Chapter 16

Sean's POV

Returning to school the following day was horrid. All I could think of was going back, to TO, to Degrassi, to Emma and all my friends. On the way to shop, Nessa cornered me. "Shady. Not so fast. Have you lost my number punk?"

"No way Ness. I was just..." "Enjoying yourself way too much and forgetting all about poor me?" I grinned.

"I didn't forget. Just sorry I didn't take the time to call."

"Well, since you put it that way, all's forgiven. Now tell me all about what happened in Toronto."

"There's only one thing that matters." "And what's that?" "Emma and I are back together."

"Wow. awesome two weeks huh?"

I shook my head. "It happened so quick. I'm home. Then Bam! We're back together...I stayed at her house..."

"Her parents let you stay there too?"

"Yeah, but in her little brother's room. Even got myself into a little scuffle." I beamed sort of proudly.

Vanesssa's eyes narrowed. "Who'd you fight Shady?" "My ex-best friend. Remember I told you about him?"

"Yeah. So you went after him cause he likes Emma?"

"What? He came after me. I had to do what I had to do." That's when the tardy bell rang.

"Hey! I gotta go! See you after class!"Vanessa said running up the hallway.

Later on, I got home and went sraight to my room. I checked the caller id. 'She's been at school. Like you dumbass.' I thought to myself. That's when I heard my Mom groan from her bedroom. My Dad was working, and so we were alone. After hastily getting my homework out of the way, I walked into the kitchen and saw it, and the living room was a mess. I took my time cleaning, even sweeping and mopping the floor.

Exhausted afterward, I sank into the comfy couch and patted the weed in my front pocket. I'd get to that later. First, I needed food.

"Mom! What do you want to eat?" I yelled.

"Sean! Shut up! I can't stand the noise!" She replied, but she was screaming herself. I roled my eyes. No wonder my brother bailed when he did. I heard my mother get out of bed and hustle into the washroom.

"Old habits are hard to break, aren't they mom?" I mumbled to myself really, and lit the cigar that was rolled and waiting in my pocket. After inhaling a few times, I picked up the phone to order some take-out. Taking another deep toke, I flipped through the channels on tv. A hundred channels and not a damn thing on. What a waste of money.

"Sean!"

"Yeah?"

"Are you smoking in here? What the hell is that smell?" I didn't answer. It only made her madder. "I know you hear me Sean Hope. Get those fuckin gcigarettes out of my house! Gotdamn it (A/N- Yeah, I know, but I don't like saying goddamn or writing it.)! You're such an idiot. Just like your father and your screw up brother."

Hearing my mother saying those words really pissed me off. We were her kids. If we were screwed up idiots, it was her fault. I kept quiet. I didn't want to say anything I would regret later. But I didn't put the weed out.

"Did you hear me? I said put the gotdamn cigarettes out! Damn it!" That was it. I don't know if it was the marijuana or I was just that mad, but I pinched the end of the cigar off, then walked in the direction of my mom's voice.

"You know what mom? Screw this. I came here because I needed you. It turns out you needed me. I bust my ass all day at school, then I come home to clean your house, and fend for myself the rest of the night. What happened? When I came home we were a family. You cooked for us, you cleaned. You weren't trying to drink yourself into a coma. I can't live like this anymore. I was better off living on my own. Hell, it seems I'm doing it already..."

She cut me off. "Ask your Father. Ash your Father what's going on Sean."

"I'm asking you!!" I raised my voice, then instantly regretted doing so as I caught a glimpse of her eyes.

"Things aren't the same around here Sean. Your Father...Your Father is seeing another woman. He has been. I don't know if he's still seeing her, or..."

I backed away in shock. I always knew my family was messed up, but not in this fashion. Grabbing my jacket off the kitchen table, I hauled ass out the front door. Leaving my mother staring after me.

I started walking around aimlessly. A few stores, an arcade. Even a dairy bar. I had the munchies ok?

Just as I was polishing off my chocolate milk shake, the cell phone in my pocket went off. I forgot all about the damn thing.

"Yeah?"

"Sean? It's me. What's wrong? What's going on?" I laughed.

"Whoa. Did you just call me Sean?" She giggled. "Yeah. I didn't think it was you at first. Where the hell are you? I've been to your house."

"Just blowing off some steam. Why?" "Your mom's a mess. She said if I find you, to tell you to..."

"Look. I don't care what she has to say Vanessa. I'm leaving. I'm going back to where I need to be. To be stable." "TO? When? Now?" "No. I want to, but not now. My Dad owes me, I mean, I own him an explanation." "Shady...We're friends. Like brother and sister. If you need me to do anything, you know that I will don't you?" "Of course I do. And, actually, I could use a ride right now." Ness laughed.

"Tell me where you are. I'll be there."