Chapter Six
They returned home by evening. Xavion and Damian walked into Damian's house to loud yelling coming from upstairs. They saw that there was utter chaos. Things were strewn all over, crockery all smashed and broken. Who could have trashed his home? Damian hurried up the stairs and Xavion followed him too. They heard his parents yelling at one another. His mom had packed her stuff and was leaving while his dad yelled obscenities at her.
Tears crept into his eyes. His mom was leaving? He stood with a pale face as his mom picked up her stuff and walked towards him. Realisation struck and he caught her hand.
"Mom where are you going? Are you leaving me?" Damian asked with tears rolling down his cheek. Although she wasn't always at home, still her presence was there in his life. Now he didn't know what uncertainty lay ahead of him.
His mom hugged him tightly. "Yes sweetheart. I've waited for sixteen years for your dad to love me but all I ever received was his wrath and hatred. Now, I've found true love and I want to spend the rest of my life with him in peace," confessed her mom with tears in her eyes.
"What about me, mom?" Asked Damian, more tears rushing down his eyes.
"I wanted to take you along, sweetie but your dad won't let me," sighed his mom.
"I want to go with you, please mom," yelled Damian helplessly as his mom started walking down the stairs with her luggage.
Her dad came to stand beside him and Xavion. "No one's going after that slut. You will stay here with me. Do you hear that? You're my heir and I won't let you go," growled his dad. It was a strict command issued and he turned on his heel to leave when suddenly he stopped mid-strike.
Damian was too scared and heartbroken to relatiate. Xavion held him close as they watched his mom walk away forever. Before he could get the address of his mom's new home, his father's booming voice echoed in the quiet house like thunder.
"You will sever all ties with Gerard's daughter, Angela. If I see you talking to her ever, I will throw you out of the house and leave you to die on the streets. You will not receive the inheritance that your grandfather left you. Is that clear?" He growled out at a confused Damian.
"Why dad? She's my friend. I can't live without her dad. Please dad, don't do this. I will die," he fell on his knees and begged. Xavion too knelt down beside him and cried bitterly.
"Die then but if you don't break off, I will punish you. I don't give out idle threats Damian. I'll be watching you," he growled and strode down the stairs and out of the house.
Damian sobbed brokenly and Xavion was too upset to comfort his friend. They had no clue to what was going on. Damian cried more bitterly. He was just fourteen and he couldn't leave the house. He would be picked up by the police and handed back his dad or placed in foster homes. He had no choice but to listen to his dad.
He didn't know why Angela was involved in their fights? "Mom why didn't you fight for me and take me with you?" He sobbed.
Xavion stayed with his friend the entire time helping him cope up. "Don't lose hope, bro. Just turn eighteen and get your inheritance. You can reconnect with Angela, again, " he comforted.
"How can I stay away for the next four years, Xav?" He complained. "Mom didn't once think of me when she walked away to live a good life. She could have fought for me," said Damian, feeling unwanted and unloved.
"Maybe she did and failed," said Xavion and Damian agreed. Yes, his father was the most difficult person to deal with, he knew it. He was scared of his dad and barely spoke more than 2 sentences in a week.
The next day Xavion took him to his house. Damian's house had become threateningly depressing as his dad drank and yelled at them the whole time that he was at home.
Xavion's neighbour's son, Kellan was two years older and weird. He introduced himself to them and the boys went to his house to play with his X-box. They soon enjoyed hanging out with Kellan. He and his friends were wild and fun.
"There's a party at Noah's house, you guys must come. He throws the coolest parties ever," said Kellan. Noah was a tall, lanky guy who belonged to Kellan's group. His purple streaked long hair and lip piercings made him unapproachable and mysterious.
"I don't think we should, Kellan. We're just fourteen and we would be in trouble, " said Xavion.
"Oh, I forgot you guys are kids," laughed Kellan.
"We are not kids," said Damian vehemently.
"Prove it, come over to the party," challenged Kellan.
"Fine, we'll be there, " said Xavion. Over the weekend, they went to the party. It was a weird party with everyone older to them, everyone drunk and taking drugs.
"I think we should leave Damian," said Xavion.
"Yes, you're right," said Damian, equally scared. One of the guys however grinned at them and pushed them inside a room.
"It's the best drug ever guys. You'll forget all your problems and believe me, you'll be in heaven," said the weird guy.
Xavion and Damian tried to escape, too panicked to even move away but failed. The weirdo grinned and forced some pills into their mouths and they fell into a dazed state.
When they came out of their stupor, they were at a juvenile detention center. Damian's dad and Xavion's uncle were talking to their respective lawyers and the officer in charge.
The boys were dragged home. Damian's dad blasted him and he was confined for two weeks. He was too upset with his situation.
Angela's dad and brothers came to know of it and restricted Angela from looking in his direction let alone talk to him.
Two weeks passed by and Angela was lonely for losing Damian's friendship. He was the one she loved the most but his dad changed his school. In fact, Xavion too shifted out of their school and got himself admitted to Damian's school. She only had Steffi and Harry as her friend. Freddie however was very happy with the situation and approached her nearly every day.
Angela did not see Damian at his house since he mostly stayed at Xavion's house when his uncle was away. She missed him and cried remembering the moments spent with him. It was during these moments that she realised that she actually loved him, more than a friend should.
She tried to catch a glimpse of him everyday but after six months, she lost all hope of ever seeing him.
Her dad sent her away to California to her grandma's house and she continued her schooling there. No one asked whether she was happy. She wasn't. A new school, a new place, new surroundings, new home, everything made her all the more depressed. Steffi updated her about everything back at Austin. Damian and Xavion were repeatedly caught with drugs and it was the high connections of Damian's dad that freed them actually.
Angela was sad with the news. She was more depressed and wished she could comfort Damian like she had always done in the past. However after six months, she heard the most shocking news of her life. Damian had a girlfriend and he was seen making out with her everywhere.
Angela's heart broke. So he really did move on. She sighed and went on with her life. The wish to live had been snatched away from her.
Her grandma was very sweet and tried to cheer her up by teaching her to cook exotic dishes to keep her occupied. She helped her grandma with her small cafe overlooking the beach in the small town of San Diego. Cooking and staring at the beach comforted her and she soon fell into a hectic routine between her school and work at the cafe.
She found out that Damian and Xavion regularly indulged in s*x with different girls and were enjoying life while she dragged herself on. She realised that it was a hopeless dream that she was chasing. Damian had forgotten her and was quite happy with his life. He didn't need her at all.
The thought brought more tears to her eyes. She realised that what she had concluded before was true. As they matured their childhood love had indeed evaporated into thin air. Maybe not in her case but for Damian, yes.
She decided to move on, make friends and be strong and happy. If not for anyone's sake, for her own mental health. She studied hard, made more friends and laughed more. She was carefree. She wouldn't love anyone ever but one can survive without love. Right?
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Disclaimer: This story does not promote the use or possession of drugs. It just points at the biggest problem in our society. Broken homes, broken families leading minors towards drugs and alcohol.
Let's give them more love and a better life so that we can eradicate this problem. We can be sensitive towards them, show them that we care and connect with them everyday.