Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Alex was speechless and could only stand with his head bowed. he was so afraid of his dad that his lips could say nothing. He kept his head lowered and looked at the floor beneath his feet. Alex hoped that time will run quickly and this problem will go like the wind.
But seeing him keep silent made his father angry. His father immediately took the cigarette ashtray made of ceramic was on the table and threw it until it hit Alex's head.
Alex who was shocked fell and sat on the floor. he felt a sting on his forehead, then drop by drop of blood spilled to the floor and made Alex realize that it injured him. Alex also holds the wound on his head and tries to stop the blood from flowing by pressing it with his hand. Alex also raised his head and saw the face of his father who was angry, stood up from his chair, and walked over to him. Alex started shaking like a cornered mouse.
“Do I have to be nice to your teacher just for you?! Didn't I tell you not to damage this family's good reputation! You just have to be nice at school and just focus on studying, is that so hard to do?!” said Eddie shouted at Alex loudly.
Alex can only be silent without being able to say a word to defend himself. Eddie who was very annoyed removed the belt that was wrapped around his waist. He started swinging his belt and hitting Alex like he was using a whip.
He felt pain all over his body, but Alex kept his mouth shut and restrained himself from fighting his dad. Alex kept quiet and accepted all the lashes his dad gave him without making a sound. He clenched his fists and bit his lips to endure the pain he was receiving.
But then his eyes widened wide when his dad threw the brush and oil paint that Ruby had given him. His father who was angry was about to step on and destroy his precious gift. Then Alex took it and gave his father an irritated look.
“Don't touch this, Dad. You can hit me as much as you like, but don't ever touch this!” Said Alex snapped his dad while glaring at him.
“ Oh, I see? I told you to focus on studying but you're painting instead?! You're skipping school because you think this useless thing is so much more important ?. ” replied Eddie furiously.
He also tried to take the brush and oil paint from Alex's hand, but Alex was holding on to the Ruby gift tightly. Even though his father worked very hard to retrieve it, Alex kept holding it as if it were a precious item. But his father's strength was much greater, and it made Alex lose these precious gifts from his hands.
“You like this useless thing?” said Eddie with red eyes
He who was already filled with anger stepped on the brush until it split in two. Alex felt heartache as if time had stopped running and it seemed like the hatred he had been burying up for was ready to explode. Alex became so angry that he stood up and pushed his dad and took back the brush that had been crushed on his dad.
“Why do you have to be this cruel ?! I've done everything, I've tried hard to meet your expectations but isn't that enough ?! I am your child, I also have something I love. I'm not a robot and I have a heart that breaks. Can't you love me a little and treat me like other people do to their children? Don't I may do the things I love? Am I your child? I hate this family! To hell with the family's reputation, I'm getting out of this hell. “ Said Alex, releasing all his complaints with tears.
Alex became so fired up that without looking back, he continued going out of his father's study with determination. Alex was so turned off that he didn't see his mother going over to him and just passing by. As a mom, Gretta knew right away that something had happened. Then when she saw the blood flowing from Alex's head, she shortly became furious.
Gretta wanted so badly to scold her husband, but she held back because she realized that her priority was Alex. Alex who is emotional cannot think straight. She sped up her pace and opened Alex's door. It quite surprised her when she opened the door, and she directly saw Alex was putting his clothes into a pack even though the blood on his head continued to flow.
“What are you doing? Where are you going? “ Asked Gretta in a panicked tone.
“ Sorry, mom. But I can't take it anymore, I want to get out of this hell home. “ Replied Alex as he put his clothes in his bag.
“I know right now you are very upset with your father, but we can still talk about this. Don't go like this, we can have a good talk and settle everything. “ Said Gretta trying to restrain her son who wanted to leave his home.
“No, mom. You don't understand, none of you in this house know how I feel. The only thing you know is to make me live up to your expectations. You force me to be the person you wish me to be. Have you ever asked what I want to be or what I like? You never care about my feelings at all. And do you remember the last time you hugged me? You don't remember, do you? Because you have never hugged me or even praised me. And this wound is the proof ... ”said Alex while pointing at the wound on his head.
Gretta was speechless. She never thought they would hurt their son for this. She tried to think back to the days they had been through, and she realized that it had been a long time since they last held Alex's hand. Alex has always shown a lot of potentials, and they think they have done their best to support Alex. And she never thought what she felt she was doing best would push her son down a cliff full of wounds.
“Take care of yourself.” Said Alex with a gloomy face and lowered his gaze to hide his tears ready to flow.