Don't be a Dick by Gabby Follin (young adult books to read TXT) 📕

Hi. I’m Mark. Mark Phanelley. I’m a 16 year old kid who’s pretty happy with life. I’m turning 17 at the end of this year, the last day of school. I’m a sophomore in Greene High School. I live with my parents, I don’t have any siblings. It’s just me and them. I don’t mind, I hear all the time how everyone fights with theirs, so maybe it’s a plus? Tomorrow is the first day of sophomore year, I’m pretty excited. Mostly because I’ll finally get to see my best friend Alex after about a month. We had hung out a bunch at the beginning of summer but it slowly got to where we didn’t even text. It was probably just something to do with his family.. He doesn’t live in a great environment. His mother doesn’t care for him, when she does it’s not helpful, while his father beats her and him every night when he gets home from the bar.

But that’s not really the case I suppose. He’s my friend, I’m his. I’m there for him when he needs it, I try not to complain much. He’s basically a loser in our school though, that’s why it’s important for me to be there for him. But that changes ya know? It changed.

And it costed something.

Many things actually.

But oh well…. He just had enough I guess.

I get it though, I forgive you…

“Alex hide!” my mother hissed at me.

I ran to the spot I’ve been hiding at recently, it’s hard for my dad to find me when he’s hammered like he is.

I crawled in the space we have between the washing machine and the dryer, I’m a skinny kid so I fit. Once I got into the most comfortable position I could think of, I turned my attention towards what was happening beyond my hidden spot. My father had already gotten to my mother and they were yelling at each other.

“I don’t care anymore! Just shut the fuck up!”My father yelled ending the fight with a loud slap.

I jumped a bit as the sound comprehended in my brain.

“Where’s Alex?”My father asked, looking down at my mother who had fallen to the floor in attempt from getting hit again.

“I don’t know…”She said quietly from below.

My father started to get frustrated and grabbed my mother's wrist and pulled her upwards towards his face, “I asked you a damn question! Answer it!”

My mother took a glance at my spot and we made eye contact for a split second. Her eyes were pleading and she was on the edge of bursting into tears. Before she looked away she mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’ obviously signaling she was going to give away my position.

My mother bowed her head in shame and finally squeaked out a couple words before bawling, “Washing machine…”

I froze, I froze completely trying not to make a single move or noise. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. It felt like it was gonna burst into a million pieces if this kept going on.

I saw my father’s feet get closer and closer to the washing machine which has hidden my position so far. I wanted to crawl back more, but I’d end up getting tangled with the many tubes and plugins, but to be honest with you I’d rather be stuck in that situation than this.

My father had stopped walking and stood where I had crawled in. He didn’t say anything yet, he just stood there, like he was waiting for me to come out on my own… But that wasn’t going to happen. I thought if I could make it seem like I weren’t here then he’d go away and search elsewhere.

“I can hear your heart pounding Alex.”My father said, with a deep frightening voice.”You’re scared.”

Obviously yes I am, but rather than being scared of him I’m scared of what he’ll do to me.

“Come out.”He demanded.

I kept my position and stared blankly at his feet. If I stay here and do nothing, the punishment will be worse. If I come out now, will it be the same or easier? Either way, he knows I’m here.

“Come. Out.”He demanded once again, his voice rising.

I stayed still, frozen in the position I was a few minutes ago. I haven’t moved an inch still thinking about my plan of trying to convince him I wasn’t here but we both know he knows.

“Alex if you don’t come out this instance you won’t have legs to crawl in that damn hole!”My father yelled at me, pounding his fist against the washing machine.

I decided it was time and pussy out of my plan, “Okay okay…”I said quietly, quickly navigating my way through back out where I came from.

“Why the hell were you hiding boy?”My father said to me, placing his hand roughly on my shoulder and looking me square in the eyes.

I didn’t answer him, but I stared straight back.

“Well?!”He yelled.

I looked down towards the floor at my mother who nodded towards me, signaling that I should just tell him that way there’s a chance I might not get hurt today.

“Mom told me to.”I said quietly, still looking towards my mother.

“Speak up!”He yelled, tightening his grip around my shoulder.

“Mom told me to, damnit!”I screamed at him slapping his arm away from my body.

At the second, I knew I had fucked up and bought myself a ticket to punch town. I took my eyes away from mother and looked at father whose eyes showed fury. All in one motion my father pushed me and pinned me to a wall. He started slapping me, and added in a few punches.

My mother decided to do something. She ran up to my father and held back his hand, which was about to throw another punch.

“John! John… Please don’t, it’s okay. I made him do it.”She told him.

My father turned to her and pushed her to the floor. She fell on her side, perfectly enough for father to started kicking her. After each kick I heard my mother gasping for air.

I can’t watch this anymore.

“Stop!”I screamed trying to push him.

Since I don’t weigh much and I’m pretty scrawny I didn’t have much of an effect. And obviously me trying to fight back didn’t make father very happy. He turned around and put one hand around my neck and pinned me back to the spot I was in. He began to tighten his grip, making it harder and harder to breathe in air each second after another. After a little bit of struggling I wasn’t going to fight.

I know, giving up so quickly huh? I just don’t see why it’s worth it. I stopped struggling and squirming and I began to see my vision fade. But then Father let go and I fell to the floor on my ass.

I began choking and hacking as new air hit the back of my throat making it’s way into my lungs. It stung a bit at first but then became refreshing.

To be honest with you, I kind of wanted him to hold on just for a little bit longer, long enough to where I could drift off at the least because that would obviously be better than the position I have and always will be in.

But that doesn’t matter obviously.

What matters is that I have school tomorrow, and I’m only happy to be back to be with Mark. My father has been keeping me from seeing friends. Well… my friend. But finally it’d be great to see him again.

I always hope they notice the marks, but the only one who does is Mark. None of the other students care, and neither do teachers. It’s as expected. I’m the loser. The anti social kid in the back of class who is always messy.

That’s me.

Alex Glantias. That’s me.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

“Oof!”I yelped as I had fell to floor off my bed.

My alarm clock scared the shit outta me… Wait, what time is it?

I looked at the clock and the bright red numbers were displaying the time of 5:25 A.M. I should take a shower before my mom wakes up. She wakes up at 5:45, so she can take a shower then head to work by 6:30. She makes my dad take me to school or if it’s not raining or snowing I walk. She will absolutely not let me ride the bus, for some reason she hates it more than I do? But I’m not complaining!

I’ll give you my morning routine thing… Well I wake up at that time, 5:25 A.M. every morning. I get up, slowly, ever so slowly and find my way to my bathroom. I take off my pajamas and I take about a 15-20 minute shower. When I get out, I dry off and I put a towel around my waist, brush my teeth, then go to my closet to pick out an outfit for the day. Most of the time, I put on a plain t-shirt and put one of hoodies over it. I wear blue jeans most days, with my black converse shoes.

I suppose I am a pretty normal looking kid. I have brown hair and brown eyes, my hair is kind of spiked upwards, making me kind of look like the youtuber Gabe Helmy, to be honest.

But anyway, that’s what I do every morning, or the main points of it anyway. I usually don’t eat breakfast, but when I do it’s usually just a piece or two of toast.

Today I have decided to walk to school considering my parents have been at each other’s throats about money lately!

As I was walking down the stairs I heard footsteps coming down for me.

“Mark, honey, have a great day at school okay?”I turned around as my mother said those words. She looked sweaty, not like she took a shower or anything just sweaty. She was wearing a disorganized outfit which meant she was in a rush.

“Uh mom, why do you look like that?”I asked her, still confused.

My mother gave an embarrassed smile,”honey.. Your father and I made up.”

At the thought, a few ideas came flooding into my head, one in particular…”Ew! Mom! Are you serious?”

My mother smiled and started to laugh,”Sorry Markie! Now go to school, you’ll be late!”

I gave my mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I walked to the front door