004 Erratic
Character: Tobias
Tobias just sat on the couch, listening to his father scold him. He was used to this by now. His parents just didn't understand how difficult things were for him. It wasn't like it was as easy as they kept making it seem.
"You need to pick a path and follow it. I don't know what's happened to you recently Tobias. You get into nothing but fights, your school work is falling behind. You've suddenly become this erratic teenager with no path or direction to head. What is wrong with you?" His father had been going on like this for a while now. He was upset over a class that Tobias was failing. It wasn't his fault that he didn't like math very much. It was stupid anyway. He knew the stuff, he just didn't see a point to it all. "You have nothing to say for yourself?"
Tobias shrugged, not really having anything to say. He knew that a month ago he hadn't been like this, he's worked at school, he'd had more of a plan, but all of that was gone now. Without Natalie he didn't know what he would do with his life. All his plans had revolved around her. Now she was gone and he had nothing.
Tobias' father must have noticed the look on his face and he moved to the couch, sitting beside his son. "You really miss her?" Tobias nodded. "I know it's not easy to lose someone that you care so much about, but you can't let it ruin your life. Death is a part of being human, and it hurts, but we have to carry on. I don't think Natalie would like to see you throwing away your life. I know you and she have been friends basically all your lives and it is hard for her to be gone."
Tobias shook his head. "You don't understand." No one could understand. He was only fifteen so no one ever understood how he felt. He hesitated to tell his father anything but he saw no reason to keep it from him now. "Natalie wasn't just my friend. She and I were dating. We'd been dating for three months before what happened. I loved her."
His father hesitated, holding back the words Tobias knew he wanted to say. They all thought he was too young to know if he loved someone or not, but he'd known he loved Natalie. He didn't care about age. "I had no idea you two were together. I'm sorry son. I can't understand what that's like, but I can understand that I love your mother and that without her I wouldn't know what to do."
"Natalie's father didn't approve of me so we kept it from everyone. We had plans you know? We knew what we were going to do." Tobias shook his head, letting his head droop. "Now none of that matters."
His father paused as he stared at his son. "Maybe you should get a job." Tobias looked at him confused. "Maybe having a job, something to do, work, will help you get past the grief, or at least for a while put it to the side and escape from it. I don't like seeing you this way, Tobias. You're my son and I want you to be happy. I know you're strong and will find a path on your own. I know you'll make it through this pain, but work might help."
Tobias just watched his father stand up and move out of the room. Tobias thought about what his father said. Maybe a job would be a good idea.