Skeletons In Closet

Abandoned

What is the life of a pushover?
One of a social outcast?
Do they ever get their happily ever after?
Who would even love a person like that?
Aren't these people created to be ostracized and made fun of and taken advantage of?
And what is the purpose of one's life if they leave you high and dry once they don't need you anymore?
What is happiness? And what does it take to be happy in a world where people would walk all over you if you only act kindly?
Does your life even matter?
Just because you're breathing does it mean you are living? Or are you taking up space and oxygen from somebody who would be better at this "living" thing?
Loneliness isn't pretty, but being used and abandoned is downright ugly.

"Well, that's my life." Carter thought, glancing again at the big grandfather clock in the living room, as it chimed 7pm. Today was his birthday, he was turning 40, and nobody remembered. Frankly, he didn't expect anyone would anyway. His parents were deceased, his ex-wife disappeared years ago and his only son was a no-show.

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As far back as he could remember, Carter was a lonely kid. Growing up he had one friend, Andrea Runson, who lived next door to his parents' house, went to the same school with him and who had been his only crush all throughout the high school. She was a beautiful girl with olive skin and chocolate brown hair, which she promptly dyed into platinum blonde the sophomore year because it seemed that would be the only thing that could get her noticed by the school's heartthrob, Ashton Wair. Carter never told her about his feelings, seeing as she was running hundred miles per hour to catch the coattails of all the popular kids in school and only talked to him when she needed him to do her homework or act as coverup for her escapades with Ashton.

Still, Carter spent days talking to her about the importance of education and how bad of an influence Ashton was on her. Nothing worked; she was determined to have Ashton at any cost. One quarter into the sophomore school year she severed her ties with Carter and even started calling him a pushover and a loser every chance she got. She finally got her wish when Ashton asked her out for the winter social.

Carter didn't go; he had no friends and had no desire to be a wallflower.

Carter was an only child to a lovely couple that had him at an advanced age of 42 and 48. They were very supportive of their child and did everything to help with Carter's shyness and introverted tendencies. They loved him dearly; even though they were never well off, being a laborer and a social worker, they made sure Carter didn't need for anything. He never gave them much trouble, he was a quiet kid, if not a little geeky, very well rounded and extremely respectful towards his parents. The only time they seemed disappointed in their son was at the end of the sophomore year when Andrea knocked on their door and then flung herself on Carter's neck in hysterics.
Ashton got her pregnant and left, refusing to acknowledge the child. Andrea's parents had no qualms about throwing her out of the house and telling her to go and live with her boyfriend, who in their mind was Carter, since she never told them about Ashton. Carter never said otherwise either, so in the end, his parents came to believe him to be the child's true father as well.

What does one do when their crush shows up at their house, 6 months pregnant with the child of a 16 year old spoiled brat? Many would refuse to acknowledge the girl and deny help, but not Carter. Even though Andrea didn't love him, at 16, Carter couldn't find it in himself to push her away. He had a huge fight with his parents, but in the end, they had allowed her to stay.

Carter spent the next 5 years hoping that Andrea would fall in love with him while he put himself through high school and college, and picked up a second shift full time job to support her and her child. She saw nothing wrong with dropping out of school after she had the baby, a beautiful little boy, Cameron, who Carter promptly adopted as his. Andrea spent her days lounging on the couch, watching sitcoms in between taking care of Cameron's needs. At night, when Carter came home, she dumped the kid on him and locked herself in a spare bedroom that was designated as hers when she first moved in. Carter's parents helped with expenses and babysitting, they adored little Cameron. Pretty soon Andrea was out partying, justifying her behavior as having had no fun while she raised a child.