Chapter Four
The kickboxing center's halls were in total silence. It was a Sunday morning, which wasn't their best time for customers. It was empty except for two teens practicing their free sparring.
Archie grinned as his sparring partner got up again, massaging his jaw. "What's the matter?" He said mockingly. "Did you forget to block?" "That wasn't funny," said the other boy. "We're only practicing sparring. You shouldn't hit so hard!" The boy stormed off.
"Sheesh, some people just can't accept they've been beaten," thought Archie.
He grabbed his bag and walked out of the center into the heart of his city home. Here it wasn't quiet. Car horns tooted, people were talking and planes flew noisily over head. Even the air had a city feel to it- pollution, the smell of fresh bread and the scent of excitement. Ah, he loved the city!
After crossing the road he came to a big apartment building. His dad's apartment building in fact. He walked in and entered the lift. Pressing the button that said 25, he leaned back on the lift wall. His dad would probably still be home already, it was a Sunday morning and libraries aren't open on Sundays. Archie grimaced. A libraray. Out of thousands of jobs to choose from his dad had to work in a library!
It wasn't a problem when he was a kid. He actually liked hanging out in the city library, reading all day. That changed when he went into high school. Suddenly it wasn't cool to be caught anywhere near a book! He stopped going to the library, much to his dad's disappointment. He even stopped reading, right in the middle of reading The Oddessy.
The lift had reached the twenty fourth storey. He got out and walked down the corridor to apartment 87. He opened the door. "Dad, I'm home!" He called out. Silence greeted him. He walked into the kitchen. There was a note left on the bench, which he read.
Gone to bookshop with Rose. Back after lunch. There's bread and honey in cupboard if you want a sandwich.
Dad
Archie couldn't believe it! His dad had just ditched him to go to a bookshop with his girlfriend. He ripped up the note and chucked it in the bin.
His dad never used to be like this. He used to always be around all the time and they went out to the park. He even tried kickboxing! But then he met 'Rose' and always went out with her. She even came around to the apartment numerous times. Archie had decided he disliked her the moment he saw her. She was obviously well to do, with fancy clothes, a handbag that probably cost more than whole outfit and permed blonde hair. He didn't get what Dad saw in that lady, and he still hadn't.
The first time he came around she had tea with them. She spent the whole time going on about her holidays in the Caribbean and how her parents were on speaking terms with Lady Whats-her-face of Castle Where-on-Earth. From that day on he had hated rich people.
It really angered him that Dad was still going out with her. He barely even spoke to his dad anymore, he was always with Rose. And when he did talk to his dad, all his dad could talk about was Rose. It was always about Rose, and never about him.
"STUPID ROSE!" He shouted at the wall.