I Need A Getaway

I woke up the next morning lying in my bed. I didn’t remember getting into bed the night before…because after the kiss, everything else that night seemed to blur over. I sat up, wondering if Jack had left, but he was curled into a ball on the floor as usual. I sighed. He didn’t have to sleep on the floor.

I got up and walked over to wake him up. I knelt down and laughed to myself. He was so adorable when he slept.

I glanced at the clock quickly before waking him up. It was a little past noon and I sighed and stood back up.

I decided to let him sleep.

I wandered downstairs and dug around in the cabinets and fridge for something to eat. I stole a poptart from the new box sitting in the cabinet and I threw it on the table. Of course, with my horrible aim, it went flying off the table and onto the floor.

“Fuck!” I yelled, rolling my eyes.

“What was that, son?” My granddad asked, entering the kitchen.

I sighed and rolled my eyes again.

“Nothing, I was just leaving.” I said, grabbing my poptart from the floor and tossing it on the counter.

I grabbed another one out of the box before trying to walk out of the kitchen.

“You aren’t just going to leave those on the counter, are you?” He asked, holding me back.

“Okay, yeah, I’m going to leave them. And you have no right to touch me.” I growled, pushing past him.

“You need to put those back, son.” He called after me.

“No!” I yelled and ran up the stairs.

I knew he was chasing after me because I heard his footsteps following mine. I laughed because I was faster and as soon as I reached the top of the stairs, I ran into my room and slammed the door.

I looked at Jack, who was still sound asleep. I felt bad and I hoped that I didn’t wake him up.

I kept my eyes on him as I slowly opened my poptarts, and then I heard a loud thud. Jack sprung awake and I rushed out of my room.

I saw my granddad, face pressed into the staircase, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Serves you right!” I laughed and turned around to see my mom.

Oh, fuck.

“Alex, did you hear that?” She asked, pushing past me and shrieking.

I was in trouble.

“No?” I said, playing dumb.

She ran down the stairs and knelt down next to her dad on the stairs. I stared awkwardly for a minute before walking back into my room and shutting the door.

“What just happened?” Jack asked.

“Uh…I don’t know.” I answered.

“Oh…”

“Poptart?” I offered and he smiled.

He nodded and I handed him the other poptart.

-

Jack and I sat on my bed while my mother continued to lecture us about how ‘pushing people down the stairs’ was bad. Last I recalled, I didn’t push anyone down the stairs.

“For all I know, we might have to take my dad to the hospital. He might’ve broken something. I know you don’t like him, Alex, but that does not give you permission to purposely-“

“Mom, I hope you understand that he fell up the stairs. I did not push him.” I tried to clarify but she wouldn’t listen.

Instead, she turned to Jack.

“Did you witness any of this?” She asked him and he shook his head.

“I was fast asleep, ma’am, I swear.” He said and I couldn’t help but laugh.

He was so polite. It scared me.

My mother turned back to me with a frown on her face.

“This is unacceptable, Alexander.” She frowned and I shuddered as she pronounced my full name.

“I know…but I didn’t do anything.” I said.

She sighed.

“I hate punishing you, baby,” She shook her head. “But what you did was just uncalled for.”

“I didn’t do a damn thing! I didn’t push anyone down the stairs!” I yelled, and looked at Jack briefly.

He must’ve felt really awkward.

“Well, either way, you need some sort of discipline. Now, I really hate to do this-“

“Then don’t do it!” I interrupted her.

“I’m grounding you for a week.” She said before turning away and leaving my room.

She was fucking serious.

I stared at Jack awkwardly before getting up and following my mom out the door.

“You can’t just ground me cause your dad said I pushed him down the stairs! You don’t even stop and listen to what I have to say, and I’m more important to you than anyone.” I stated, causing her to turn around in the hallway and look at me with sympathy in her eyes.

“You do mean more to me than anyone, because I’ve already lost one son, and as much as my dad drives you insane, I still don’t think-“

“I didn’t do anything, I swear. Just give me a chance to explain myself.” I pleaded.

She shook her head.

“No.” She said and went down the stairs.

Did that really just happen?