Peggy usually surprised people when she said she was an elementary school teacher. Considering how often she swore, broke rules, and was generally a barely decent person, it was astonishing how she could be so nice in front of the first graders she taught. However, as soon as the children were gone, Peggy was back to her usual self.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Peggy shouted when her phone suddenly rang after school. She hoped it was one of the kids' parents calling, but it was Eliza, which meant she had to answer. "Hey," Peggy said into the phone, looking around for the papers she had dropped.

"Hi, Peggy," Eliza's voice responded. "How are you, today? How were the kids?"

"I'm good, they were good, it's all good. You?"

"I'm alright. Have to head into work soon. So many babies." Eliza giggled. "Philip and Angie came over yesterday."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I miss them already."

"You'll see them again in two weeks."

"I know, I know. Still..."

"Still don't know why you didn't just have your own kids or adopt, at least."

"Angelica and I work too much. I want to spend all my time with them."

Peggy rolled her eyes. "You're too nice, E."

"I know. It's passed on to Philip."

"Yes, it has. He's suuuuper polite when he comes over and it's real weird."

"You just aren't used to it."

Peggy picked up a pencil and pushed it into her fluffy ponytail. "Yeah, whatever. Stephen is nice enough."

"Speaking of Stephen," Eliza said slowly. Peggy narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"Philip told me Stephen's been acting off. A little too closed off and defensive. Things like that. Said that Mary is bothering him more but that doesn't seem to be the whole cause of the problem."

Peggy hummed. "I'll tell Maria. We'll talk to him about it."

"Alright. I'm sure Angelica can talk to him sometime if you think he should."

"Okay. Thank you, Eliza."

"Of course, Pegs. Let me know how things go."

"Yeah. Love ya."

"I love you, too." Peggy could hear the smile in Eliza's voice. "Bye-Bye."

"Bye." Peggy hung up. She rubbed her face with her hands and bit her upper lip. "Shit." She combed a hand through her hair. "It's fine, Peggy. You've had to deal with your high school breakdowns on your own. You can handle your son's issues, too. You got this."

Peggy graded the first graders' math tests, the work taking twenty minutes, and hurried home. As she drove up the long driveway, her mind became hyper aware of how her son acted. Always in his room, not talking much, never really caring about things. Peggy took a breath to calm her nerves. It'll be fine, she thought. It's just stress from school. Teenage angst.

Stephen was home already, of course. Peggy considered talking to him right away, but decided to wait until Maria got home. The minutes ticked by. Five, six, seven o'clock. Peggy had dinner ready by the time Maria arrived at 7:30. They called Stephen down for dinner; he was on his phone. Always on his phone.

Peggy fidgeted at the table while she and Maria talked about their days of work. Peggy turned to Stephen. "How was your day of school?"

Stephen shrugged. "Fine."

Always just fine. "That's good."

Stephen left the dinner table first.

"Something's wrong with him," Peggy said once Stephen was upstairs.

Maria raised an eyebrow as she took off her glasses and pulled down her hair. "What do you mean?"

Peggy explained what Eliza had told her and her own observations.

Maria's lips formed a thin line. "Have you talked to him, yet?"

Peggy shook her head.

"Let's go." Maria patted Peggy's hand as she stood. They headed upstairs together, then Maria knocked on Stephen's door.

"What?" Stephen shouted.

Maria opened the door, and she and her wife walked into the bedroom. "Hey, dude. How are you doing?"

"Fine." Stephen didn't look up from his phone as his parents say on the bed next to him.

"You sure?"

Stephen narrowed his eyes. "Yes?"

"Yeah? Your Aunt Eliza called today."

"Okay?"

"She said that Philip had told her that you'd been upset lately."

Stephen's eyes stopped moving over his phone and he swallowed hard. "It's just Mary," he said quietly.

"Are you sure? You know you can talk to us if something is wrong. We'll help you figure it out."

Stephen chewed on his upper lip. "Yeah, I know. I'm fine, though, so...you can leave, now."

Always wants to be alone. "We just want to help you," Peggy insisted. "We know you're probably stressed at this point in your life-"

"Listen, talking about shit like this isn't very helpful, alright? I'm fine. I can handle my own issues for now." Stephen huffed and delved into his phone again. Peggy fiddled her thumbs as Maria sighed.

"Alright." Maria stood up, and Peggy followed. "We won't bother you anymore. You just come to us when you need to, okay? Don't say we didn't try."

Stephen nodded for his parents to leave.

"We love ya, kid." Maria ruffled Stephen's hair. He huffed and hurried to fix it.

"Love you, too," Stephen grumbled. His mothers left his room.

"I hope he's okay," Peggy said, rubbing her arm.

"It'll work out," Maria promised, rubbing her wife's back. Peggy leaned into it and muttered something incoherent. "I know, I know. Come on, let's just go to bed, huh?"

"Okay."

"You have a pencil in your hair, babe."

"Ah, shit. I forgot about that."

Stephen tried his best to ignore his parents. He knew he was fine. He could handle everything that was happening in his mind without anyone else getting involved, both family and friends included. The only problem was that they kept trying to butt their ways into his life, anyway.

The text that appeared on his phone screen was hard to ignore.

Philip: Hey

You: What?

Philip: Don't get mad.

You: What?

Philip: Theo and I are going to the party.

Stephen's breath stuttered.

You: Why?

Philip: I just kinda wanted to, I guess. I asked Theo to come with and she said yes.

You: You asked her out?

Philip: No. Not necessarily. I just asked. I knew you didn't want to come.

You: Well, if you're all gonna leave me alone then I might as well go

Philip: We aren't leaving you alone. You just don't want to go.

You: No, I'll just go. I can drive you and Theo there at least

Philip: Are you sure? I know you really don't want to be there.

You: Whatever. You're all going without me anyway and that's kinda bothersome.

Philip: You don't have to come man. You don't like being around people anyway.

You: I also don't like it when all my friends decide to do something without me.

Philip: I'm sorry dude but you don't have to get so upset about this

You: I'm not upset. I'll just go. Fuck it.

Philip didn't respond for a while.

Philip: Okay. If you're sure.

You: I am.

Philip: I don't trust you

You: Fuck off

Philip didn't answer. Stephen didn't care. He went back to looking at pictures of assorted people online, trying to figure out who he found attractive, throwing his phone across the bed when he couldn't. He sighed deeply. His phone buzzed again. He wanted to be left alone.

He couldn't stand being lonely.