Call Me Milo (boyxboy)

Chapter 31

Dizzy peers across the hallway at Tucker's door. It's slightly ajar so he slips in quietly, making sure the creaks don't sound too loudly. He doesn't want Chance to know.

"Hey," Dizzy says as he glances over at Tucker who's laying on his bed and stops at Tucker's desk.

"H-hey," Tucker replies and sits up. "Is everything okay with Chance? He must be bummed about Cindy."

"Yeah," Dizzy lies. "He'll be okay. But um, I'm gonna head home now."

"O-okay," Tucker says. "Do you need a ride?"

"Nah," Dizzy says. "I'm fine walking."

"But it's late," Tucker says.

"Don't worry," Dizzy says and turns to grab the doorknob. "Goodnight, Tucker."

And with that, he slowly steps out of Tucker's bedroom and takes his leave from their home.

He wants to walk home tonight. It'll give him time to think and blow off some steam.

For one, he doesn't remember a time Chance ever seemed interested in him and the shocking revelation came as news to him. If anything, he assumed Chance was straight.

But perhaps, he's bi.

It doesn't matter to Dizzy, though. He accepts Chance the way he is and will continue to be there for him. That's what best friends do after all.

Anyway, the walk home takes around fifteen minutes and when he reaches his front porch, he finds a haunting silhouette sitting on the bench. The man stretches out his feet so they rest on the railing and a beer bottle is clasped in his hand as usual. It's ten o'clock and he's been drinking for a few hours now.

Dizzy knows he's wasted.

He also knows his father is going to say something to him but even so, he attempts to make it inside without a word. Of course, he's halted.

"Were you working?" Josiah Frazier questions his son.

"No," Dizzy replies shortly, even though he had been working at his gig. Josiah will just try to get money out of him.

"Bullshhhit," his father says and removes his legs from the railing. "I've seen your fuckin' flyers posted at every goddamn place I go to. Your band played tonight."

Dizzy kicks the dirt beneath his feet, careful that the gust doesn't reach his father.

"It's none of your business."

His father instantly rises and places his beer bottle down on the bench. He stumbles down the stairs and grabs the railing to keep himself upright.

"Then get your free-loading ass out of this goddamn house," his father says and peers down at his son.

"Where the hell do you want me to go?" Dizzy growls and glares up at his father. "Mom lives halfway across the country, Dad. And I'm not leaving everyone behind."

"Then pay up," his father replies and holds out his hand, bending his fingers.

"No."

"No?" Josiah says and trips over rocks as he makes his way over to Dizzy. "Did you just say... no?"

"Get away from me," Dizzy says, his voice strained. "I'm not in the mood to fight."

Josiah brings his leg back and sends a rough kick to the back of Dizzy's knee and he collapses on the ground. Dirt rises into the air and sticks in Dizzy's eye as his head hits the ground, too.

Dizzy curses and rubs his eyes harshly.

But his father doesn't stop there. He slams his foot into Dizzy's side and Dizzy grunts loudly before clutching his gut.

"Dad," he breathes and begins to cough. "Stop."

"You know what you have to do," Josiah says, standing over his son. "Hand over the money."

Dizzy places his hand on the ground and his arm shakes as he struggles to push himself up.

"You're going to blow it on alcohol and that whore house," Dizzy says as he stands up. "I need it, Dad."

"For what?" his father spits.

"College."

"You won't make it in college," Josiah replies. "Hand it over."

Dizzy knows the abuse won't stop unless he gives his father some cash. So, he reaches down in his pocket from the tips he made from his gig and throws it at Josiah. The money falls through the air and Josiah reaches out to grab it. Most of it falls into the dirt and Josiah curses as he bends down to pick it up.

Dizzy watches his father through watery eyes and he bites his lip so hard that it bleeds. He tries to restrain himself from hurting his father but to no avail. He grits his teeth and sends his foot into his father's stomach who falls onto his back.

"Fuckin' hell," his father breathes and stays laying on the ground.

"Fuck you," Dizzy says and storms inside, slamming his door. Then he breaks down for the first time in thirteen years.

Despite what he says, he isn't used to Josiah's abuse.

He slides down his bedroom door until he's sitting on the floor, his knees snugged into his chest. He covers his eyes with his hands as tears flow down his face.

It isn't fair.

Josiah Frazier is a cruel man.

He isn't a father.

Dizzy's tears cease after a while and he slowly makes his way onto his bed. He turns on his phone to check for notifications and wipes his eyes.

He has a message from Tucker asking if he's made it home to which Dizzy replies with a single word- yes. And he has a missed call from Chance who left a voicemail.

"Hey, uh, I've been thinking. I don't want things to be awkward between us so let's go back to the way things were between us."

And that's exactly what they do as soon as winter break comes to an end.

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