Red Leaves Falling

Chapter Three

A knock on the door, jerked me out of my thoughts. I didn't reply, but kept my body against the door to prevent entry.

Dad had taken the keys to the room away after clearly insinuating that I would do something psychotic behind closed doors.

"Collin," Mom said, softly,"Let me in."

I kept quiet. I heard the shuffling of feet. For a moment, I thought that mom was gone, but then I heard another voice.

"We've decided to let you go to school tomorrow." Dad said. After letting the words run through my head once, I nearly howled in happiness. Truthfully, I didn't like to go to school but it was much better than staying at home in such an awkward atmosphere. If I receive a couple of kicks and punches from Lance then maybe I could forget about August Becker.

I opened the door, almost immediately and stepped outside the room. I scanned their face once, to detect any lies.

"However," Dad started, "You will be attending St.Xavier's with Jacob."

The glow on my face died down.

"No, dad-' I started to protest,but dad turned on his heel and walked away. Mom gave me a sympathetic look and followed him.

I couldn't believe it. August Becker's face flashed through my head. I marched down the stairs, ready to argue but Jacob stopped me.

"Move."I said, glaring at him. He stayed there. I shifted to the side and tried to duck underneath him, only to be stopped by his hand gripping my shoulder tightly.

"You should listen to mum and dad." He said, quietly.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"I said, that you should listen to mum and dad. Everyone's just tired of you acting like a whiny baby so get your act together. You're disappointing everybody." He said. He looked at me once more before shoving me against the wall and shutting himself inside his room.

I stood there for a moment, not moving. Then I made my way downstairs and walked out the door, ignoring mom's calls.

I plugged on my earphones and walked at a slow pace, forging patterns on the pavement with my feet.

I didn't listen to songs, nor did I have any of them on my phone. I just loved to wear earphones for the sake of some peace and quiet, to block myself from the noisy and disturbing reality I lived in.

I focused on the pavement, and kept my eyes trained on the floor. It had become a habit now, after everything that happened in New American School.

I thought about how I was going to be welcomed at St. Xavier's. Probably with a splash of sewage water or maybe even a game of pretending to be a punching bag.

It wasn't like any of it mattered. It was a part of my life now, a part of me that I would never forget.

School was always the same. The people were always the same. The world kept rotating and revolving but nothing ever changed.

The only thing that changed was me. The only thing that changed was my heart, laid out for eyes to snatch, rip, crush and trash.