Chapter 1- Starters

I snapped out of my confused daze from the tapping of my mother’s fingers “Max, were you even listening to me?” I looked up from my Gameboy “No” I was fixed on what to choose “Do you even remember our deal?!” Charmander or Squirtle? “Wha? Yes” Wait, what’s she even talking about? Well, I can’t let her distract me from choosing my starter poke eh mon! What about Bulbasaur? He’s so underrated “So hurry up and start packing” I looked up “For what!?” “Put that darn game toy away! It’s clearly distracting you” I reluctantly put the one thing that manages to captivate me, on the glass stand next to me “ You failed 3 classes out of your six, that means you have to go with your father” “I had a D in maths!” “How do you fail P.E?!” “I’m not gonna run the mile in the 1st period, I’m gonna stink all day” “You spent a semester here fooling around at school, got suspended, and failed half your classes. You broke the rules of the deal and now you have to deal with the consequences” This is unfair! I have nothing to say back to her, except for all the cuss words flooding my mind. But I’m not dumb enough to cuss her out. I stood up, grabbed my Gameboy and headed to my room. I closed my door and made sure to lock it. I jumped on my messy bed knowing it’ll be the last time I see it for a while and went back to my game. Bulbasaur is underrated but I’m gonna go with Squirtle. Choose a name? Hmph… Squirt. Yeah, Squirt “You better not be playing that game either” Ah Blue! That jerk wants to battle? Bring it on! “Maxwell!” Ugh! “I’m not” Yeah boy! Blues got no game! I heard my door rattle, trying to open “It's locked!” “Unlock it!” I rolled my eyes, and went back to my game “Your dad is almost here! You better be ready” My heart sank, I didn’t know she was serious. Why would she do this to me? It’s the middle of the year, Christmas break. She’s making me leave all my friends behind, all two of them! Without a warning, she’s such a wrench. Like all the time! I got up and hide my Gameboy in my back pocket. I unlocked my door to see mom opening the door to dad, I listened carefully “Rachel” There was silence, tension filled the air along with a sensation of awkward “Steven, your son is in his room” Dad walked in “Our son” “He’s yours and Vennessa's” He turned around, my heart's pumping “Don’t start with that, I’m here to pick up our son and leave” I walked out, mom was silent “This isn’t a therapy session for us” I tapped dads shoulder to indicate I was ready to leave “Hey Max, how’s it been?” Excitement filled his voice “Good” “Don't treat him like he’s five, he’s fourteen treat him like it” Dad ignored her and we left the house. Stepping outside always felt like stepping into freedom. Away from mom's insane rules and anger, and instead I'm walking into choices of all sorts and opportunities. We jumped into his car “So, I’m guessing the school year didn’t work out” I sighed “No” “Well she has all kinds of impossible standards, so it probably wasn’t your fault” “I failed 3 of my classes, got into a fight with a kid, and got sent to the counselor's office for a writing assignment” “Did you get suspended for the fight?” “Yes,” It was silent again “Are you excited to see Derek and Sydney?” “Heck Yeah! They beat these boring people here” “I reckon you're not much of a city boy” “You're right about that!”