HIS FOR TWO WEEKS: A DEBT TO PAY

EVERYTHING WENT BLACK

*SCOTT’S POV*

“ This is my house and when you’re under my roof, you abide by my rules!!” my dad seethed with fury.

His Jaws were clenched tight as he took sharp rapid breaths. His face was flushed with all the colours of anger, and I could see sparks flying from his eyes.

But I didn’t care.

I stopped caring when he showed he could get over mom so quickly.

His new heartthrob my so-called stepmom stood beside him, like a prized possession who was proud to be owned.

“Look honey let’s all just take it easy and work this out,” she said tentatively, placing her hand on the counter.

“ The only thing we’ll be working out is how dad would stop trying to force me into the circle of his friends’ children” I replied, shooting her a cold hard look.

She sighed gently “ Scott, it’s for your own good. I know many people who would give anything to be in your position”.

“ I’m sure you do” I shot back at her

“ Don’t you dare talk to my wife like that” my dad snapped, pointing at me.

My stepmom tried to placate him. She kept placing her hands on his shoulder and stroking his forearms.

All the things my mom used to do with him. It hasn’t been up to a year since she died and he’s here, doing them with another woman.

“ You need to calm down dear, remember your blood pressure” she sang sweetly into his ears.

I watched as he sighed deeply and stared at her with affection in his eyes. Bile rose to my throat. I couldn’t bear it any longer.

“ We have nothing more to discuss, my decision is final. You can keep your friends and their connections, I don’t need them”. I said, walking out of the kitchen and making a beeline for the front door.

“ Scott, come back here this very minute!!” my father bellowed.

I grabbed my hoodie and headphones and kept marching towards the door.

“ Master Scott, where are you headed this time of the night?” someone called out to me.

It was Mrs Katherine, our house help. She’s been here since Mom got sick.

She was the only one here who seemed to have an atom of grief for Mom.

She was the only one who made life a bit real and easier around here

“ I just want to go see some friends, I’ll be back before you know it, Ma’am” I said gently, creaking open the door and letting the darkness of the night wrap itself around me.

“ Be careful dear, don’t come back too late” she called out behind me.

I was too far gone to respond.

Keith was already waiting at our usual spot before I got there. Loud music was blasting through the speaker of his brother’s Ford Mustang, and two other guys were already sitting in the car.

He beamed with smiles when he saw my face “ Hey man!!, How is it hanging?” .

“ It’s hanging over my head, Keith” I replied dryly, hopping into the passenger seat.

“ So where do you want us to go tonight” he asked excitedly “ I’ve got a bunch of IDs and some new locations we could try”.

“ Anywhere you want, Keith. I’m paying all the same” I mumbled as I slumped my back into the car seat.

He drove with the excitement of a jackrabbit, running red lights and overtaking speeding cars.

The fake ID worked like magic. We were at the front door of a club and before I knew it, I was downing shots of whiskey.

Memories trickled down my mind relentlessly and with them came the sweat and pain. I wished them all away with more shots of whiskey.

“ Hey man, take it easy, you're gonna kill yourself” One of Keith’s friends said to me.

I nodded and downed two more shots.

Everyone in the club was dancing to the music, with joy and excitement written on their faces, and they swayed their bodies with such a carefree attitude that only happiness could assure.

I don’t belong here. I was not supposed to be here.

I drank more whiskey as I looked at Keith and his two friends. They were equally having a blast.

“ What’s wrong, man. Cheer up and have some fun” he screamed into my ear amidst the loud music.

I tried to lean forward to reply to him when it happened...

My eyes began to play tricks on me. My stomach tightened and my chest felt like it was on fire.

The ceiling kept going round and round until I collapsed on the floor. I could still feel myself floating around the room.

“ Scott... Hey Scott!!. Hey man, stand up man, what’s wrong with you” He said with panic in his voice. “ Come on, man. Don’t die on me”

I kept throwing up with my head out of the window as Keith drove towards the nearest clinic he could think of.

My stomach seemed determined to churn out every last drop of whiskey and there was nothing I could do about it.

He had abandoned his two friends at the club when he bundled me out of there.

His backseat was an obvious mess. His brother’s surely going to kill him.

I made a mental note to apologise when I get better.

If I ever get better.

I had just finished dumping the contents of my stomach and slouched on the backseat when I saw something moving from afar.

“ What the hell is that?” I mumbled to myself

“ What is it, Scott?” Keith asked

“ Nothing man, I thought I saw something out—”

It happened in the flash of a second.

Keith screamed and swerved the car too quickly.

I hit my head on the back of the driver’s seat and my ears started ringing

“Oh my God!!” I heard Keith scream with shock.

Everything went black.