Because of Haven Beach

25 | truculent

truculent (adj.)

overly aggressive; eager to fight

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WHEN I was in middle school, I used to play softball. I wasn't very good, but I wasn't the worst on my team. Granted, it was a recreational team, and nobody was a stellar athlete.

One game, I was put in the outfield. Saying I was bored out there would be an understatement. I was typically a first baseman, used to the action of participating in almost every play, so what would you expect? And at that age, nobody was strong enough to hit the ball into the outfield.

Naturally, I spent my time picking flowers in the grass.

It all went swimmingly except for those few seconds I turned my back to the game.

I was arranging my flowers into a pretty pattern, so I couldn't see what was going on in the infield. But, I could hear the other team's cheers and my coach's cries for me to get out of the way.

When I turned around, a line drive was coming right at me. I didn't have my glove on anymore, so all I could do was stand there, frozen in shock.

I distinctly remember my mouth gaping and feeling like I was underwater.

The ball ended up hitting me in the stomach and knocking the wind right out of me. For a few seconds, my internal organs tightened, and I couldn't breathe. And at the same time, I felt like I was going to throw up.

Once the initial shock of the hit was gone, I writhed on the ground in a fit of uncontrollable giggles. I should have been breathing, but my oxygen-deprived brain resorted to laughter as a defense mechanism.

That rollercoaster of emotions was similar to how I felt when my father asked me to move back to Chicago. The wind was knocked out of me, leaving me in silence before I started laughing in his face.

I lurched forward, almost faceplanting onto the carpet in my manic fit of giggles. Luckily, Ethan and Ella were there to save me from adding injury to his insults.

"D-did you just ask m-me to live with y-you?" I chortled once I regained the ability to form words. "I'm definitely hallucinating right now. Did the meat not get cooked?"

"You heard me right. I'll sign it right now if you agree to come home with me." He gestured towards the papers that were in Uncle Ricky's hands.

"Fuck no!" my mom exclaimed. "Why do you think this is even an option?"

"What do you mean 'fuck no?' You should be saying fuck yes," Grandmother said.

"Please enlighten me, mother," she said, pivoting to face Grandmother. "Why on Earth should I agree to this?"

"It is your opportunity to finally get rid of this man and distance yourself! You are bringing additional shame to this family with each second you stay wedded to this clown... Not to mention, this is a tremendous deal! Similar to a buy one, get one free deal at the supermarket! End the matrimony and get rid of her. Who even cares about Ch—"

"Okay, mom, it's time for you to go, too," Uncle Ricky stepped in.

"No," she said indignantly. "It is at last becoming intriguing. We are not leaving."