I'm working on a story, "Starving Dogs"...The summary is on my profile, check it out so I know who's interested.

-NJCD

"Where are you gonna go?" Eli asked. I scoffed, "Like you fucking care anymore." Eli huffed, like he always does when he doesn't get his way, "Can you just tell me?"

"An apartment, Eli. I'll-I'll find an apartment until I can actually get a house. I told you that, so tell me why your acting like you care." I demand.

Eli and I were sitting at our—soon to be his—kitchen table. Caleb and Dylan weren't yet up, but Eli and I had both gotten up early, probably to avoid eachother, which had obviously backfired.

"I'm not pretending. I—" He sighed, "I don't want to feel like I'm throwing you out on the streets when this is over." I roll my eyes, "Save it for someone who will fall for your shit." A meek voice came from the stairs, "Are you fighting again?"

We both turned to see our youngest son, Caleb, looking at us with sad eyes. "Go back upstairs." Eli said. I turned to him, before our son could react, "He asked you a question. Don't just send him away!" Eli rolled his eyes, "Here we go again..." I storm upstairs, pushing past Caleb.

I hear Eli coming up after me. We go into the bedroom, and close the door. "What is your problem?" He demanded. "You said we wouldn't end up like my parents!" I practically yelled. "What are you talking about?"

"In highschool, you said-you said we weren't like my parents, referring to their divorce!" He chuckled, as if this entire situation is funny to him, "That was highschool, Clare. I didn't-"

"Don't say you didn't mean it! You did at the time!" I took a small breath, "I just-I...i never thought I would be getting divorced."

"Don't come bitching to me. You're the one who came home with the forms, not me." He snapped suddenly. "I can't handle your attitude anymore! And the way Dylan is being influenced by you! Have you seen the way he dresses?!"

"Dammit, Clare, he looks fine! You're just so judgmental!" I take a few seconds to regain myself, then say, "Whatever, Eli. I'm going out."

"No, you're not...we...we still need to discuss custody, Clare." I bit my lip and looked at him, "I don't want to do this now, Eli."

"You always say that! We can't just ignore it!" I consider what I'm going to say, then blurted it out, "You're a bad influence on them."

"I'm what?" Eli repeated. "You're a bad influence. I mean, the way Dylan dresses and Caleb has been talking back." I elaborate. A pissed-off smile comes across Eli's face, "And that's my fault, right? Because I used to wear black in highschool-"

"Used to?! You haven't changed! Look at you." Eli suddenly got really close to me, "You know, you used to like the way I dressed. What happened? You turned into an even more stuck up prude!"

"And you turned into a monster." I countered. "Yeah, when you shoved divorce papers in my face, for no damn reason! I did everything to make you happy!" He screamed.

"Stop yelling!" Caleb shouted, "You guys don't even have to get divorced! Just go to marriage counseling..." He whimpered. Dylan suddenly appeared aside him, "They've made their mind. Just remember that when they say 'It's not because of you.', it's a lie."

"Dylan!" Eli intervened, "It's not anyone's fault except your mom's!" I feel a sharp pain in my heart. "How is this my fault!" The only way I could feel strong was to yell at Eli. "I'm sorry, Clare. I forgot that filing the divorce makes it no one's fault!" I could only scoff, "You cheated on me! You had sex with another women!"

"I'm going to Jessie's house." Dylan muttered. "Do you have your wallet?" I scoffed, knowing Eli was referring to what was in Dylan's wallet: condoms. "Oh, great, Eli! Encourage him to have sex! He's 14!"

"I was having sex all the time when I was 14, what's the fucking deal?!" He roared. "Yeah, with your ex." He chuckled, again, cruelly, "Does that upset you, Clare?"

"Does it bother you that she's dead?!" Eli froze when I said that, then stormed past me, bumping his shoulder against mine, hard, "And I'm the bad influence..." He growled.

"You didn't sign here." I pushed the paper back to him. He laid his arm across the top of the paper and slowly signed the paper. His head was turned down, staring at the divorce papers. A tear suddenly fell from his face and onto the papers.

"He shoved them away, back to me, and wiped his face. "Are you okay?" I said softly. "I'm fine." He said through gritted teeth, "I just...I never thought..." He took a breath in, "I didn't think I'd get divorced."

I stood up, "I need air." He stared at me as I walked to the door, I could feel his eyes on mine, "I'll drop these off."

"You don't have to turn them in now!" He cried. "What?" He seemed to rack his brain for excuses, and I knew he was just trying to prolong this, "Eli...we have to get this over with."

"What about custody?" Eli's face twisted and he sighed. "You're right. I...I guess, you're right. Go file the divorce Clare. We can discuss that later."

I opened the door, but Eli stopped me again, "Clare...umm, you moved all your stuff to the apartment, huh?" I nodded. "So...you're gonna go back there?"

"I should get used to the place..."

"What're you doing here?" Eli asked. He was in only long pajama pants, and looked as if he hadn't shaved for weeks. "I just...I wanted to tell you that the divorce was finalized. Here—" I hand him his copy of the divorce certificate.

"So this is it?" Hr confirmed, looking it over. "We have to discuss custody sometime...we can't just do this—this one day, I get 'em, oe day you get them" We stand there for a moment, then I lean close and hug him. We stay like that, hugging for a few minutes, then I pull away.

"Sorry. I—I" I sighed, "Goodbye, Eli."