02.

Andrew.

I didn't know how to break the news to them, I didn't know what to tell them, all I knew was that I had to tell them and tell them fast before my sister could do it or any of my other family friends spilled by accident.

After Train left I sighed, not because I was holding my breath over his presence near my house but because he was my pillar of strength, he was always there for me to hold on if I needed to, he always put me first and I could always count on him being there.

Now I was alone and about to face two people I wasn't really ready to face, I had no idea what to do,  and most certainly how to handle the obvious outburst they would have if they knew I was going to be majoring in art instead of business like they wanted.

I knew I had no choice but to do it and I would stick by my word to Train, I wouldn't let them define me, I had to take control on my own life. So I sighed heavily gathering my nerves as I walked further in to the house. "Andrew, come here, help me with this." My mother exclaimed from the kitchen and I groaned yet walked to her.

"Hold this, oh tell me, have you received the letter yet, or did you already take it from the mail?" She questions and I cursed lowly knowing this was her way of asking. "Uh, yeah I got the letter, I got accepted into the Art Program in Algiers." I mumbled lowly hoping she wouldn't catch on.

"Sorry what was that?" She asked sternly wanting me to speak up. "I got accepted into the art program at Algiers University, they have a full scholarship for my years there since my art pieces were the best out of all the candidates and they offered it to me." I blurted out everything and her fake smile fell.

"I don't think you understand what I mean Andrew, I meant did you get the letter to a university application you made for a real job." She harshly spat out and I sighed. "Mom this is a real job and it's what I want to do." I shot back making her angry.

"Not on my watch, your father and I didn't raise you to be some incompetent hobo living in a shabby apartment with nothing to go on because you decided to be an artist, hear me clearly you're not going, and I suggest you get your suits ready, your father will be taking you to the law firm so you can intern summer next year." She stated without room to argue and that's when I lost it.

"Enough mom!" I yelled back as the door closed and I let go of the pot she had me holding. "Andrew, why are you yelling at your mother like an idiot?" He questioned and I tried to calm down but I couldn't anymore. "I'm not going with dad to the firm, I'm going to Algiers and doing what I love, if you won't support me that's okay, that's why I have a scholarship covering everything." I let out harshly as I finally calmed down.

My father stood there shocked as was my mother. "First we allowed to be friends with that fag from the Ordells, now this, this is all he's doing isn't it, he convinced you to do this." I was baffled to hear my father accuse Linden of something he didn't do.

"This is not about Linden, this is about my future, and no one else influenced this idea, if you even paid attention to me you would know I have several paintings listed in the art museum of St Maine, I've loved art since I was a kid but you never took time to notice who your son actually was, you only barked orders for me to obey." I replied finding the defiance I needed in that moment.

"I said you're not going and that's final, your father will see to it that you're an intern at the firm and that's final, as for that Ordell boy, I don't want to see him anywhere near you, as well as that boy you've been running around with." My mother asserted and I scoffed.

"You have no right to impose anything on me, you've lost that right a long while ago, for once stop trying to control my life and check yours which is practically crumbling to pieces in front of you." I replied and my mother froze, I don't know how I felt a fist  being hurled toward me but I dodged and threw my own.

When I realized it was my father groaning on the floor my mother gasped. "I'm not a punching bag either, you're not forcing me to do anything and that's final, I'm going to Algiers and deal with it." I finally spoke more calm than ever as my mother kneeled beside my father whom I had just punched.

"You've lost control Andrew, look what you did to your father, this isn't you, go upstairs you're grounded for the rest of the week." My mother ordered and I lifted my bag from the island. "Like I told you before mom, you don't get to give me orders any more, you're just a hypocrite." I took my bag and walked away.

I hated saying those words to my mother but I had had enough of all the things they had done to make me miserable, she and my father had turned everything I wanted around so it could suit them and their social standing, it was as if I was the pawn to their games, Amie was let off because for some reason my mother found no flaw with her.

Also for some reason hearing them call Linden a fag brought out my own anger, it just didn't apply to Linden it applied to me as well when she said it, I liked boys as well, hell I was in love with a boy, and I wanted nothing more than spending the rest of my life with him if he would have me.

Ever since I met Train my life changed, deep down I wanted him like a drug, every time I was around him the world ceased to exist, all I saw was him, I found myself again with him, he helped me get through my own depression after what happened with Linden these past few years, though high school was almost over I still had regrets about watching and not doing anything to help him, but now I was better, we were better and it was all thanks to him.

"Hey Siri play Billie Martin, Bird." I spoke and the song came on, somehow I could relate to the song as it was playing, I wanted nothing more than just to stay in that little bubble of peace before more tension arose between me and my family, I knew at some point my family would try lash out for my misbehavior.

It's funny how even though I punched my father so hard he fell, my hand was alright, no bruising in sight, the song stopped as Train was calling. "I'm coming up, I know you're not okay." He stated and I chuckled, he always knew when I was okay, he always knew I needed him.

He climbed the wall as inhumane as possible with the help of a tree I planted with Amie when we were five, silently he crept into my room. "Starfish, come here." He demanded and I immediately moved to wrap my arms around his torso. His smell and his amazingly large arms were comforting.

"There there, I'm here Starfish, I'm here don't worry." He whispered and I finally felt calm, he was all I needed to feel peace and be flooded with warmth I couldn't describe but be happy about. "I punched my dad." I mumbled hiding in his abs.

"I'm sure he deserved it." He replied making me chuckle. "Youll never like him will you?" I asked. "Not in this life or the next." He responded making me laugh. I was happy he was there to hold me.

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LMJ