P R O L O G U E
'How many times do I have to tell you, Riza – we don't. Have. The. Money.'
'If he stays here it's just a matter of time before he gets beaten up at school, too!'
'WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING?'
'You know you're too hard on him.'
'It's a father's duty to discipline his son!'
Short silence.
'You know you can't just beat him and hope it will make him straight.'
'I bloody well do what I want with my son! He's not going to that ridiculously expensive all-boys private school and that's the end of it!'
The clinking of ice against glass. Soft but brisk footsteps coming up the stairs. Blaine closed the door of his room as softly as he could, but not a second later he heard someone tapping on it.
'Honey?'
Blaine sighed and opened the door again. Without looking at his mother, he walked over to his bed and sat down on it, staring at his knees. His mother lingered by the door.
'I heard everything,' Blaine said, not looking up. 'And I could've written out the conversation beforehand. I knew every single thing he was going to say and it doesn't matter. It's just… it was worth a shot.'
He heard his mother breathe in, as if she was going to say something, but apparently she thought better of it and instead turned around and closed the door behind her. Blaine exhaled slowly. He had made up his mind. He wasn't going back to that hell called high school and his father wouldn't let him transfer, so that didn't leave him much choice. He'd packed his bag already, anticipating his father's refusal. He only had to wait until his parents were asleep. He didn't know where he was going to go but as far away as he could sounded like a plan.