Chapter 18

Riker POV

I unlocked the front door, and everyone was sitting in the living room staring at me including my parents. Apparently they had all been waiting for me. Well this was awkward.

"Riker Anthony Lynch, where have you been!? You should've been here a long time ago!" My mom shouted.

"I-"

"Rocky texted you and called you, and you never responded! We were worried Riker!" My mom shouted again.

"I'm an adult, mom. I can be out wherever I want to be."

"You may be an adult, but you still live under this roof, and there are rules."

I sighed.

"If you can't follow these rules, then maybe you should live somewhere else," said my dad.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"Riker, this is 4 times now you've broken the rules."

"I said I'm sorry!"

My dad shook his head. I walked upstairs to my bedroom. I needed to be more careful. I knew if I kept breaking the rules, my dad was serious about kicking me out.

A few minutes later, my dad came upstairs and walked into my room.

"Riker, I need to talk to you for a minute," he said.

I silently followed him out of my room and outside.

"Riker, this is really unacceptable. You know the rules. And the fact that you didn't answer Rocky's text or call makes it even worse. You don't know how worried your mother and I were. If you want to be out late partying every night, then you need to move out. You can't keep doing this."

"Dad, you should've seen what happened tonight though! And i wasn't out partying! I didn't answer Rocky because I was mad at him."

"Riker, there are no excuses. You should've answered when he called you. Tomorrow, you need to go look for a place to live. Do you understand?"

"Dad! No I don't understand! You can't kick me out! I need to be here! I need to be with my siblings!"

"You can see them whenever you want to."

"Dad, please! You can't kick me out!"

"I'm sorry Riker. If you don't face any consequences for your actions, you'll just keep breaking the rules."

"I only broke them 4 times though!"

"In the past 2 months!"

"Dad, please! You can't!"

"Look Riker. I'm giving you until next Friday to find a place. We'll even help you move-"

"I don't want your help! This isn't fair!"

"I don't have to be fair. I'm your father, and you need to learn how to follow the rules and now live on your own."

"But dad-"

"No buts! Now I suggest you go to bed and get some sleep. You'll need it."

I stomped up the stairs, getting yelled at by my mom for doing so, and went into my bedroom.

"What's going on!?" Asked Rocky.

"I'm leaving."

"What!? When?"

"Now."

"What!?"

I grabbed my suitcase from my closet and packed up some clothes. I didn't know where I was going, but it didn't matter. I needed to leave. I couldn't take it anymore. It felt like no one cared about my feelings or anything! They'd all be better off without me, so I'm doing them the favor.

"Riker, what are you talking about?"

"I'm leaving."

"For how long?"

"I don't know."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

"Well then how can you be leaving?"

I zipped up my suitcase, grabbed a hoodie, and stormed back down the stairs.

"Riker, where are you going!?" My dad yelled.

I walked past him in the kitchen, and out the front door. My dad came running out after me. I shoved my suitcase in the back of my car, and got in.

"Riker, where do you think you're going!?" My dad screamed through the car window.

I ignored my dad, started the car, and drove down the road. Our road was a dead end, so I parked it there. I angrily pounded on the steering wheel as I started crying. I'd screwed up, but there was no going back now. They don't care about me, and I don't understand why I care so much about them.

I climbed into the backseat and moved my suitcase to the front. I laid down after locking the doors, and closed my eyes.

A few minutes later, someone came knocking on my windows. Great…

I sat up and opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, staring at Kat who was in tears.

"Why!? Why are you here!? What are you doing!?" Kat said, upset.

"I can't live there anymore!"

"Riker, Rocky called me. Do you know how worried he is!?"

"I don't care!"

"How can you say that!? He's your brother Riker, and he loves you!"

"I'm just… so mad!"

"And running away is going to fix that?"

"If you're here to convince me to go back, then leave, because you're wasting your time."

"I'm not going to make you go back. I just want to make sure you're really ok with your decision."

"I'll never be ok with it. But there's no way I'm going back there."

Kat sighed.

"Whatever. It's your decision…"

"I'll be fine."

"Sleeping in your car!?"

"Yeah. It's not very big, but it'll be fine for tonight."

"No. I'm not letting you do this."

"I'm not going back Kat!"

"I didn't say you had to go home! I said you're not sleeping in your car. Now come on. You're sleeping at my house."

"Kat, I couldn't ask you to do that for me."

"You didn't! It's my idea, and I want you to."

"Kat-"

"Don't argue with me! I'm not letting you sleep in your car!"

Kat opened the front door and took out my suitcase.

"Come on, let's go," she said.