Only Seventeen

~ 1 ~

*~*~ Justin's POV ~*~*

It's the end of the summer 2004, and my mom decides it's a great idea to move to Pittsburgh. I can't even say the name without a shudder. We left sunny, warm, and colorful Los Angeles for cold, dark, and dank Pittsburgh. I told her that dad banging his secretary --whom I might add graduated when I was a freshman-was no reason for her to have a midlife crisis and pack our life into a U-Haul.

She disagreed.

What do I know? I'm only 17.

So, after driving for close to 38 hours and over 2,500 miles in a cramped moving truck -I refuse to refer to this behemoth as a van-we pull into the parking lot of our new apartment building. Mom likes to, politely, correct me that it's actually a duplex.

Duplex my ass! This place is smaller than the tree fort I had in the backyard of my last home. Or would have had if my father hadn't been too busy boinking his staff to take the time and build me one.

No, I'm not bitter.

"Justin, honey." My mother calls, breaking through my thoughts. "Why don't you help your sister with the rest of the boxes?"

"Yes, Mother." I call back and follow her orders like the good country club son I was raised to be.

"What did you say?"

I roll my eyes. "I said yes, MOM." She hates me calling her mother. She says it's because I have a tone that she doesn't appreciate. I say she's lying, and that the real reason is because my own father calls his mom that, and he hates her. I think Mom fears I'll grow up to be him. A shit-for-brains liar who cheats on his wife. She should know that I'm not getting married; to a woman that is.

"Give me that." I order Molly, my younger and only sibling. She's ten and is just now getting to that annoying stage where she wants to be around all the time. It was okay for a while, but now she's everywhere. I take the box from her and lug it inside, placing it in the kitchen because the living room is already full.

After unloading the U-Haul I bound into our new home and stake my claim on the largest room I can find. Then, settle for the next largest because my mom says I can't claim the master bedroom unless I decide that I would like to pay the bills. I say fuck that, make the asshole pay. He's the reason we're here.

"You really need to get along with your father, Justin. If not for yourself then for your sister." My mom says in a snippy tone.

And she thinks I get it from dad.

"God-damnit, Mom. Molly can do what she wants, but I'm not talking to him."

"Justin!"

"What?"

"You can say shit or damn it, but do not take the lord's name in vain in my house."

I roll my eyes. "You're not even Catholic!"

"I am too." Her voice softens a little and she casts her eyes downward. "I'm just a bad Catholic."

I laugh and my voice takes on a facetious tone. "You haven't gone to church since I was five, and even then dad and I would play 'Hang-Man' during the sermons."

"I'm not discussing this with you right now." She huffs and stalks out of my new room. She's been doing that a lot more lately, ever since she made the big discovery. I really don't understand how she didn't figure it out sooner. I've known since I was 14 that he was fucking every great tit and ass within a twenty-mile radius. I assume she knew too, but didn't want to believe it until she caught him in the act. He might be a great businessman, but my father left lots to be desired in the sneaking around department.

With a sigh, I fall backwards onto the mattress that is lying in the center of the room. The rest of my bed is 2,000 miles away in my old room along with my friends, school, and job. Oh, and the kitchen table. Mom says that it's contaminated and we'll get a new one. I'm sure my cradle-robbing father will be glad that she didn't take his favorite place to fuck.

I'm not bitter, I swear.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*~*~ Brian's POV ~*~*

"Brian!"

"What?" I practically yell, spinning on my heel.

"I want you to promise that you'll be good today. You're 18 years old and need to stop acting like a child. If I hear one more thing about you..." My mother trails off, she's standing in her bathrobe, hands on her hips, and her foot tapping expectantly.

"I'll try." I answer one foot almost out the door.

"Promise!" She orders.

"I'll try." I race out the door before she can say anything else. My best friend, Mikey, is waiting for me in the driveway, shaking his head.

"Brian!" Jesus, what now?"

"Mom!" I turn and she's standing in the doorframe giving me a look. I roll my eyes and make a cross in the air over my chest to appease her. "Mother, son, and the holy ghost." I answer with a devilish grin before muttering a few profanities under my breath. "What a crock of shit."

"What was that about?" Mikey asks once we get far enough away.

"She watched the news this morning." I say with a slight shrug.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*~*~ Justin's POV ~*~*

In the three days since the U-Haul backed out of the duplex driveway, I've unpacked and uncluttered my room. My mother still holds firm that I should at least talk to my father, but I have nothing to say to him.

She tends to worry a lot.

I'm lying in my room on my sheet-covered bed. My mother is downstairs arguing with him on the phone over the fact that he wants to sell the house. Apparently, he doesn't want to share the profits. I don't know where Molly is, but I only hope that wherever she may be, she can't hear what I do.

"Stop lying to me, Craig!" My mother yells into the receiver. "I have to deal with you because of the kids, but I got out of our marriage because of the lies." I thought she got out because of the five foot nothing, blonde, bimbo Dad was fucking on the table.

"I'm entitled to half of the selling price…I don't care if you did buy it. I raised your kids there or did you forget?" He was never there half the time. "Fine, but you'll be hearing from my lawyer." I hold my breath, proud that she's finally standing her ground. Only took 18 years. "No, he doesn't want to talk to you." Damn straight. "That's crazy…No, I did not turn him against you. He makes his own decisions."

"Mom." I'm standing in the kitchen doorway with my hand held out. She questions me with her eyes, but I don't want him blaming this on her. "I'll talk to him."

"You sure?" She asks, knowing the answer and handing me the cordless.

"Craig." I hiss into the phone.

"Justin." My dad's voice is strong and unmoving.

"It's not Molly." I remark with irony.

"Listen, son. I want you to know that this has nothing to do with you or your sister. This is between your mother and I." He sounds rehearsed and I'm really not that surprised at what he has to say.

"It has something to do with my sister and I, Craig. We are a family and whatever hurts one of us, hurts all of us." I wish that my voice could sound as strong.

"I'm still your father, Justin." I roll my eyes.

"How's Bunny doing?"

"Justin, don't do this."

"You started it." I know it's juvenile, but fuck if I care.

My father sighs and I imagine him sitting at his desk, resting his forehead against his index finger. "Bonnie is fine." I knew her name started with a 'B'.

"You know, Secretary's Day is in April." If you can't be strong, go for being a smart-ass. "Did you celebrate it last year?"

"Son."

"Craig." My voice is ice cold. "I'm sure you probably ruined the couch, your bed, but what about Molly's and mine, were those off-limits?" Like a fucking glacier.

"Give the phone to your mother."

She's still sitting on the stool, shaking her head as she listens to my conversation. I hand her the phone and head into the living room. I turn on the television, but mute it so I can hear their discussion. At least I'm not so obvious when I eavesdrop.

"I'm going to talk to him, don't worry. Goodbye." She hangs up and I hope that he wasn't finished. I hear her sigh and the echo of her footsteps get louder as she nears the room.

"Justin, that was uncalled for." She's leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed in front of her. "A civilized conversation would do you two good."

"I was civilized. I never once took the lord's name in vain." I smile at her, but she isn't finding it funny.

"Be nicer next time, okay?"

"Whatever." I answer unmuting the television, drowning her out, but not succeeding very well with my own thoughts. He has an affair with a girl that's young enough to be his daughter, ruining our family and my life in the process, but she still wants me to have a relationship with him. It confuses the shit out of me.

But what do I know? I'm only 17.

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