No Take Backs by Otis Hanby

Author:Otis Hanby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2019-06-13T15:55:35+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The next morning, I wake up late. I look at my alarm clock and see that it’s 11:00 and reluctantly get out of bed. It feels strange to be home on a school day. I eat breakfast, watch MTV, and mess with my dad’s computer. The day moves slowly. I’m looking for something to eat when the phone rings.

“Hello?” I say, picking up the phone.

“Hey, Corey, what’s up?”

“Nothing. What’s going on at school?” I ask, recognizing Tyler’s voice.

“Not a lot. I called because I’m supposed to tell you something.”

“Alright. What’s up?” There’s a long pause as I wait for Tyler to say something.

“I can’t do it. You tell him,” I hear him saying on the other end.

“Corey?” I recognize Erica’s voice.

“Yeah.”

“I’m breaking up with you.”

“Yeah, I know.” I hang up the phone without saying goodbye. I knew this was coming. I’m not surprised, but I’m hurt. And why would Tyler, of all people, be calling to tell me? Why would Erica put him up to that? I guess it doesn’t matter. The result is the same. I go to my room and lie down, and I want to cry. I want to scream! But something is suppressing these feelings, and I feel numb again. Maybe it’s a sense of disbelief. Even though I sensed the breakup coming, it doesn’t feel real. Things were great until now. I don’t know what happened or why I can’t allow myself to hurt. My chest feels heavy with loss. I suck in a deep breath, trying to lift the weight. Now I begin to feel the pain. All at once, the hurt floods in. Suddenly I understand what having a broken heart is. It feels like a hole deep in my chest where my heart is supposed to connect with my soul. I tremble and feel cold. And now I do cry. I bury my face into my pillow and cry in such a way that I never have before. I feel I could cry a river of tears.

***

Later that night my stepmom comes into my room. She starts right in. “Alright, this is going to be your punishment. You are going to sit at this desk. You are going to do homework. As soon as you get home from school, you sit here. You do nothing but schoolwork. You get up to eat dinner when I say you can. You go to the bathroom when I say you can. Your grades are terrible. You might even flunk out of school. You are going to be punished like this until you are passing every class. Do you understand me?”

I look at her, dumbfounded. What the hell is this? There’s no way I’m going to sit at that desk all evening, every day. This is bullshit!

“Did you hear me? Do you understand your punishment?” she asks me with heightened anger. I just stare at her. I look at her with pure hate. At that moment I think I’m capable of more than just hate. She’s matching my stare with ice.

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