Caution: Words Haunt

I got to my appartment at around 10:00 and was greeted at the door by the smell of vomit. Oh, God, why now?

"'Bout time, bitch!" Came the familiar voice of a certain drunken bastard.

"Well, better late than never." I said. He appeared in front of me as I stepped in, Jack Daniels in hand. Yup, he's wasted.

"What the fuck did you do to the house?! I leave you for a day and you go insane like this!" He screamed. Shit, the neighbors are gonna bitch again!

"I just did some redecorating. I kinda liked it." I said and quickly dodged an ashtray headed straight towards my face. How can anyone this drunk have such good aim?

"Bitch! Address me with respect!" He yelled.

"Dude! Don't throw shit at me! Now THAT'S rude!" I yelled. Damn, I better calm my ass down because he's too drunk to chill! I have to learn some serious self control right about now.

"Dude isn't respectful!" He yelled, but as he was about to throw something else at me, he leaned forward and began hurling.

"Ah, come on!" I said. "Here, seriously, for you're health, you need to go chill on the couch. Just lie down on you're side or-"

"Bitch! Don't tell me what to do!" He screamed.

"I'm not a bitch! You are drunk, though, and I need you to calm you're ass down and just sit!" I said. "Seriously, just go to sleep so I can go to bed and wake up in time this morning." I said.

"Why do you need to wake up? You don't have a fuckin job!" He yelled.

"Well no shit! I'm at school all fricken day!" I yelled.

"Why bother going to school! Whether or not you go to school, all you can ever be is a drug addicted little whore!" he screamed. My fists were clenched, but I knew better than to hit someone this drunk. They can't really control their words.

"Shut up, damnit, and just sit down! I'm serious, you're gonna puke everywhere!" I complained as he bent over once again. Damn, that's so gross. I'm glad I never got into that shit.

"Don't fuckin tell me what to do!" He screamed and pushed me against the wall so hard my feet lifted from the ground momentarily. That was it. He was enough in his right mind for me to kick his ass.

As he began advancing towards me, I kicked him straight in the kneecap, scraped the side of my shoe down his shin, ripping off the skin that belonged there. He stepped forward, too angry that I assaulted him to worry about the pain, and slapped my cheek so hard I fell backwards. He was coming down towards me, but I jumped up and pushed my fist into his face. His face and leg were bleeding bad and at this point we were both standing. I took the first move and attacked him from the front, causing him to topple onto the ground, straight onto one of his smashed beer bottles from earlier.

He was about to scream, but only vomit came out. I hated seeing him in such a disgusting state. God, can't we just be a fuckin normal family? I rolled him onto his side so he wouldn't choke like the guy from ACDC (yeah,after the thought of letting him die lingered in my mind long enough, I decided to let him live.) "You're so dead you fuckin whore!" he coughed out.

"Don't EVER call me a fuckin whore again! You don't touch me, you don't talk to me like that, and you certainly don't get away with tryin that shit, got that motherfucker?!" I yelled at him and kicked him in his already fucked up face.

I grabbed my cell phone from my pocket as my dad passed out.

"Yeah?" he asked as he answered.

"Dude, can I come over tonight? I think my dad will literally kill me if I stay." I said, not exaggerating at all.

"Yeah. Mom shouldn't be home because the conference was extended. She's not coming for another three days." He explained.

"Thanks." I hung up. After gathering my backpack and clothes, I locked the door and left my loser dad to himself. Maybe I would just stay at Zach's forever?

******

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*******

"Would you like to purchase some girl scout cookies?" I asked sarcastically as he answered.

"Go away, damn Mormon!" He joked. "Nah, get you're ass in here." He said. I took my usual spot on his couch and set my stuff down next to it.

"Dude, I'm not here for a fix, but I seriously need some pain meds." I whined.

"Why? What happened?" he asked. He sat next to me and looked at me to show he was listening.

"Well, like, the fight with my dad got physical and he hit me against the wall, then slapped my face, so my head is throbbing." I said, hating the thought of sounding so whiney.

"Damn. Here, you can sleep in my bed tonight. The couch isn't gonna make you feel any better." He said.

"Thanks man." I said and grabbed my stuff.He joined me in the room as I was taking off my shoes and handed me the pain pills, knowing perfectly well that I could take them dry. Being that he was Zach and wouldn't give up his bed for anyone, he sat next to me and started going under the covers.

He turned out the light once I got in his huge bed and turned away from me to sleep. But this strange nagging thought wouldn't let me do the same.

"Hey Zach? Do you ever think of me as a burden? Like, the way I always come over and involve you in my shit?" I asked honestly.

He turned his light on and rolled over to face me. "God, you're dad fucked you up." He remarked, looking at my face. "Listen, I don't know if he said anything about you or if you were just feeling bad, but you could never be a nuissance to me. We're closer than most brothers and sisters are! I'm almost offended you could think that!" he said. "I never want you to feel that way. In fact, don't ever let yourself feel that way." He said.

"But, like, I always have to come over here at late hours because of my stupid dad! Doesn't it get annoying, having to take care of me?"

"Dude, we're best friends. Friends do shit like this for each other all the time! It's not taking care of you, it's having you're back. And let me tell you now, I will always be there to have you're back. I promise." He said. With that, he turned off the light and rolled over to go to sleep.

"Thanks. Night." I said as tears stung my eyes. I rolled over to face the opposite direction. God, I don't know what I did to earn a friend like this, but I owe you for this one.