Two Not So Perfect Families

Y/N's POV

As much as I would love to never step foot inside this house and instead be with Yuji or any other person as far away from here, I know I have to come on Fridays because those days Mom is off work and apparently, also the days she decides to be a mom.

"Kentaro, I thought we talked about this?" I can hear her worry before I even walk inside the house.

"Mom," Kentaro whines, "Ah~ Stop that!"

I walk in to find both of them on the couch with her examining his face. There is dried blood across his face and a purple bruise around his eye. I know that no matter how bad my brother looks, the other person must look worse, so I don't worry about it.

"Y/N! Where have you been!"

I ignore her and walk to the kitchen. I shove a cookie to my mouth before reaching for a wet towel and ice.

"It's already dark!"

I walk back to the living room and throw the bag of ice and towel and Kentaro.

"You look like shit," I say after I swallow the cookie.

Mom grabs the towel and begins to clean the dry wound. He winces from the pain but besides that, he doesn't say anything. I'm sure there are so many things he wants to scream, but for mom's sake, he stays silent. Everyone always seems to be worrying about her, she is a delicate dandelion that will fall apart with the smallest blow of air.

"Who did that to you so I can thank them?" I laugh and lean over from behind the couch. It's an obvious tease, but mom takes it seriously.

"Seriously, Y/N," She sights and gives me a look. I'm sure everyone's mom does that look. The one where they slightly twist their head and frown with their mouth open. One that conveys so much disappointment. Her face quickly changes though, it morphs into disgusgust and confusion as she sniffs the air trying to look for the source. Without trying to make it obvious, I take two steps backwards.

I thought that with enough perfume, the smell of the blunt I shared with Yuji would disappear, I guess not. I wasn't planning on getting high today again, but Yuji was already waiting for me when I got off school and the day had been stressful enough. We went to his house where last night's scene repeated all over again- we got high and had sex.

"Are you fucking high?!" She stands up from her seat and screams just in time for dad to hear as he walks in from another tiring day. He rolls his eyes before letting out a loud exhale. Here we go again.

"Huh?" I take another step back and reply as angry as she did. She didn't get to play mom now.

"Are you?" Dad raises an eyebrow.

"No!" I scream, sounding almost offended that I am being accused of such a thing. I am not high, not anymore.

"Let me smell your clothes!" Mom walks towards me.

"NO! Jesus, women!" I turn to shield myself from her but I'm sure she can smell the skunky smell, "Do you not trust me!?"

" Oh, Y/N! " She matches my tone, " Don't try to make yourself the victim! "

"The victim?!" I laugh, "Just like you?! I must be picking your bad habits!"

I know I hit a spot when I see her face soften, however, that's not enough to make her back off. If anything, she becomes more aggressive.

"Where did you get that drug, Y/N?! I won't ask twice!"

When I stay quiet, she turns to look at Kentaro. He knows exactly what I do with Yuji in my free time, rumors always carry some truth to it.

Although Kentaro and I aren't as close as we used to be, we aren't snitches. It's an agreement we didn't have to say, we just do it- I keep my shit to myself and so does he.

"I don't know, Mom," He says. A lie that I'm grateful for but still hurts. I know how much that lie hurt him, especially because he told it to mom. Kentaro has always and will always be a mama's boy. Knowing it hurt him, hurts me.

"You are her brother, you should be protecting her, Kentaro!" Mom cries.

"I'm not her parent, Mom! I'm not going after her! She is old enough to know between right and wrong!" He snaps at her. I'm sure that's exactly how he feels, but the reason he said that was so he could walk away and leave this whole mess up to me.

That comment makes a tear roll down her cheek. Dad catches a glimpse of her sadness, and the overprotective husband instincts kick in. Where were those instincts when mom needed him? When she is too sad to even make dinner and falls asleep on the fucking couch?

"Hey! Kentaro, come back and apologize!" He screams at him, but he is long gone and the only response we get is the door of his room slamming shut. A vein pops out of his forehead as he turns his attention to me, "What is wrong with you, child?!"

I don't respond, I just look away, unable to meet his eyes. It's those eyes full of anger that make me cry and I don't want to cry.

"You have everything a teen could possibly need!" He screams and although there is a pretty far distance between the two, I could swear he is in my ear, "Your mother and I work our asses off so you can have a roof and food on your plate, and how do you repay us?! By going out to get high with your friends! I don't know where we went wrong with you! What else could you possibly need! HUH! ANSWER ME, Y/N!"

"Fuck off!" Is all I scream back. I wish I had the courage to tell them everything they have done wrong in alphabetical order.

They are nothing more than two unhappy adults so tired of each other that they stay busy with work so they don't have to face the crappy family structured above their crappier marriage. The screaming matches between mom and dad all those nights that only ended with dad leaving the house and mom crying on the floor didn't heal the situation either. Kentaro was always the more sensitive one that would go hug her- it wasn't much but for mom it was enough love after being deprived from it for so long by dad. Maybe that's why mom loved him so much more than she ever did to me. No matter how many times she says she loves us equally, Kentaro is the only one that takes lunch to school, the only one that gets a good-morning text. Mom has always had him caged from danger like a small child while she lets me burn above a pile of problems.

What about Y/N? WHAT ABOUT Y/N?!

Dad stayed as far away from all of us, he left mom alone and thirsty for love. He left two kids to grow up without a father. Kentaro at least has mom to remind him what love feels like, I have no one. And whereas Kentaro only gets his hand slapped when he misbehaves, I get the wrath of Mom and if I'm lucky enough to get some attention from Dad, I get to be looked down upon as the worst kid anyone can have- a defective daughter who fucked her own life on her own.

It's bad when Y/N tries to forget with drugs, but when mom uses antidepressants for the same thing, she only gets pity.

"Do not talk to me like that, brat!" He lifts a finger up.

"Oh, gods!" Mom cries, "Stop fighting!"

"Oh, mom!" I mimic her tone and recite the same words she used on me, "Don't try to make yourself the victim!"

"How can you tell me that?!" Her tears are bigger and fall faster. It's as if she forgot who was the first one to say that.

With dad trying to act as a husband and a father, he doesn't let my comment slide. Although he and mom don't share the same love they once did, I can tell how much he hates seeing her cry. However there is something he hates even more than mom sad, noice. He fucking hates screeming matches, escpecially when he doesn't get the last say. It's like I've always said, whatever gets between Dad and his peace is a bigger problem.

"Y/N!" His voice is firm and annoyed, his patience is far gone if there was any to begin with, "You are grounded! Don't come out until I say so!"

"Whatever! Not like I like being around you two!" I hear dad scream some more as I walk inside my room but I don't listen to it because I know that whatever it was, will only hurt me more.

If he thinks I'm staying in this house, he is delusional.

I open the window from my room and exit the house like I've done so many times. Slowly and quietly, I walk towards the front of the house, pressing my back to the walls so no one sees me.

The lights in the living room are still on. Through the kitchen's window, I can see mom on the couch with her hands on her face as she tries to control her cries. Dad has her arm wrapped around her but he isn't paying much attention to her. He is just doing whatever he can so mom bequiets and he can go to sleep in silence.

I look away from the painful scene and continue my escape. Like always, my legs take me to my aunt's house three streets away from my house. Her lights are off and the house is pretty quiet. I knock on her door twice but I don't hear her heavy footsteps or her screaming so I pull out my phone and click her contact.

Annoying Little Shit:

U home old rag?

Yui-Chan <3:

Oi!!!

Language!

Did monkeys raise you?

Annoying Little SHit:

I'm outside ur house

Yui-Chan <3:

Another fight?

I'm not a dog shelter you know

She always tells me that when I get in a fight with my parents and reach for her. I know she says it jokingly and although a smile does appear on my face, it kinda hurts something deep down.

Annoying Little Shit:

So u r not her

Yui-Chan <3:

Can you write correctly?

And no, I'm not home

I'm on a date if you must know

I'll be there in fifteen

I want for her to be here with me so bad, but I know she needs that date. She has been alone for a long time just like me. I know I have her so I'm not entirely alone, and don't get me wrong I appreciate her so-so much, but there is a whole she just can't fill, no matter how much attention and love she gives me. Just like she would do anything for me, I would do anything for her, so I let her have this night.

Annoying Little Shit:

Nononono

Stay!

I will go back home

Yui-Chan <3:

Are you sure?

I don't mind

Annoying Little Shit:

I'll manage

It wasn't that bad

Good luck with your date

Yui-Chan <3:

Go straight home

If anything happens, call me

You know I'll go pick you up

Annoying Little Shit:

Yup

My phone rings one more time from my pocket, but I don't look at it. I wander around the streets and don't go home like I said I would. Instead, I come to a stop in front of the park. It's been a long time since I've come here. Not long enough though. The moments with Kentaro that I share here make the place bittersweet.

I take a seat under the tree and stare into nothing in particular. The place looks exactly how we left it, even the broken swing is still hanging there by a threat. If it had been earlier, the place would have been overflowing with children and the air wouldn't be as silent. Right now, it's just me and the whispers of the blowing wind. It's enough to make me forget about home.

That peace is quickly interrupted. Footsteps, the sound becomes closer and closer until it's not only the crunching of the leaves I hear, but also low-uncontrolled whimpers. A shadow passes though me and wakes a seat in the broken swing. It only takes seconds before the swing collapses and the body falls into the floor ass first. Their head hits the grass. When I don't see them move or hear them cry, I stand up and quickly make my way towards them.

"You okay?" I hold my hands towards them. They remove their hand from their face to reveal two glossy chocolate eyes, "Sato!"

The girl has some difficulty looking at me as her eyes adjust to the street lights, but when they finally do, she sits up and wipes the tears from her face.

"Hey! Kyotani-San!" She fakes a big smile.

"Don't do that shit around me," I roll my eyes annoyed, "And drop the Kyotani-San, we are the same age."

"So… Kyo-Chan?!" She laughs, "That better!?"

"Better than Kyotani-San," I say, "Now… why are you crying?"

"Huh?" She acts dumb.

"Why are you crying?" I repeat my question.

"Kyo-Chan," She gasps and recites the words I told her earlier on the day, "Those are the things you think but don't ask!"

"Quit it, Sato," I take a seat across from her, "Wanna talk about it? You seem like you could use an ear."

"One could say the same thing about you, Kyo-Chan. You reek of marijuana. Tough day?"

If Sato could smell the marijuana, it's no wonder mom could too.

"The usual."

"Wanna elaborate?"

"No, not really."

"Is that because you have trust issues, Kyo-Chan?"

"I do not have trust issues," I roll my eyes and slap her nacked knees. She is still wearing her school uniform, must have had one hell of a day like me. In the two days I've known Sato, she has never shown any signs of dealing with any problems, but then again, I don't show any either. Well, that's what I like to tell myself. However, Sato did see through that so maybe I'm not as good as I'd like to tell myself.

"You do too ," She laughs.

" Too, huh?" I laugh. When she realizes what she said, she drops the smile.

"This isn't about me."

"You were the one crying, I think this is about you," I laugh not at her crying more at her attempt to draw the attention to me and miserably failing. I can tell how much she wants to let it all out, I know that look in her eyes way too well, and her attempts at avoiding it only make her sound more miserable. She won't crack though, because just like she said, she has trust issues, "Tell you what, Sato. If you tell me what's wrong, I'll tell you about my day. I'm your friend after all."

Honestly, it's more of a selfish request than noble. A pathetic excuse so I can finally let it all out. Reminds me of Yuji.

"You can call me Cami, that's how my friends call me," She says.

"You can call me Y/N."

"I'll stick with Kyo-Chan, I like that better," She smiles.

"Don't try to change the topic, Cami."

Her smile gets bigger when she hears her name leave my mouth. I don't know if Sato is really my friend. After all, I've only known her for a couple of days. However, I just don't go around and tell people about my bad days, people only like to hear the funny-thrilling stories. Like the stupid things I do while drunk. No one ever asks how my day was and much less what's wrong. So maybe that's the answer to my question, Sato is my friend… I mean, Cami .

"I think my parents are getting a divorce," She says and turns to look the other way as her eyes fill with tears again, "It's so stupid, I don't know why I'm even crying."

"If it bothers you then it's not stupid," I try to get her to continue.

"I- It's just-" She laughs- a pity laugh, "I always thought we were a perfect family, there never seemed to be any problems, but now everything is just piling up. My parents are always screaming, they can't stand each other. Worst part, they just pushed me aside as if this wasn't affecting me as well. I want to go back to how we were, I miss dinner together… is that too naive?"

I don't think I ever knew what a perfect family was. My earliest memory is my parents fighting and my mom shoving blue pills down her throat like candy. So I can't miss something I never had, but I know that if the opportunity ever arose, I wouldn't want to let go of it.

"Maybe," I drag myself across the glass until I'm next to her, close enough so I can hug her. I know she needs that because as soon as I'm in close proximity, she digs her head in my chest and begins to cry. My arm awkwardly positions itself around her shoulders. "It's okay to feel that way. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be happy, but maybe the divorce won't be as bad as you think. You can't force two people to love each other."

I think my parent's divorce would solve a big chunk of my problems. Their unhappiness is like a disease and spreads to everyone under the same roof.

She cries softly until her phone vibrates and she pulls away to look at the messages.

"It's mom," She sniffs the mucus away and wipes the tears, "She is worried sick, I didn't notice how late it is."

"It's dark, I'll walk you home," I stand up and offer a hand so we are both up.

"It's okay, I literally live in front of the park," She wipes the tears and mucus with the back of her sleeve, "You should go home, it's getting cold. Unless you want to sleep in my house, we don't have a spare room but we can share the bed or you can take the couch, I'm sure my parents won't mind."

"No, I'm just going to stay here a little longer before I head back, I'm sure my mom will worry too," I say. This time I don't smile because she will know I'm lying. Mom and dad are probably asleep already without a clue that I'm gone. If anyone was to know, it would be Kentaro, but even he doesn't dare enter my room without permission.

"Okay, goodnight, Kyo-Chan," As she walks away she looks over her shoulder, "Next time, it's your turn."

I wasn't expecting her to forget, but deep down, I still prayed she would. Being vulnerable isn't something I'm used to, no matter how much I crave it, it's hard opening up.

I watch her go away and enter a coffee-color house before I take a seat under the tree where I previously was. Something about the tree brings me warmth. Maybe it's the memories associated with it but it makes me feel so happy just being close to it.

***

I didn't notice when or how long I had been asleep under the tree. It wasn't until I felt the presence of someone, that my eyes opened wide. It's so dark I can barely tell who it is. Actually… there are two shadows in front of me.

"Wakey, wakey!" The squeaky familiar voice says as he points the phone's flashlight at me, "Little Mad Dog-Chan!"

Oh, for fucks sake!

What does one have to do for some peace?

"Don't point the light at her, idiot!" The other shadow slaps Oikawa. By the voice, I can tell it's Oikawa's other half- Iwaizumi, "What are you doing here?"