Sweet Like Candy

So you're back?

TRIGGER WARNING: VIOLENCE, SLURS AND CURSING

JACK'S POV: 

     I was completely gobsmacked. Jeff kissed me!! Like he went to kiss me, not the other way around!!! I touched my lips where, seconds ago, Jeff's chapped lips collided with mine. I watched him go. And then I realized I had to go home as well. 

   Every step I took I felt my body shiver in fear. I tried to think happy thoughts: basically just Jeff. But eventually all good things come to an end as I stood in front of my house. One of the cars was gone meaning dad must not be home. Thank goodness...

   The door was not locked so I let myself in. I tried to sneak up to my room without anyone noticing. That was to no avail as my mother spotted me tiptoeing up the staircase. 

    "Jackie? Is that you?" I turned around to see my mother staring up at me. I could distinctly see tears welling up in my mother's dark eyes. I felt so guilty; I must have been the cause of those tears. "It is!! You're back!" My mother held her arms open, and I ran down the stairs to give my mother a big hug. As we were hugging, my mother's voice whispered, "I missed you so much. I was worried something bad had happened." Her voice kept cracking. 

   "Nothing bad happened," I replied as we broke our hug. "I stayed over at Jeff's place." 

    "That's sweet of him... just don't run away like that again." I nodded but I was not planning on obeying.  "Black hair really suits you," she added as she combed a hand gently through my messy hair; it felt nice. I took some time to observe my mother as she did this. She looked more tired than usual. Bruises that weren't there earlier littered my mother's neck and arms. Dad. I felt a rage boiling inside of me. Then a thought popped into my head. 

   "If you missed me so much, why hadn't you tried to call or text me?" I was hurt my own mother never went to reach out to me in my absence. 

   My mother's face grew sadder if that was even possible. It took her some time to reply. "Your father. He took away my phone." This only made me more furious. And then all my mother's feelings poured out as she sobbed. "I don't know what to do anymore, Jackie." I pulled my mother in for another hug. I felt her tears wet the back of my shirt. I tried to comfort my mother by patting her back. Eventually, she let go, wiping the tears away. "Well, I better make dinner before your father gets back." She turned towards the kitchen, leaving me alone at the foot of the staircase.

   The next hours I spent trying to catch up with homework in my room. I blared angry music in my headphones, trying to tame the anger that was growing more and more within me. I had the huge urge to just beat up my dad. I do not want to just knock him out. Oh, no no no. I wanted to murder him. Of course I knew that was illegal. But still. 

   I heard the entrance door open and my father's obnoxious voice boom out, "I'm home!" I cracked my door open a bit, just enough for me to pass by, and scurried over to a spot where I could see down the stairs without being seen. My mother had rushed over to my father. She was smiling, but I could tell it was a fake smile. She gave my father a hug, which he did not reciprocate. Instead, he shoved my mother away as he asked, "What's for dinner?" 

   "I made your favorite, steak and mashed potatoes," my mother's soft voice said. 

   "That's not my favorite..." my father's voice said darkly. I thought for a moment that he was going to smack my mom as she cowered from my father. "But it'll do." He walked away, leaving my mother cowering on the floor. He was coming towards my direction, so I rushed back to my room, quietly closing the door. I thought I made it without being caught. Nope. 

    I quickly sat in my desk, pretending to do homework. My door was violently opened and my father stood before my room. "So you're back?" he growled. He took slow steps towards me. I gulped nervously, my fight or flight instincts kicking in. I tried to avoid my father's stare as he was standing in my personal space. He took a handful of my hair, yanking it harshly so I was forced to look at him. "Why did you do this?" 

    "D-do what?" I stuttered in fear, looking anywhere but into my father's eyes. 

    My father pulled on my hair again. I did not dare to scream in pain; it'll only encourage my father to be violent. "Dye your hair. You look more like a fag now." My father brought his face close by my ear as he whispered, "And I hate fags." My father pulled once again on my hair, but this time so hard I thought I could lose my whole scalp. The pain was too unbearable that I let out a cry. This was followed by my father throwing me against the wall where he pummeled my body till his fists became purple. "Let this be a lesson. And no dinner for you." My father said as he walked away, shutting the door. I let my body fall to the ground, curling up in a little ball where I began to silently cry. My father always says "Boys don't cry." But fuck that... this man broke me. 

   I cried so much that I became tired and fell asleep on the floor. It looked like it was past midnight when I woke up. I checked my phone, which cracked a bit as my father beat me, to see that it was 2 in the morning. I quietly got up so I could sleep in my bed instead. But my stomach kept growling. At first, I tried to ignore it. But the more I thought about food, the more intense the growling became. I'm sure both my parents are asleep. If I could just silently go to the kitchen and get the first thing I see, I'm sure I would not get caught. The thought of getting caught really scared me. I decided to do it anyway. However, the moment I opened my door, there was a plate of food on the ground in front of me. I almost did not see it. It must have been mom.  It had crackers, cheese, and apple slices. I looked down the hallway towards my parents' room, listening for any noises. Seems like they were asleep. I crouched on the ground, dragging the plate into my room and gently closing the door. There was a note that read, "Don't tell your father." I smiled at the note. My mother was the best. 

   Once my stomach was fulfilled with the food, I hid the plate in my closet and shredded the note to be thrown into the trash bin. Then I got under the covers to go back to sleep. 

     I just hope no one, especially Jeff, notices the new bruises tomorrow. That was my last thought as I drifted into my slumber.