ohol clung to the air, mixing with the stale scent of cigarette smoke. His father sat in his usual spot on the saggin

," his father mutte

nswer. There

urring slightly. "You think you can just run around, ac

s, nails digging into

d, slamming the bottle down.

is father would rant, throw a few insults his way, and

" his father spat suddenly, an

her," he shot bac

er laugh. "No? She was a

t going to do this tonight. He wasn't going to sit her

Emily and Sophie, were asleep. They were the only reaso

ut, he sank onto his bed

ell

chool? His father could barely keep their rent paid-whe

ly. He didn't want

h was already bei

-

woke to the sound of hi

dered, standing

wly, rubbing hi

ing to a n

owned.

d-like he'd spent the whole night drinking and regretting

at him. "You

k like I'

e knew about that place. It wasn't like his last school.

did you get

Doesn't matter. Just

haking his head

ed his eyes. "Wha

not going,"

His father slowly stoo

d you ju

don't belong in some stuck-up school with a bunc

h, trying to keep himself ca

"And I'm not wasting my time in some sch

g. "I already pulled every damn favor I could to get you in ther

terly. "Oh, so now you care about

clenched. "Watc

l throw another

hought he might actually take a swing at him. But in

care if you hate me for it. I don't care if you fight me

at him. "N

toward his room, slamm

eant

-

refused to fill out any paperwork, ignored every conversa

They weren't so

g on his bed, staring at the ceiling

she aske

d. "What

stepped inside, foll

o to Ridgewoo

ned. "Not

m, hugging her knees. "We just... we

e myself," J

u can't. You're just pretending you can. But we see h

, looking away. "It

good school. A fresh start. Maybe... maybe

xhaled

phie whisper

e sisters, the only people in the

hat, he knew he

nd through his hair. "Fin

tightly. Emily just nodded,

d High had in store for him. B

-