Reminiscing

I woke up to a blinding light and the covers being pulled off the bed. I sat up slowly feeling extremely tired and looked up to see Dad. “How many times have I told you to sleep in your own bed, Eli? Both of you get up. Breakfast is ready.”

We nodded, getting out of bed and walking downstairs. Mom glanced at us, but barely said anything. Dad must have told her... and she was probably either furious, or disappointed. I couldn't tell. Usually she was happy to see us and always came over and kissed our heads. Then we'd complain about it. I'd rather she did that today than act how she was...

“Where is Timmy?” I asked, sitting at the table and poked the french toast with my fork. I wasn't very hungry. How could I be?

“With a friend. Eat this too.” She set a bowl of fruits in front of us and walked off.

“Mom is acting weird...” I mumbled, wanting nothing to do with the food in front of me. And yet somehow Eli was acting just fine again. He was probably thinking he got one over dad. But I knew that wasn't going to happen.

“Yeah, maybe they're gonna kill us and bury us in the backyard,” Eli joked, using a dark voice and grinning.

I shoved him away and ate only a little. Somehow Eli managed to eat his whole plate and more. How could he act so calm?

We stayed at the table a while before both Mom and Dad came in and sat across from us. Dad was still acting rather calm, and surprisingly, Mom was the first one to talk.

“We're very disappointed in you both,” Mom said, then looked off at the wall. “I can't understand why you two would do this at all.”

I stared at my uneaten food. I never wanted to hear her sound like this. I regretted even going last night. It wasn’t worth this. Nothing was, really...

“Here is what is going to happen,” Dad paused, glaring at us. “First, Elijah, you're going to tell me why you have this.” He dropped the bag of white powder on the wooden table. The one Eli had thought he'd never find. Dad was trying his hardest to stay calm. I was waiting for him to just explode. I looked away, over to Eli.

Eli gaped at him, then looked off at the floor. He had nothing to say? That too, was surprising.

“Should I be sending the two of you to rehab or what? Are you drug addicts? How long has this even been going on!” He shouted angrily, standing and slamming his fist on the table. I jumped, removing my elbows from the table, and bit my lip.

“We're not addicted... we just... wanted to have fun... It was harmless...” Eli mumbled, glaring back at Dad.

“This isn't harmless! This is a serious problem! And I am so beyond disappointment at this point. If I ever find any more drugs in this house again and I will send you both to rehab.” He shifted his attention to me. “And Gabriel, don't you think that just because you're going to college soon that you can just do whatever you want. You're still under eighteen and you will follow my rules till you leave!”

“I... I wanted to stay at the dorms...” And maybe before this mess I could have gotten away with that. But I knew I wasn't going to now, and that wasn't fair.

“You are staying here. And I will drive you to and from and you will not be partying or anything.”

“You can't tell me I can't! I'll go to college far away from here!” I spat, glaring up at him. This wasn't fair. One mess up – which wasn't even my fault, and my life is ruined?

“You're going to college where I say you can.” Was someone allowed to do that? I guess he could cause I needed him to pay for it... but that was still so mean! I wanted to live through my college life as a normal college student. Not a goddamn baby. I didn't get myself caught. Why was dad always so fucking controlling! It wasn't fair! This wasn't fair!

“You can't do that! Stop being such a fuckin prick! This mess isn't even my fault and you're sitting here treating me like I’m five years old! I’m sixteen and I can go do what I want!” I yelled, standing up and shoving my plate away from me. I was glaring back at my father, regretting every word only after I said it. Why did emotions get the best of me?

Dad got up, moving to walk around the table. I didn't want to be near him, I didn't want to see him. Mostly, I was scared though. Mom had stood up knowing exactly what was going to happen and not wanting to be around for it. Dad was the only one who disaplinned us. That was how our house worked.

I tried to move out of the way, but my chair was in the way and Dad's hand had already met the side of my face. My eyes teared up, locked on the kitchen table.

“Yes, you are sixteen, Gabriel. Only sixteen! You're just a child! And don't you ever talk to me like that again!” Why was he such a fucking ass?

“You have to admit, Dad, he was telling the truth,” Eli paused, trying not to laugh. “You are a fucking prick. And overly controlling, and inconsiderate. I can't think of a good quality you have.”

“You think because your brother said that you can?” I could hear Dad's hand hit Eli's face. “You two can do as you please when you move out. But until that time, and I promise it will be until you're eighteen, you are living with my rules!”

All of us were silent for what seemed like an eternity. None of moved.

Dad cleared his throat, then made us sit back down and look at him. I just wanted to leave... “You're both grounded for the next six months. So hand over your phones.” He held his hand out.

We just stared at him a moment before pulling them out of our pockets. I wanted my phone... This was the worst day ever.

“What about our band? We can't just not practice for six months!” Eli stated, holding his phone tightly and looking up at him. Like dad cared about our band? He always wanted us to do better things with our lives...

“You should have thought about that. And you were at Tayden's, with Wade, and they are grounded too as far as I know. You'll just have to deal with it. How about you make something of yourself during this time instead of wasting your time with a band!”

“I want to be in a band, Dad! I don't want to be the manager of a stupid company, or work in a clothing store or whatever the hell it is you want me to do!”

“Son, just give me the phone. You'll do what you want with your career when it comes time to pick. But as for now, you're going six months without that phone, and without your band.”

Eli threw it on the floor then went to head out before Dad stopped him. He just wanted to give us more band news. As if the band and phones being taken wasn't enough? Half a fucking year of torture! Hopefully mom could try and talk him out of a month or two... but we'd never been caught doing anything this bad before...

“One more thing. You're not getting allowance anymore. I’m not letting either of you buy this stuff again. But you're still doing chores. You'll be spending time in your room. No computer either, unless it's school and it will be in the living room. No chatting online, no phones, no friends. And you can have this phone in case you have to call for an emergency.” He handed me the small phone after taking mine from my hand. “It doesn't allow anything else. And no, you can't add minutes, not that you have the money to anyway.”

“What, did you take our money too?” I asked, glaring up at him. I had saved up a couple hundred dollars in allowance and Christmas money.

“It's going in a bank account where you need my permission to take it out until you're eighteen. But if you gain my trust by then, you may get it back sooner, or even an allowance again.”

“This sucks...” I muttered, gritting my teeth and kicking the floor out of frustration. It was better I kept my mouth shut. There were too many things I wanted to say that would get me into more trouble.

“Can we leave now?” Eli asked impatiently, staring at the hallway.

Dad dropped the phones into his pocket before pulling us into an awkward hug. Neither of us hugged back and just stared at a random place feeling embarrassed and frustrated. “You know I worry about you two. This is for your own good.” He released us then walked out of the room and up the stairs. He probably had to hide the phones and comfort Mom... who was most likely crying her eyes out or something. It made me feel bad to think about it...

“I guess on the bright side... he's not separating us, right?” He half laughed, but he wasn't smiling. He was pretty damaged, his pride, that is.

“Kind of impossible to do that when we live in the same house... and share a room.” I sighed heavily, walking back up the stairs and dropping onto my bed when I entered our room. “I guess we can just make up stuff and show the band when we see them again...”

“You'll be off getting ready for college by the time we can see them again.” He rolled his eyes, sitting on his bed, looking down at me.

“At least I don't have to wear that stupid uniform anymore soon.” I laughed, trying to find something good about everything. Dad made us go to a catholic school our whole life. He didn’t want our minds corrupted or some shit.

“Dad is going to send you off to some god-happy shit hole where you'll have to wear a new one.” He grinned, throwing a paper ball at me.

I sighed heavily, “You're probably right... It's gonna suck. They'll all hate me.”

“Only if you keep going on about that being gay shit.” It wasn't shit, it was the truth and I wish he got it by now.

I glared up at him. Why wouldn't he believe me yet? This was ridiculous. And annoying...

“Yeah, Yeah, spare me the speech, Riel.” He laid back on the bed. “And I won't tell on you with Spence, if you keep your mouth shut about me. If it's mutual that way, I could careless if he sneaks in and fucks you.”

I climbed up the ladder enough to punch his arm. “Just drop it.”

“Yeah, I suppose you would be angry. Can't see him for six months. Dad will probably find him trying to sneak in too.”

“He's not stupid either. I texted him before he took our phones that Dad found all this crap and whatever. He shouldn't be trying anything.” I jumped to the floor and laid on my bed again.

“You think I’m not sorry about it? You're not the only one getting punished, you know.” I saw him sit up and then climb back down moving towards his backpack and took out the paper. “I guess we may as well do our homework seeing how there is nothing better to do....”

I nodded in agreement.