Reality
Chapter 8

We all stayed up there for awhile, talking about what Bam had said or done in the past few days.

"You know what?" I said.

"What?" Dico asked.

"We need to talk to Ape about this. She'll know what to do." We walked downstairs and April and Phil were there eating some prunes(remember, Bam's 42 so they are about 70 or 80) and talking about stuff.

"Hey, Grama Ape." I said. She looked over at me.

"Hey, Sami. How are you doing?" she asked, turning her hearing aid up.

"I'm fine. We just came down here to talk to you guys about something."

"What?" Phil asked.

"Um, well, you see...Bam's been acting really strange lately."

"What's new?" Phil sighed.

"No, I mean-"

"She means that he's been mad lately and taking it all out on us." Keith interupted.

"Exactly." I said.

"Well, I'll ask him when I get the chance." Ape said.

"Thanks, Ape." Dico said.

"You're welcome, Dico."

So, just when I thought that after April asked Bam what was wrong that he was gonna calm down and apologize. Nope. He was mad at Grama Ape now.

"Dammit! There's nothing wrong with me!" he had said.

"There must be! Everyone can sense it!"

He shook his head. "Well, everyone is wrong! Now why won't everyone shut the fuck up and leave me alone!" He stomped off. Keith and I were watching this from my room.

"God, what happened? He used to be a prankster and a jackass and now he's...just a normal dad."

"Not really normal, actually. He's pissed all the time." Keith replied.

"Mid life crisis, I guess. That's what I'm thinking."

"Yeah, but wouldn't he be mumbling about his career and shit?"

"His career ended when he broke his leg skateboarding that one time. Now, it's just his career as a dad. He's been bitching about it since I turned sixteen."

"A month ago?"

"Yep. That's it! I'm gonna set his ass straight!" I walked off to Bam's bedroom and knocked. "Open up!" I yelled.

"What the hell do you want?" he replied a few minutes later.

"I want to come in, no shit." The door opened slowly and he was standing there with a straight face. "Uh, hi dad."

"Don't call me that. Call me Bam."

"Uh, okay. Hi, Bam." I waved slightly.

"Go ahead, Sami. Tell him what you want to tell him." Keith encouraged.

"Who said you could talk?" Bam exclaimed. Keith backed away and ran into Katie's room.

"Why the hell are you being an ass? You push everyone around! Your own friends are starting to hate you!"

"Who cares? I don't need them anyway!" I pushed my way into his room.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm starting to hate you." Bam turned red with anger.

"Well, I don't need you either." he mumbled.

"Well, I need you." I looked around his room and started to open up a drawer. He picked me up and threw me out of the room.

"Who said you can look at my stuff? And in my drawers?" he was pissed now. I turned away, holding the side of my face that hit the ground. I looked up at the person who was wrapping their arms around me.

"Thanks." I said.

"Your welcome." Aunt Jade was always there for me. She picked me up and took me into Katie's room and sat me on her bed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think. Am I bleeding?"

"Your nose is." she said, going towards her bathroom. Keith looked up at me and he smiled. He came up and hugged me.

"Do you want to go out after we get you cleaned up? Just to get out of the house?" he asked.

"Yeah, please."