Authors note: This is a reader request story and I hope I do his ideas justice. Please note the first few chapters will be purely plot and character development so bear with me. Any errors are entirely mine, feel free to point out as the story develops if something seems unlikely or unrealistic, as this is not an area in which I have any RL experience. Lexi x
Brad knew he was in trouble when he got the rejection letters from both his first, second and third choice colleges. It wasn't as if he was majorly bummed at being turned down as such - academically he knew he was never going to be some superbrain – but he'd been kind of looking forward to getting away from his old-fashioned parental units and having some fun with his buddies.
I mean honestly, no one else had to put up with parents like his. It was ridiculous, them and their stupid rules - 10pm curfew, no parties, no drinking – he was 18 years old for godsake, his friends all thought he was a freak, and last time he'd snuck out he'd been caught falling through his window at 3am and grounded for a month.
The pitying looks he'd got as he was dropped off and picked up from school each day had been the final straw, so when it was time for college applications, he'd picked the three furthest from home. The look on his mum's face when he'd told her had almost changed his mind, but when he'd started raving about the quality of education and the extra curricular activities she'd changed her mind. In fact it had been her who'd manage to talk his dad around. His dad, of course, had wanted him to go to the same college as he had, but 100 miles away wasn't far enough for Brad. That was still visiting distance.
Stuffing the last of the letters under the mattress he pinned a bright smile on his face, rapidly trying to think of a solution that would let him escape this hell hole without admitting that he'd flunked pretty much all of his exams. Maybe he could just get a job, move up north and take night classes. That way he'd still have a certificate to show them. Or maybe he could just buy one off the internet and gloss over anything that didn't entirely match what he'd told them.
Attempting to think 'happy and excited' instead of 'watching his life go down the drain' he walked down to breakfast. And that was another stupid rule, who cared if breakfast was the most important meal of the day, who cared if families were supposed to eat together, why on earth should he have to wake up at 6am on a day when there was no school and no reason to get up. All of his friends would still be lying happily in their beds sleeping off last nights parties, and he had to get up and force down cereal whilst making polite conversation about current events. He had to get out of here and soon before he lost his mind.
Sitting at the table lost in thought, Brad wondered how on earth he was going to finesse this. It wasn't until his mum put her hand on his arm that he realised he was supposed to be being sociable. Looking up he realised they were both staring at him, waiting for him to say something.
"Sorry Mum, Dad," he apologised, kicking himself for not paying attention, "my mind was elsewhere. What did you say?"
There was a pause as his mums expression changed from worried to sympathetic and his dads mood turned visibly blacker. Of course it was his dad who spoke first, before his mum interrupted.
"Your mind's elsewhere?" He bellowed, "seems like it's been elsewhere for the whole year! What an earth were you thinking?"
Confused, Brad tried to work out what his dad was talking about. It couldn't be college, he'd only just read the letter himself, and after that one time he'd made sure to 'stay' at a friends house if there was going to be alcohol involved, had they found out? No, they couldn't have, Pete's mum certainly wouldn't have said anything. She agreed with him about the stupid rules. Well maybe not agreed as such but certainly sympathised. Pete's mum was cool like that.
"I think," Brads mum said gently, her voice full of worry, "that what your father is trying to say is, have you given any thought to what you're going to do now?"
What he was going to do now? Well given the choice he was going to finish breakfast as quickly as possible and get on the phone to Pete to find out what the hell was happening! Looking over at the pair of them though, he didn't think that was the right answer.
His mum placed her hand lightly on his forearm, patting it sympathetically.
"Don't pander to the boy!" His dad bit out angrily, "it's his own fault."
His own fault? What were they talking about? And why did his mum look like her pet dog had been run over, he hadn't killed anyone, he hadn't robbed a bank or anything. What had he done that was so bad?
"Either way," his dad continued gruffly, "I think he's done quite enough damage for one day."
Picking up the newspaper, he signalled the end of the conversation. Opening his mouth to say something, Brad caught himself as he saw his mum subtly shaking her head. Oh man, whatever it was he was in real trouble now.
***
Deciding it would be a good idea to stay out of sight, Brad had spent the day in his room, tidying and reorganising his shelves and closet before settling down in front of the computer to write a CV. Any thoughts he had had about telling his parents had been wiped, the mood his dad was in at the moment it wasn't worth the risk. Instead he'd decided he was going to have to get a job and save enough money to get a place of his own.
