Black & White

7: Best years of my life

"Why didn't you tell us?!" My mother slammed her purse onto the kitchen counter, obviously not in the mood. I jumped at her outburst, almost dropping my phone.

Richard strolled in with a cigar in his mouth, looking more carefree than usual."Tina-Jade, yet again, you've shaken us to the core!" He clapped briefly, before heading upstairs.

I rolled my eyes at the two of them, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge."Sorry, I guess" I mumbled to no one in particular. I'm sorry you're a crappy mother, who hasn't noticed that her child was walking around with bruises all over her body.

"What were you thinking?" She placed her hands on her hips, blocking the kitchen doorway. She knew very well I was about to escape to my cave, as I always did."What if this story gets to the press?!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air for added exaggeration."Your father will never see the end of it, do you understand that? Do you understand that you're sabotaging everyone's wellbeing!?"

I stared at her, biting back the hatred sitting in my throat.

"He's not my father" I gritted my teeth.

"You are one ungrateful child..." She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief."He has done everything for us! Can't you see that?! He is your father. If not him, then who? That lowlife gambler?! Oh please...spare me the headache"

"Yes," I nodded."That lowlife gambler as you say is my father. Unlike you, he actually tried. He tried to give me everything he could. He tried to be a father and a mother. But he ran out of strength. He lost his mother, lost his life...while you were sleeping with a money bag-"

The palm of her hand connected with my cheek, cutting me off. The sound of the hard impact echoed throughout the kitchen and I clenched my jaw.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that! I...I am your m-mother!" She shrieked, her hands shaking like crazy. I looked down at my feet, ignoring the stinging sensation coming from my cheek.

"Truth hurts, I guess" I spat, pushing her out of the doorway and running to my room. I locked the door immediately, biting back tears.

I slid down until I was sitting on the floor, right by the door. She banged on it furiously, shouting about how ungrateful I was. This, however, did not affect me. I was used to seeing and hearing her like this. Every conversation I ever had with my mother, almost always ended this way. It definitely wasn't abnormal, to say the least.

My phone started vibrating, countless messages coming in all at once.

Tara- What ticked her off this time?

I smiled at her message, letting a single tear slip down my burning cheek.

Me-They just got back from the meeting at school. So, as I suspected, she threw one of her daily tantrums. This time, with a side of 'what if the press find out?' and a bunch of other crap...

I leaned my head back against the wall, listening to my mother's retreating footsteps. Once she got to the top of the stairs, I could barely hear her muffled voice."Richard, I understand. But that is not acceptable! Did you hear the things she said to me? About time I disciplined her..." She exclaimed.

This is how it usually goes-

She causes a scene with me, goes upstairs to complain about my behavior for hours, cries and acts like a victim. Richard never really says anything except for the occasional "I know" and "I understand how you feel". Yeah, go figure.

Tara- There's a party tonight, wanna go? I think it would get your mind off of things...

I stared at the screen for a while, thinking about it. We all know how the last party ended...but something told me I needed to go. What's the worst that could happen? Actually, quite a lot-