Be Somewhere

Ricky woke up to the smell of bacon frying and the feeling of uncontrollable nausea in his stomach. The place he was in was strange. Sky blue with white clouds. Dark blue sheets covered the mattress and Ricky couldn't see the blanket anywhere. Thats when he noticed his father standing over him; he shrieked.

His father was holding a white comforter that matched the pillows and clouds perfectly.

“Rise and shine, honey, we don't want you to be late for school,” His father said cheerfully. Ricky muttered sarcastically about what a shame that would be and his father gave him the evil eye. “Ricky, you need an education.” He curled himself back into a ball by the headboard and his father sighed.

“If I have to pick you up and dress you, I will. Don't doubt it for a second, little boy,” Ricky murmured something incomprehensible in response. “Come on honey, you don't want your friends worrying, do you?”

“Oh Shit!” Ricky screamed as he hopped out of bed., “Shit, shit shit!

“What now?”

“My friends, They are going to be flipping shit because I'm not at my house... They were spending the night and.... shit!”

“Do you have your phone? Can you send them a message saying that you're okay and that you'll meet them at school?” Ricky shook his head slowly. “Well then... we are in trouble.”

Ricky looked in the mirror at the bruises that painted a line of black and blue swirls down his back and arms. He looked around the room and found that his search was in vain. His father watched with curiosity as he ran around screaming cuss words. He searched the bathrooms and all the bedrooms and let out a cry of frustration.

“Honey, what are you looking for?”

“Make-up. To cover all this shit on my arms,” Ricky screamed as he returned to the room; still searching. “Do you at least have a sweater or something?”

His father turned his head in one direction and then the other very slowly; contemplating. Ricky started to breathe in and out very slowly. He didn't have his anxiety medication either. He walked back into the bathroom and started rifling through the medicine cabinet. He wanted something, anything, to calm his shaking nerves. What he found was pure gold.

Valium.

He downed four as his father walked into the room. The rosiness of his cheeks faded quickly to a sickly paleness, and just when Ricky thought the transformation was complete; he watched his father go bruised coloured with fury.

“Wh- Ho- Wh- Are those my valium?”

“Yes,” Ricky replied bluntly.

“And you just took some?”

“No,” Ricky said sarcastically while rolling his eyes, “I pulled a magic trick. Fetch me a top hat and I'll have the rabbit puke them up for you.” When his father's facial colour deepened to a purple that was so close to black it was frightening, Ricky continued to speak. “I'm going to get dressed, I'll meet you in the car in ten minutes... you can drop me off at my house.” His father looked startled.

“Wh- What about breakfast?”

“I'm not the type you keep around to share breakfast with. I'm more of a one night stand.”

~------------------------------------------------~

Ricky didn't say a word as he pulled out of the car. He could hear screaming coming from inside the house. It wasn't Richard's, or his mother's for that matter. It was worse, so much worse. It was Danny. He could see his father was itching to say something, but the opportunity wasn't given to him. The door was slammed in his face before he even got to say goodbye.

Ricky tried to think of an explanation that would satisfy Danny. He hadn't spent the night; so Brad had obviously freaked out and called him. He breathed in a little as he creaked the door open; he could hear the words clearly now.

“What do you mean you woke up and he wasn't here?” Danny shrieked.

“I think that the meaning in that is pretty obvious!” Brad screamed back. He heard the others sighing and trying to reason with them. The poor unfortunate souls didn't realize that they would fail in their attempt undoubtably. His breathing became slightly heavier as he slid up the stairs and pushed the door open. It went forward on its own after the initial nudge and he stepped into the room.

“Hey guys, you miss me?” His trademark grin was counteracted by the numerous bruises that lined his arms. As they gaped, he couldn't help but wonder at their reaction if they ever saw the ones that were covered by clothing.

“What happened to you?” Danny whispered.

“Cheap pills, petty thrills, stupid whores... the usual,” he laughed. Brad shook his head.

“Liar,” he replied to Ricky, “The laughter isn't reaching your eyes.”

“Your point?” Ricky snarled.

“Do you not remember the reasons for agreeing to make this stupid video? Your reasons?”

Ricky began by shaking his head. And then crossed his arms over his chest and the rest of his body joined in the shudders. He started sobbing without realizing it and looked up at the paling faces in front of him.

“Please don't make me you guys... I-I'm gonna need everything I have just to make it through today... Please don't... not yet.”

“Okay honey,” Brad soothed, “But please, just... what happened?”

“My dad,” He whispered shakily. He tried to say more but the tears that were falling covered any form of sound. Brad gasped and Danny cussed loudly. Everyone else looked around in confusion; not having a clue about Ricky's history.