I've Been Walking These Streets For Days

"You sick, worthless piece of shit! Get out of my house!" she screams as she throws an empty glass vodka bottle at my head.

"It's not your fucking house Mom, it's Dad's!" I yell, dodging the bottle. It shatters from the impact of the wall behind me.

"Oh, shut up! I'm not your mother!"

"What are you talking about?! I think that vodka has gotten to your head, mother dear."

She scoffs. "No. I have a high tolerance level. Your man-whore of a father screwed his secretary. You're her kid, not mine. Figures she'd give birth to a faggot."

"Shut up! I'm glad you're not my mother! Why the hell would anyone want a drunken whore of a mother like you?! Why don't you leave and go dance on a fucking pole already?"

"You will not speak to me that way! I said get out of this house! NOW!"

"What the hell is going on?!" My dad walks trough the foyer with wide eyes.

"This son of yours is a fucking faggot, that's what' going on," M-Cindy says.

"W-What?" Dad looks at me. Disappointment, anger, and worry clear on his face. "Is it true? Are you... g-gay?"

I sigh, glare at them both and nod. "Yeah, I'm a sick, worthless, piece of shit. I'm a faggot," I say, thinking of Cindy's earlier words.

"N-No. No, no, no. No son of mine is a faggot," Dad spits.

I try to keep my face from crumbling.

"Well, that's just too damn bad," I say. I turn, run up the stairs, and go to my room.

I don't know what's going to happen now. I wish I didn't tell them, yet I'm glad I did. If they're going to be complete homophobic assholes, I really want nothing to do with them. I can't believe Dad, of all people, would call me a faggot. He's the most excepting man I know! Well, at least, he was. I guess homosexuality was one thing he couldn't except.

-X-

The next morning, I come down to the kitchen for some breakfast and am surprised to see Dad and Cindy there. They looked posed though, like they were waiting for me.

"Sit down," Dad says.

I ignore him and reach into the cabinets for a bowl, the drawer for a spoon-

"Sit down, Cadence," he says again.

-cereal from the counter and milk from the fridge. Cindy sighs.

As I start to poor the milk into my bowl of cereal, Dad slams his fists down onto the polished wood table.

"Dammit, Cadence, you will sit down this instant!"

"Can't I finish making my fucking breakfast first?!" I know I'm pissing him off, but I really don't care.

He grumbles, but lets me finish making my breakfast. When I'm done making my cereal, I drag my feet over to the table and sit down.

"You're going to go live with your grandmother," he says.

I choke on my cereal.

"Why?! That's like on the other side of the country! And it's so hot in Florida!"

"You don't have a job, you're eighteen, already graduated, not to mention you're gay. It's your own fault."

"Oh, I see. You don't want a faggot living in your house. Huh, well that's just fine then. I'll go pack." I finish up the last few bits of cereal and, after putting the dish in the sink, I start to go up stairs. I pause mid-step and face my "parents".

"You guys are horrible excuses for parents. I'm glad I'm moving." I walk up the rest of the stairs and into my room. I immediately dive into my closet and find my duffel bag. I love this duffel bag because it's so ginormous. I can fit just about my whole closet and my camera equipment in there.

It's perfect.

I put my duffel bag on top of my pillows so I have extra room to throw my clothes. Going into my closet again, I just about rip every pair of skinny jeans and shirts I wear, and throw them on the bed. I go over to my dresser and take out all of my boxers and socks and throw them on the bed. From the bottom drawer I take a couple of hoodies. Throwing all of those onto my bed I make my way to my colorful row of Converse. I sigh as I stare at them. They're almost like a little collection of Converse. I bend down and grab my solid black ones and my classic black and white ones, and throw them on my bed. I take the other pairs and put them in front of my T.V.

There's a knock on my door and Dad pops his head in.

He stares at the massive pile of clothing before saying, "You sure that's going to fit in that duffel bag?" My bed is so full, small articles of clothing are falling off.

"I know it's going to fit." I say matter o' factly. I've done this too many times to count.

"Okay, well I'm glad you're taking this move well."

I scoff. "Yeah, whatever, jackass."

"Watch you mouth."

"Ha, yeah right."

He rolls his eyes and leaves. I close and lock the door behind him. I look back at my bed and stare. I rush back downstairs and and find Dad in the living room, watching football.

"When am I leaving?" I ask. My voice sounds rushed, anxious.

"We already bought the ticket. It's non-refundable and on my desk."

I roll my eyes and run upstairs again. Going into Dad's office, the first thing I see is my plane ticket. I grab it and go back to my room.

The ticket says I leave in two weeks. Okay, I can deal with that. I grab my PS3, my stereo, my DVD player and place them all next to my 50" flat screen T.V. I grab my cell phone and dial Randy's phone number.

"Hey, Cadence! 'Sup, man?" Randy, an acquaintance of mine, says.

"I'm moving and I need some extra cash. I've got some good stuff to sell, think you can get any buyers int he next two weeks?"

"Oh, definitely, man! Are you selling you car?"

Oh shit, my car.

"Oh, yeah."

"I'll buy it! How much you want for it?"

Good question. I was never one for cars, really. I got it at the end of junior year, mid 2009. It's a Toyota Corolla. Maybe not the flashiest thing in the world, but that really wasn't the point.

"Uh, well I bought for 15 thousand, so I'll sell it for about 13 thousand but, for you? I'll lower it down to 12 thousand."

"Deal!"

You know, this is one good thing about living in a rich community.

"I'll stop by today to look at the stuff, 'kay?" he says.

"Sure, see you then." We hang up.

-X-

"Okay so the T.V. you should sell for about 300 dollars since you don't have that much time to be fussy. Uh, the stereo can go for 75 to 50 dollars and the DVD player? Well, that'll just go for 20 bucks at the most." Randy lounges on a bean-bag chair in my room.

"Whatever, good enough. You still buying the car right?" I ask.

"Yeah. Here, twelve grand." He hands me a thick wad of cash. I hold the keys out in front of him.

"I'm going to give these to you in two weeks. I still need to make some errands and this car is the only transportation I have. When it's time for me to go, I'll tell my parents you're taking me to the airport. That's when you can have the car, 'kay?" I glare at him.

He sighs. "Fine, man, whatever."

"Good. Now who do think will buy this shit and how soon?"

-X-

"Thanks for doing business with us. And maybe I can interest you in some M-"

"Randy!" I scold.

He sighs. "Have a nice day." He pats the guys hand and turns back to me.

"Okay dude. Three days and you sold it all." Randy smiles at me.

"Actually, I forgot something." Randy groans and looks towards the sky.

"No, nothing major, I think. Just, remember all those Converse I have?" He nods. "I need to sell those, too."

Randy smiles again. "I know just who to call for that." He takes out his cell and dials the number.

-X-

"Hey, Cadence?" Randy says.

"'Sup?" I ask.

"The Converse buyer is here."

"'Kay." We walk downstairs and out the door. Standing outside, is a God, I swear to you. He's the most gorgeous human being I have ever seen in my life.

"Hey," Randy says.

The boy looks up and glances at me and Randy. He looks down again, covering his face with his hair. He crosses his right foot over his left and hold his hands behind his back.

"So, how much?" He asks. His voice is like something that belongs to an angel not a human.

"Well, how much do you want to sell them for, Cadence?" Randy asks me.

"Uh, let's see. 6 total so. Just give me fifty bucks. They're a little worn anyway." He nods and forks over fifty buck. I smile at him. He blushes but gives a small smile back.

"They're a size 7. You sure they're going to fit you?" I ask. He looks so small and fragile.

He nods. "Yeah, that's my size."

"Okay well, uh, thanks." I back up slowly and Randy follows.

"Yeah," the boy says. He grabs the bag and puts it in his car. Soon enough he drives away.

"Okay, now you sold everything," Randy mumbles.

I laugh and shake my head.

"Now, off to buy a tent," I say. I laugh when Randy groans.

-X-

"Do you have everything?" Dad asks.

"Yes. God, just let me leave." I rip my arm away from my father and get in my car. After buying the tent last week I stuffed it in my trunk, along with my stuffed duffel bag. I drive out of the driveway and head over to Randy's place. He's waiting outside and jumps into the passenger seat when I stop. I nod at him,which he returns and drive opposite of the airport.

"You know, you can just stay at my house," Randy mumbles.

"No. I wouldn't feel right, imposing on your family like that. Plus you need to focus on taking over your family's business," I say. He nods and we are quiet.

I drive through and driveway made of gravel. I look over at the lake and cabin on my left and sigh.

"This is where you'll be staying?"

"Yeah. Over there on the other side of the lake. It's slightly hidden by some trees. It's perfect."

"What if people move into that cabin?"

"No one will. It's been years since anyone's step foot in that cabin. Plus the county put in some alarm in there so whenever you don't punch in the code, which is given to you when you buy it, it goes off. And I don't know the code."

Randy nods. I drive the rest of the way around the lake and park. We get out and Randy helps me set up the tent and get out my duffel bag.

"I put this in the trunk when we got the tent. I'd figure you'd forget," Randy says.

I hold the pillow and blanket in my hands and smile at him. "Thanks. I did forget." I take the car keys out of my pocket and hand them over.

Randy grabs the keys and frowns. "See ya', man."

"Bye," I murmur.

He pulls me into a hug. At first I'm surprised but then I just wrap my arms around him. He pats my back and gets in the car, soon driving away.

I sigh and stare up at the night sky. Sometimes remembering those days brings happiness and sometimes it just breaks my heart. It's been a year since then. I haven't seen Randy since. Same with my parents; not really, at least. I wonder if they even know I'm not at Grandma's.

Suddenly, I see a bright light out of the corner of my eye. I look over to see what it is. On the other side on the lake is a moving van and an SUV.

From the SUV comes out a man, a woman and a boy.

Oh. shit.