Critical Thinking ✔

24

It was no the day before New Year's Eve, and I was still avoiding Bookie. I was ignoring his messages and wouldn't dare text back. I swiped away any message I got. I was ignoring my phone altogether really. And the reason I was well...

On Christmas day I woke up to find cookie crumbs on my chest and I was laying in the spot dad once was. I sat up groaning and rubbed my eyes only to cover them from the sun blinding me. After my eyes adjusted I turned on my phone and my eyes widen at the notifications.

Booker Booker: ❤?

I clicked on the notification kind of confused. Last night played through my head and the last part was kind of blurry. I kept trying to remember but I didn't need to when I was taken to the chat. Seeing my message from last night made my face hot and I felt my hands get clammy. My throat felt like it was tightened and I ended up not texting back and putting my phone away. I could explain what happened but I didn't really know too well myself. It was probably an accident. Yeah! But what if last night I meant to send it. Though I was tired.

"Morning Bug." dad's voice brought me out of my thoughts and I glanced over to the sound of his voice.

He was walking toward me with two pancakes on a plate with a side of eggs. I smiled at him for the moment forgetting my worries and took the plate from him. Thanking him I dug in as he went to the tree for the gifts. He took out one and placed it next to me. I guess that was the gift he bought for me. Well gifts since he soon placed more on top of that one.

"Your friends coming over?" he asked when he was at the tree again and I swallowed my food.

"No I don't think so, I just sat them there so I would less likely forget to give them their gifts," I said as I finished off one pancake and half of my eggs.

Dad started opening his gifts. His reactions were funny since he didn't expect me to buy him something which it was a watch I saw him looking at one time. It's not like it was too expensive even if it was you bet I would be getting a job to get it. He was all smiley but kept trying to keep a serious face telling me not to buy him things until I'm in college with a job or out of college with one. I would agree but probably would buy him a gift on father's day.

After finishing my food I opened one of the gifts dad gave me. It was a gift card to any bookstore online or local. I flipped out and hugged dad which almost caused my other pancake and eggs that was left to meet the floor but dad caught my plate in time while hugging me with one arm laughing.

"You're welcome." he laughed while ruffling my hair causing me to huff.

My other gift was some money so I could pay for the saxophone in my band class to keep. I didn't know my teachers had been emailing my dad and turns out the band class was kind of a new program this year so we got new instruments unlike what people next year might not get if they don't pay. I was happy anyway and remembering that I realized I should probably practice more on my saxophone then just playing at school or when friends remind me. My last gift was a laptop, dad said it might be easier for mom and me to communicate on this app called Skype so I could see her better or somewhat. But also I could download games on there which would be cool.

"Your mom should be coming soon." dad said taking my plate to the kitchen to probably go wash the dishes.

"Okay, dad!" I yelled and got the wrapping and smoothed it out to see if any were good to reuse again.

The rest I threw away and put the boxes that were used up in a closet with the leftover wrapping that was used and not used. I felt my phone vibrate twice and I pulled it out of my pocket. Both notifications were messages. But one was from Featherbook meaning it was probably Bookie. I mumbled to myself and looked at the other notification which was a message from mom saying she was here. I replied to her saying okay and glanced at Bookie's message.

BookerBooker: Cy? Um well...

I didn't know if there was more to it or that's all he typed. But it worried me and my reaction was to slide it away. I don't know if I was going to text back but I was going to worry about it later. If I wanted to or not. I heard the doorbell ring and jogged over to the front door unlocking it and opened the door to see mom all dressed up.

Which was pretty weird, her lips were a bright red, obviously, not her natural color or I wouldn't have pointed it out. Her hair was extra curly like it was styled that way and she wore clothing that looked a bit expensive with the style. She might have been wearing eyeshadow and eyeliner too. I could hardly pay attention to anything else but then noticed she had a bag in her hand which probably had my gift in there and a purse in the other.

"Morning." my mom said smiling brightly at me and I quirked an eyebrow at her attire.

"Good morning," I said and she gave me a quirk of her eyebrow in return before I moved to the side to let her in.

I closed the door after she walked in and locked it. Turning around I saw dad peep his head out to see what was going on I guess. His eyes were wide as saucers and his mouth was agape kind of but he shut it. He walked into the room and mom looked at him.

"Morning William," she said as she grabbed something out of the bag and handed him a paper then she turned to me smiling and handed me the bag.

But the headphones I was gifted and new clothes didn't matter for too long. Because soon I found out what mom had handed dad was a divorce petition who disagreed with getting a divorce but eventually caved in. Not only that but I had to make a decision on who I wanted to live with which I chose dad since my new life had pretty much started there and I loved it. Mom and dad handled things with the court. I didn't really know all the details but afterward, I would be spending time with mom until school started up again. And today mom and I were heading to my grandmas for New Years where all our family would be. Well, where all my mom's side of the family would be.

Honestly, the divorce is affecting me more than I thought it would. Yes, I wasn't seeing mom as much but I always thought, in the end, things would work out. And I guess for mom they did since she seemed so happy. It made me kind of upset but I was happy she wasn't all upset over it I guess? So I was worried about dad but was this dad's consequence for leaving? If dad didn't leave would I still be homeschooled? And would they still be happy together? When the divorce was final I found out the real reason why dad wanted to move, it was because he found a school perfect for me. And Alabama was right next to the state mom was born and raised in.

I stared out the window as the train rolled on the tracks to our destination. A plane would have been faster possibly but I was too scared to go on one. Mom was right next to me typing away on a tablet that looked more like a laptop.

"Do you regret divorcing dad?"

Her rapid tapping paused a long pause before starting up again. It's like my question echoed but I only said it loud enough for her to hear. I wanted to shrink, I shouldn't have asked. Mom I knew still had negative feelings for the divorce or maybe she didn't. I figured Mom wasn't going to answer so I the sound of the train rolling on the tracks slowly caused me to fall asleep.

"Maybe a bit." echoed before silence took over.

~ Thank you all for reading! I finally got to this part of the book that I was trying to. Haha, sadly I have many events written down that have not happened yet. I hope you enjoy this ride with me on my process of writing Critical Thinking.