My hands close around one of the cameras inside the store. I'm about a thousand dollars short. Still, it feels good to be able to – at the very least - touch something as expensive as that.

My last camera was $600, so I knew I would've needed an update anyway. I would rather have sold the camera I had, but I didn't get the chance to choose.

"How long are you going to take?" the cashier at the desk asks impatiently. Her hair is in a high ponytail and she chews her gum obnoxiously. This is the girl that I was expecting in a public high school.

"Sorry," I must've been caught in the moment long enough for her to get aggravated.

"You should be. I have a break coming up and you're the only person keeping me in here."

I roll my eyes and turn towards the other cameras. My fingers roll across the buttons until I hit one that catches my eye. It wasn't just a camera - it was the camera. I point to it and look towards the cashier. She disappears behind a counter, pulls out a box, and doesn't waste her time trying to be gentle. The camera box hits the counter with no delicacy at all. I cringe, just thinking about the brand new beauty being smashed.

As soon as I step out of the store, I rip the box open and pull it out. It feels so right holding it in my hands, as if it belonged to me before I bought it.

I walk straight home from the shop. I've learned my lesson not to be late for dinner again. My father is still working at the hospital, so I have some time on my own. I dash up the stairs and place it on my desk.

A few scattered pictures from Anna's scrapbook are bent at the corners on the desk. I carefully slide them back in their place. I clean the desk of its mess from last night and come across another picture. It has an old, brownish tint to it. The picture shows a beautiful woman, a newborn baby girl, Joey, and a boy that I barely recognize to be me. I smile, looking at it the family of my dreams. There isn't the slightest bit of fear or pain on anyone's face.

I'm shocked my dad didn't burn it or rip it to shreds the second he saw it. If ever he found out that I have the slightest wish to move in with Joey, he'd do worse than last night.

Going through scenes in my head was a nightmare to have to reoccur. I wake from my daze and shake my head to clear my thoughts. I carefully tuck the pictures away and watch my new camera. It glistens in the sunlight, casting from my bedroom window.

I must have drifted off to sleep on my desk. I jump to my senses when I hear the front door open and slam shut. I peer down the stairs and watch him tear off his coat. He throws it at the bottom of the closet. An unsettling ripple of fear runs through my chest. He's not having a good day. I do not want to mess with him or push the wrong buttons.

"Caleb, are you home?" he shouts up at me.

"Yeah, I'm here," I answer. I close my eyes and bite my lip nervously. Silently, I thank myself for getting home early.

"Good," I hear him grumble as he pulls something from the fridge, probably more leftovers.

Dinner came and passed in silence. Even when I tried to make conversation, he shut me down. Something must've happened at work. Usually he pretends to be happy for at least a little while.

I go back to my room and lie on my bed. Even a nap, I'm still exhausted. It's been a long day. In fear of having my dad storm up, I hide my camera and a couple photo albums in my backpack. For what felt like hours, I stared up at the ceiling, worrying about what would happen if he turned his anger to me. Although, he never ends up coming and I actually get a good night's sleep for a change.