Love Me (boyxboy)

Chapter Eight- Oh, Father

sigh I forgot to update this last time but atleast this chapter is longer than usual

My parents were so happy in this picture but now, they are the completely opposite of what they used to be.

Chapter Eight- Oh, Father

Ryan's POV

"Sorry about that," I sighed as I dragged Logan down the hallway until we reached the outside. I was familiar with apologizing for my father since he seemed to mess up any situation he was in.

Logan's hand squeezed mine and I was suddenly aware that we were still holding hands. I quickly released his hand, my palms now sweaty from the contact.

"It's fine. I know how some parents can be," he said from behind me. Chuckling to myself, I pulled my shirt back on. He knew nothing about what I go through but I decided to let him think that he did.

I stared down at him, surprised to see a care free smile on his petite face. Even in the worst situations, he seemed to always be put together.

"Ryan!" My father's voice suddenly sounded from behind us. I glanced over my shoulder before grabbing Logan by the wrist and pulling him towards my bike.

He was quick to pull his helmet on and luckily, I was quick to pull out of the driveway. I caught a glimpse of my broken father as he watched me ride off with a strange boy tied to my waist. I already knew what was to await me when I came back home.

But I pushed the thoughts of my present father to the back of my mind and tried to focus on how he used to act before my mother passed.

He was kind man with cheeks that always seemed to be red from laughing. My mother would bring him a joy that I had yet to understand. But they were like two pieces of a heart, bound together forever. Back when she was around, he wouldn't dare touch any alcoholic drink because he always said that those ways led to destruction. He was right.

But my father was no longer the caring man I used to know. He was the complete opposite of that and I had to accept it some way or another.

Logan's arms tightened around my waist, interrupting my thoughts and bringing me back reality. I slowly pulled into his drive way, surprised to see that his mother was not home.

His hair was disheveled when he removed my helmet and I couldn't help but laugh. I wasn't laughing because he looked funny. I think for once, I was laughing because I was happy. "What's so funny?" He asked, my helmet held tight in his arms.

"Nothing." I rustled his hair before hopping off the bike, making sure that it was off and stable. I followed him into his house, hoping that I could spend some time here before I had to go back home and face my father.

Even though I had been there before, the house still took me by surprise with it's beauty. It was just so welcoming compared to mine. "Are you hungry?" he asked as he looked at me over his shoulder. I responded with a 'yeah' before making my way to his living room, one of the rooms I hadn't discovered yet. There were several family portraits on the wall, most of them only had Logan and his mother in it. There was one picture though that had his father in it. The picture frame sat on the bookshelf in the farthest corner of the room. I held the picture in my hand, surprised to see Logan's father.

I was more surprised by the clothing his father was wearing. He was wearing an army uniform. I didn't expect him to be in the military. I had just assumed that his father was always on a business trip, flying around the world and making money for the family. But I was wrong.

"I ordered some pizza. It should be here soon," Logan stated from behind me.

"Is this your father?" I asked, plainly. His excitement filled eyes seemed to drop as he stared at the picture in my hand. Sensing that his father was a bad topic, I placed the picture back where I found it before sitting down on the couch.

"It's been awhile since I have seen him," he said in a low tone barely above a whisper. He walked across the room to the bookshelf, his feet dragging on the floor. "Last time I saw him, he was saying good bye as he left the house to go back to Iraq or wherever they were sending him." His fingers lightly skimmed the picture frame, outlining the details on the surface.

"Is he dead?"

"That's what they told us," he said under his breath, "It's not any different from him being alive. It wasn't like he was ever here anyways."

"I'm sorry." I hesitated before approaching him and embracing his small frame. His shoulders shook lightly before he pushed me away, his fingernails digging into my arms.

"You should go." I stood speechless for a moment. He has done this before - pushed me away.The day I didn't stop the bullying, the day I did absolutely nothing.

"Okay."

++++++

The building was quiet and still when I opened the door. As usual, my father was passed out in his favorite chair, the TV blasting in front of him. Sighing deeply, I turned off the TV and picked up some of the empty beer cans. My father stirred in his sleep before his eyes opened and they focused on my frightened face. I knew what was going to happen but I couldn't run away from it.

His hand was suddenly in the air before it fell hard against my face, causing my head to snap in the other direction. My cheek stung from the impact and I struggled to keep myself from crying. I was going to show any sign of weakness in front this man because he fed on weakness.

I stumbled to my feet, trying to escape his wrath but he was quick to stand up, his hands turning into fists by his side. I turned to run but he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and threw me backwards until my back hit the wall, causing the table next to me to shake. I could imagine my mother watching us as she yelled at my father to stop hurting her son. I could hear her screams and I could see her face as her tears dried on her cheeks. If only she was here, she could possibly stop him from continuing to punish his son.

He picked me up by my collar, shoved me against the wall, and punched my eye with his free hand before he let me slide to the ground. I covered my head with my arms, not able to control my tears any longer. This man, that I used to love, is crushing everything I live for. He was ruining me and I was doing nothing about me. I couldn't begin to explain how much I missed my mother.

I glanced over my arms, relieved to see that my father was gone. I relaxed my legs, stretching them out until my foot hit against a piece of glass. Curious, I picked up the shattered photograph that sat by my foot. It was photo of my mother, my dad, and a ten year old me. My parents were so happy in this picture but now, they are the completely opposite of what they used to be.