us out there."

I look next to me and see Axel who looks absolutely flabbergasted.

"You just said a lot of words," he tells me with his eyes wide like he's on some sort of drug.

"I know," I tell him, resting my head in my hands, "I really need to get away from here."

"What?" Axel asks, although he doesn't sound surprised. "You want to get away from here? You mean you want to move to California?"

I nod slowly and look up at him. I can feel my hair sticking up in multiple directions but I don't even care.

"My feelings are so conflicted. I want to go, but not with my family. I want to go with you. I don't want to go because I'll be with my family and you won't be there," I explain to him the best I can.

"What about Devian?" He asks, chewing on his lower lip.

I shrug. "I don't know, honestly. I'm just assuming he will be back with us by our graduation."

Axel nods and I can see him trying to process this information in his mind.

"Well," he begins, "I have no problem with you moving to California. But, I do have a problem with never seeing you again."

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SORRY for ending it here... finals week is coming up! I'm already working on the next chapter so stay tuned. ;)