Be My Little Earthquake.
Chapter 2: Smile, Through The Bad Times
Joel loaded his things into the car, sliding in the seat next to his mom. His face being covered by his stringy, quirky curls and his arms protecting his chest.
His mom looked upset. Her eyes were puffy, although not as puffy as his own and her eyes seemed to be filled with fear.
He hasn't talked to his mom all week, and he felt bad. He felt like a horrible son.
"Mom?"
"Yes, Joel?"
"Whats wrong with dad? Why do I need to care of him?"
"He's let himself go Joel. You know I would move there with him, but I have to stay here with everyone else. I have a Jon that I need to stay with. My family is here." As she spoke, she kept her eyes on the road, her son on the other hand kept his eyes glued to the words on his fingers.
"You know that's the only tattoo of yours I'll ever like." She added after a few minutes of silence, skimming her fingers across the word ''Hope'' Spread across his knuckles.
"I figured." Joel said with a smile.
***
He unloaded the bags carefully, watching as his mom grabbed one and told him that she'd come back out for his piano. His dad wasn't home from work yet so they had plenty of time to say their goodbyes.
Minutes passes, tears were shed and now Joel was sitting in his room on the bare mattress, looking around at the boxes and suitcases spread about. He didn't feel like unpacking so he just looked out the window placed right beside his bed, adding a small splash of light to the dimly lit room.
He pulled out his song book from the suitcase closest to his bed to pass time until his dad came home and started mindlessly writing down lyrics.
"I'm gonna smile, when the rage falls. Laugh, when the storm comes raging. Raging. I'm gonna smile, through the bad times, turn them into good times-"
"Joel!?" A low voice barked. He straightened up, throwing his journal back in his suitcase and walking forward until he ran straight into the man he's been avoiding.
"Hi dad."
His mom looked upset. Her eyes were puffy, although not as puffy as his own and her eyes seemed to be filled with fear.
He hasn't talked to his mom all week, and he felt bad. He felt like a horrible son.
"Mom?"
"Yes, Joel?"
"Whats wrong with dad? Why do I need to care of him?"
"He's let himself go Joel. You know I would move there with him, but I have to stay here with everyone else. I have a Jon that I need to stay with. My family is here." As she spoke, she kept her eyes on the road, her son on the other hand kept his eyes glued to the words on his fingers.
"You know that's the only tattoo of yours I'll ever like." She added after a few minutes of silence, skimming her fingers across the word ''Hope'' Spread across his knuckles.
"I figured." Joel said with a smile.
***
He unloaded the bags carefully, watching as his mom grabbed one and told him that she'd come back out for his piano. His dad wasn't home from work yet so they had plenty of time to say their goodbyes.
Minutes passes, tears were shed and now Joel was sitting in his room on the bare mattress, looking around at the boxes and suitcases spread about. He didn't feel like unpacking so he just looked out the window placed right beside his bed, adding a small splash of light to the dimly lit room.
He pulled out his song book from the suitcase closest to his bed to pass time until his dad came home and started mindlessly writing down lyrics.
"I'm gonna smile, when the rage falls. Laugh, when the storm comes raging. Raging. I'm gonna smile, through the bad times, turn them into good times-"
"Joel!?" A low voice barked. He straightened up, throwing his journal back in his suitcase and walking forward until he ran straight into the man he's been avoiding.
"Hi dad."
♠ ♠ ♠
Wooh!! Bit of a cliffy! ^-^ Let me know what you think babies!