It wasn't long before Zack's short attention span got to him. He decided to head out and find something more 'fun' to do. I told him it might be a little dangerous, but he didn't listen. So, I decided to just sit back and let things mold over in my mind. I had no idea what to make of things. I was wondering if more gang members were gonna start showing up, or maybe, whatever was messing with us was manipulating things? Great, now I have more questions than answers...

My thoughts came to a screeching halt once I heard the door click. That must've been Lux. Guess I can take a break. I sat up from the couch and watched her step into the apartment.

“Hey sis.” I called out.

"Oh hey Stry-" Her big smile dropped as soon as she laid eyes on me."Stryder! What happened to your face!?"

Oh right, I did just get jumped didn't I? She dropped her backpack and ran over to me, snatching my cheeks into her palms.

"My bad, sis.." I mumbled.

"What happened!?"

I glanced away from her. Crap, I suck at lying…

“Zack and I got into a fight with the Red Steel gang..” I mumbled.

Which wasn’t a lie, so that wasn’t too hard to say.

“You what!” She shrieked.

Maybe I should’ve just lied about everything.

I chuckled and scratched the back of my head. “Yeah, but it’s cool because we won.”

"Lucky I wasn't there. I'd bust a cap in the-"

"We can take care of ourselves, Lux."

"I know, I know, but they're messing with my boys! I got my pistol under my bed, Stryder. Remember that."

"I know sis."

"And who tried to fix you up? A monkey?"

"We all don't get to go to med school ya know.."

She laughed and shook her head.

“So, what? You and Zack jumped the guys?”

“I fought them both mostly.” I glanced to the ground. “Zack was umm, pretty beat up. They got to him before me.”

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“You didn’t... over do things did you?” She mumbled.

I looked back into Lux’s ocean eyes, and it was like she was trying to drown me in them. Her soft tone, her tinted gleam into my eyes. She wasn’t seeing me, she was seeing the past. Before I could even say anything, a loud laugh ripped through the room. We both jumped and turned toward the sound, and my stomach dropped.

My father walked deeper into the house and shut the door behind him. All the while carrying a hearty laugh and a wide grin. It was almost like looking like an alien, his smile was so foreign. I wasn’t even sure this could be real. My skin crawled and I sunk back into the couch.

"Look at that, the damn gorilla kid is bullying people again.”

"Shut it Dad..” Lux grumbled and glanced toward me.

Our eyes met, but I quickly looked away.

“Why are you taking up that waste of space again? What changed?

"I said shut up! You're drunk." Lux roared.

She shot up and glared at dad, while I sank more into the couch.

"I'm perfectly sober. Don't make up lies so that demon will feel better. He's nothing but dead weight and it's about time someone told him the truth."

“Leave him alone! He’s suffered enough of your drunken abuse alright!”

“Oh! And what makes you think you're any better? Are you letting that demon manipulate you?”

Lux was trying, she was doing her best, for me. Every inch of me was frozen, like I was freezing to the couch. Just the idea of moving made me think my heart would leap from my chest. But still, I needed to speak. I needed to say something, for Lux.

“E-enough! Just leave me alone alright!” I forced my voice out. It was like I ripped a bandaid off, just as the words came out. My body was lit on fire, my mind focused, and I knew exactly what I wanted to say. “I know I’ve messed up! I know I’m worthless. But that doesn't mean I can’t change! It doesn't mean I can’t become something. Something mom would be proud of.”

I stood up and clenched my fist, glaring at my old man. My knees buckled and my arms wouldn’t stay still. But I stood firm. Lux had to believe in me, she was standing with me after all.

There was a moment of silence, my fathers fat grin slowly faded. He didn’t glare at me though, nor did he frown. It was just a look of disappointment. He walked over to me and stared me down. My stomach swirled and my arms shook without any control. Then, he lifted up his glass of budweiser and poured it over my head.

"You’re trash, and you’ll always be.” He muttered.

Once he emptied his beer all over my face, he just stared at me. His uncaring eyes soon became that glare I was all too familiar with. He raised the glass toward me and I froze. I see, even with Lux. I wasn’t strong enough to stand up to him. He swung his arm at me and I flinched. However, there was no impact.

“Ack-!”

My father croaked and I looked over, but I couldn’t believe what I saw. Lux had ran in and punched my dad square in the jaw. He stumbled back and dropped against the wall. Lux panted hard and stared at dad, no sarcastic comeback, no smile on her face. She looked genuinely horrified. She raised her hand up and stared at it, while dad pushed himself off the wall and rubbed his cheek. He squinted and looked back at her, like she was a stranger. Nothing but silence filled the room, until dad moved from the wall. His eyes met mine and my body trembled.

“See, what I tell you? He’s nothing but a troublemaker.” He mumbled and trudged off toward his room. Before he walked inside, he turned back and faced Lux. “Traitor..”

With that, he slammed his door shut. I watched as Lux dropped to her knees and started to shake. I staggered my way over and placed my hand on her shoulder.

“H-hey Lux I-”

“Get away from me!” She yelled.

I jumped and stumbled back. Lux quickly shot up and turned toward me.

"I'm, I'm sorry," I mumbled and stepped back.

“No, No! Stryder I’m sorry I didn’t mean- I -” She stopped talking and tears started to come down.

I did it again, I ruined her life.

“I’m sorry.”

I turned and ran out toward our back window. Her voice called out to me, but I didn't let it reach. I opened the window and hopped out onto our fire escape, then rushed my way down.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I’m so stupid! What’s wrong with me! I got halfway down and kicked off the railing, then I dropped onto the ground. I didn’t roll like I was supposed to and almost face planted. My ankles screamed at me and I dropped to my knees. Then my eyes suddenly became blurry. I wiped them off and realized I was crying. Why was I crying? I didn't have the right, what the hell was wrong with me?

“Stryder! Stryder! Come back!” Lux yelled into the night.

Her voice gave me the energy, I forced myself up and just ran. Don’t look back! Don’t mess up her life anymore! Just go away! Just disappear! I ran through the streets and headed off to the woods. I ran as hard as I could, getting lost in the darkness that lurked deep within the trees. I kept going and going, my legs started to ache and my feet burned. The adrenaline was starting to fade and I could barely catch my breath. I started to slow down and the sweat that covered my body felt like weights pulling me down.

Then suddenly my foot caught into something that hooked around it. I dropped down and noticed I tripped over the root. Immediately I ate dirt and I started to tumble in the grass. Twigs and rocks stabbed into me and I tried to stop myself, but I could barely move my arms.

It was like the grass dragged me down this hill, getting faster and faster. Then I suddenly dropped into the ground and the wind got knocked out of me. I coughed and felt the nature that blanketed over my body. Slowly, I managed to roll myself over onto my back, and I was met with the big open night sky. Just a few clouds sailing across it. For once, everything was silent. No voices in my head, no rustling of animals. Just silence. My eyes focused on the clouds in the sky and I felt an odd peace from it.

“Man, I wish I could just disappear like a cloud..”