The Homeless Boy

fourteen.

A/N: this is going to be a flashback chapter. Meaning: the entire chapter will be a glimpse of Miles' past. Read with caution, chapter may contain emotional triggers.

— 

  "Mom, where's Ray?"

  She wouldn't turn around to look at him. "Gone."

  "Where'd he go?" he furrowed his eyebrows before looking inside the closet. It was empty. "Is...he coming back?"

  "No, " she replied. He walked up to her when he heard a sniffle.

  Tilting his head, he asked: "Mom, what happened? Why are you crying?"

  "I'm okay, Miles."

  "No, you're not. Just tell me. Did I do something?"

  She shook her head vigorously.

  "Did...Ray do something?" he murmured, afraid of her response.

  Slowly, she nodded and he felt his chest constrict.

  "Mom, did—did he hurt you?" he stammered.

  "Not like that. He...Miles, he left us, " she said, her voice cracking, and he quickly hugged her. He closed his eyes tightly at the sound of her painful sobs.

  "All because we don't have anymore money! He didn't love us, Miles. He just wanted our money, " she cried.

  His jaw clenched. He never knew how selfish and greedy Ray was.

  "It's okay, Mom. He doesn't matter. We don't need him. I love you, alright? I'll always love you, " he promised and she nodded.

  —

  3 months later:

  "Hey, Mom! I found a coupon at the store for your favorite ice cream, chocolate almond chip, " he shouted as he came inside the house.

  Setting the keys and the groceries on the table, he looked around for his mother. It was silent.

  "Mom, where are you? I thought you said you weren't working to–"

  He stopped in his tracks.

  There was an eviction notice on the floor by her room, along with a paper from her work. He picked it up and frowned. She didn't tell him she had been fired, nor that they'd have to pay five grand by the end of the month or they'd be evicted.

  He opened the door to her room, holding up the papers. "Mom, what's– Mom!"

  He ran over to her, crouching down to the floor. Her wrist was bleeding; a knife was in her hand.

  "Mom? Mom, what did you do?" he checked her pulse and let out an agonizing scream. "No! Mom...we could've done this together. I–I love you so much. Why did you leave me? I need you. Please, come back!"

  —

  From that day forward, he vowed to never let anyone take advantage of him ever again. For his mother.