The Black Flare

When Alex woke up in a room not his own, he was startled for a second to say the very least. Then he remembered. He had graduated from high school and had been sent out on his own by his own mother over a small disagreement. It had been threatened in the past over small disputes, but when the reality of the situation hit, it was still a shock to him. Luckily, he had made a few bonds in high school strong enough to get an offer to stay a night or so until he figured out a plan. As he lay in the guest bed, he was thinking of what exactly that plan should be. He couldn’t stay with his friend forever. But he had no current job or way or money and getting either or both would take time. His thoughts were interrupted by his ringing cell phone. Fortunately, he knew his mother wouldn’t disconnect his phone because that would actually make the family plan go up or be canceled. A move he knew his mother would not make. He recognized the contact calling him as his father, a number he had not dialed in years as he, from a young age, believed many wrong and terrible things about him from his mother’s influence. He answered the call with a sigh. He had probably heard of the fight. “Hey Dad, I take it you heard that I got kicked out?” Alex opened, getting straight to the point, unsure of any other way to handle this. “I have, I’m so sorry you were put in this situation and treated this way. Are you alright? Do you need a place to stay? I won’t have you out on the street for as long as I’m breathing. I missed you, Alex.” Alex’s father answered. “I… actually do. I’m currently staying with a friend from my old school. But I can’t stay forever, his dad is really anxious about visitors staying overnight, and he is tolerating it for now, but I cannot expect it for long.” Alex explained. “Are you sure it’s alright for me to stay with you?” “Of course. You are my own flesh and blood. The best thing that came out of my marriage to your mother. I know it is far from anything you know, but you have family here who are dying to know you. I work at a college now as a professor. You can come to my school and get your degree if you like. Practically for free, as is policy for families of staff. Have you decided what you wish to major in?” Alex’s father slightly rambled in excitement about having his child back in his life. “I haven’t picked a major yet, but I suppose I could do that at school. I would love to stay with you if you would have me.” Alex accepted gracefully. He was always a polite fellow. “You would only be staying with me during breaks if you choose. As a student, you can live in the dormitory during the school year. You might even make friends who would let you stay for certain breaks. You never know. I know you are very likable, I know you will make friends.” “Thank you for everything, dad. You are quite literally saving me here. I didn’t have another plan and, honestly, this sounds better than anything I could have done while staying with mom.” Alex said. “I have been dreaming of the day we would be together again. It’s no problem. Just don’t expect me to curb your grades because you are my child. I give no special treatment in my classroom. And in class it is Professor Shade. Not dad or father. I worked hard to become a teacher at this prestigious school and Professor Baron Shade is my name at work.” Baron conditioned. “I’ll remember that, dad. How soon can you come pick me up to take me home?” Alex asked. “I don’t want to overstay my welcome.” “I’m actually prepared for you to come right now. I have a guest bedroom you can easily turn into your room and the school year is still a few weeks away. That should be plenty of time to get registered and get your school supplies. I will gladly cover it for your first year. You can pay me back by getting good grades.” Baron slightly rambled with enthusiasm. “I will do my best. Luckily, I like to read. So studying should be very doable. So I’ll see you in the morning?” Alex asked, giggling slightly at his father’s glee. Not that he blamed the man, he had rarely seen his father since the divorce was finalized. Alex was excited about getting to see his father again too, if he was honest. “Bright and early, kiddo. Get ready. I know you might need time to mentally prepare yourself to start a new life in a new place. I know it can be very scary, but I will be here for you. I promise.” Baron said sincerely. “Thank you, dad. For everything. I know not seeing each other for years had to have hurt. I was young and believed my mother when she lied to me about you before I was old enough to know better.” Alex apologized just as sincerely. “All forgiven. We can make up for lost time together soon. For now, make sure you have all of your belongings squared away that you might need. It would be unfortunate to not have something you need and unpleasant to confront your mother to get it back.” Baron suggested. "Already handled. I snuck my legal documents like my birth certificate and social security number months ago out of caution that she might do this." Alex responded with a slight smug satisfaction in his tone. “Clever, just like your old man,” Baron complimented with a hearty chuckle. “I wonder who I got it from.” Alex joked further. “No idea,” Baron answered, amused. “In any case, be as prepared as possible. If I still know you at all, you probably are ready now. But I feel compelled to say it all the same.” “Of course, dad. See you in the morning.” Alex finalized. “See you in the morning” Baron replied similarly. Soon enough, the call was disconnected and Alex was alone in the silence of the world and the noise of his thoughts. In something as short as 24 hours, he would move to a new house with his father, whom he hadn’t lived with in 7 years at that point. Then he would be starting a new school, a college at that. Where his father apparently taught. Alex remembered that his father, he last checked, taught History. Well, he didn’t check. That is what his mother had told him. Though given the track record of ridiculous lies he found his mother in, Alex wouldn’t have been surprised if that was also some sort of farce. The more Alex thought about that, the more questions he had about his father. Alex was mostly in the dark about his father’s entire side of the family. He knew about them. He had just had no actual memory of meeting any. Alex knew of his uncles, grandparents, and cousins. But he had no memory of meeting them or of any pictures to know their faces. Alex had never thought of it before, but it felt now like Alex was purposefully kept from that entire side of the family deliberately. But he couldn’t even begin to fathom why.