40

"Mom, if you do this, I'm leaving," I say to her. She blinked between me and Chris. He seemed like he was just praying for her to say yes, and she was actually considering. I don't even have words right now. I glance back at Cody, who's just standing there, staring around the house. It's fucking hideous. My mom would never be productive in such a house.

"Marie, just say yes," Chris says. Why can't he just stop? He's so unnecessary and it's completely his fault that my mom and I are arguing so much. He's just always fucking there! It's annoying as fuck to have to deal with. I glared at him - praying daggers would shoot from my eyes at him. 

I sigh softly and run my fingers through my hair, "Look, we're leaving."

"And going where?" Mom snapped, "We're moving in with Chris, whether you like it or not."

I stared at her menacingly and looked back at Cody once again, who could actually care less about the situation. "I'll go with Cody."

"What?" she asks with eyes wide open. I smile before turning around and grabbing his hand. "Yep, you heard me. I'll go with Cody."

"What?" Cody asks.

"Hush," I silence him and he rose his hand in surrender. I look back at my mom, "I'll finish school and go to college online. Simple."

"Ethan, you can't possibly be serious," she took a step back, to Chris. I can't believe her right now, she's going back to Chris and not coming forward to me. I only said what I said so she'd re-consider moving in with him. But it seems like she's considering it even more. What the hell is going on?

"Yes, I am."

"He barely has a place to stay-"

"You don't know him," I instantly defend, "You never actually even thought of getting to know him - you just judged him." My mother looked absolutely shocked and I feel really, really bad for speaking to her like that. She's my mom and it doesn't matter if we aren't on good terms now, it's still completely wrong to speak to her that way. But I can't take anything back now or no one would take me seriously.

"So yeah, uh t-that's it. We're leaving..." I say finally and took a few awkward steps backwards, until I just turned around and rushed out of the door with Cody stumbling behind me. She didn't even stop me. I don't want to leave her - but she didn't even once tell me not to go. Was that really my mother?

"Are you fucking crazy?" I know if I didn't get it from my mom, I'd get it from him. I sigh softly and begin to walk away from the conversation, but he pulled me back. "You aren't doing this."

"I can do what I want, Cody. You aren't my father."

"Yeah, but she's you're mother and you should respect her."

I dryly chuckled, "You're telling me about respect? You fucking beat your god damn father to a pulp. How respectful is that, huh?" I scoff, "Fuck you."

Cody sighed before running his fingers through his hair. "Fine. Do what you have to do." He moved past me and began to walk away. Where the hell is he even going? We don't have a car to get back. I don't want to piss him off or anything and I hate that he's sort of right, but I'm not going to take this. I seriously rather being homeless on the street than living with those two constantly.

"Cody, please," I call as I run to him.

"What?" he snapped.

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

"I don't know, Ethan, why does it matter?"

"I'm coming with you..."

"No you aren't. You should stay with you're mom and Chris. Maybe you'd like him if you gave him a chance," he says to me, occasionally blinking back to the house. I had to look back just to make sure they weren't standing there. I bite my bottom lip softly, "I can't-"

"Try."

"I want to be with you," I mutter, taking a step closer. He stared down at me for a moment, then I locked our lips. Unfortunately, the kiss only lasted some seconds until he pulled away. I lean in to kiss him again, but all I got was a silly peck. "You should stay with them, okay. And after you're done with school we'll be together."

"Are you dumping me?" I rose an eyebrow at him.

"No," he chuckled, "it'll be like before... when you had Ashton..."

"So... like friends...? Who fuck?" I cock an eyebrow at him as he nodded his head. I smile at that reply. Okay, I'm not extremely happy about it, but it'll work for now. I don't want to remain with my mom and Chris and I don't want Cody to leave me. But you know, shit happens and I just have to sort of accept it.

I nodded my head at him, "Okay, fine. But that comes into effect after you leave again - which is not anytime soon, right?" 

"Yeah, but you should apologize."

"After."

"After what?" he asked.

"I want to do something first," I took his hand, "so let's walk. It'll be long."

"Uhm... okay..." he mutters, spinning around to follow me to walk down the street.

~*~

"Hey..." I softly say as I take a seat on the short bed of grass, which for some reason was wet. There wasn't any type of rain today nor tonight. "I don't really know what the fuck I'm doing but I think it's normal to do... right? Talking to a grave in the middle of the night... I'm pathetic."

I bite my bottom lip then look back at Cody. He was only walking around the cemetery and reading what's on the stones. I flash a smile at him, although he wasn't even looking at me.

"I went to the hospital for  like the first time tonight since... you know... you passed... and uh it was so weird, you know - not seeing you there. Instead there was this really cute kid who's life barely even began lying in your bed. It's sad what you guys go through..."

"I guess I should be happy you don't have to go through it any longer, yeah? I mean, i am, of course... but I hate that you had to leave me. I'm not going to cry though... I came here to be uhm... open I guess. I just want to talk to you if that makes sense, so I won't have to feel like you actually did leave me. I know you're still here, and you're probably shaking your head, because you told me not to be like this. I mean, you have to commend me for not crying during the entire two weeks I locked myself in the room."

"I only really cried when Cody arrived... but I was a bit relieved and it felt sort of good to cry. I wish you guys really knew each other. I could have guaranteed you would have hated each other," I chuckle lightly, "He'd find you boring and you'd find him... too wild and fucked up in the head. But I guess that's just how it is... and that's how I love you... both of you. Always."

I blew a kiss to him and a smile appeared on my face. I plan to make more visits to this place, it's not really as bad as they make it seem in storybooks. I stand up from my seat on the grass and began to walk back to Cody. He's stood in front of a grave stone, staring at it intently. I wrap my arms around him and place a kiss on his cheek. 

"What's so interesting?" I asked him.

"I don't know... all of these stones have something about 'always being remembered' or  memories make man' or some shit like that."

"I doubt that's the quote, but continue," I smile.

"This one is just short and simple... and I like it." I cock an eyebrow as I stared at him, staring at the gravestone. Then, I looked down to it. It read simply, 'Our love is love forever.'

FIN.