The Elites

Chapter 12

Nash

Nash hadn't spoken to his parents since Chloe ran away. When she had biked off he had stormed back into the house, ready to explode, but his parents had already gone back to making out and he just couldn't do it. There was no point in screaming, no point in trying. No point in battles he could never win, so he had marched upstairs and slammed his door shut, praying Chloe didn't hate him.

But now the next day came and his parents sat in the kitchen eating breakfast. They were dressed in their yachting clothes, ready to leave him again, and Nash didn't care. Go. Leave him. Get out. He was so sick of them. Even though he craved to have present parents, he also despised the very people who gave birth to him.

Nash went to cupboards and grabbed a box of cereal and grabbed milk from the fridge. He poured everything into a bowl and seethed quietly, ignoring his parents who ate quietly. He could feel their eyes on him, but he didn't care. He just wanted them gone.

"Why are you ignoring us, Nashy?" his mom called. "Why so grumpy?"

Nash didn't response. He chugged down his food, ready to escape to school.

"Speak to your mom when she speaks to you," his dad scolded. "You're our kid."

"And you both have barely been parents to me," Nash snapped. "So just leave me alone."

"Why are you mad?"

Nash straightened up. He gave both his parents a levelled look, trying his best not to start yelling at them, but it was so hard. After years and years of neglecting, or resentment building up, all he wanted to do was scream at them about the way they treated him, but what was the point? They wouldn't change. He knew they never would.

"Why did you talk to Chloe like that?" Nash asked, thinking back to the horror on Chloe's face. She had run out as if she couldn't bare to be around them any longer and it had crushed Nash. He never wanted to hurt her like that and his parents had. "You don't even know her and you insulted her."

"Well, I was concerned about her dad," his mom muttered, but she wouldn't meet Nash's eyes.

"Why? Did Chloe even mention her dad using life insurance money? No. So don't make up assumptions and hurl them at people like insults. You went too far yesterday and I don't want to be around you guys right now."

Nash threw the rest of his cereal into the garbage and hurled his bowl into the sink. The clang rang out and his parents winced.

"Look, I'm sorry. Bring her over so I can apologize," his mom said. "I'm human. I make mistakes."

"I will never bring her over when you're around. Not after yesterday."

"Were you always this cranky? Loosen up, Nashy. You became such a buzzkill once you became an adult."

"Yes, I was always this cranky. You just wouldn't know because you were never around."

His mom's jaw dropped. His dad tensed. Nash stepped back, ready to leave. He was one second away from exploding - from spilling years and years of frustration that he wished to keep stored away.

"We worked so hard, Nash," his dad said. "We deserve to treat ourselves and go on vacation. We gave you everything. You should be okay with this."

"And it's not our fault you have school," his mom whispered. "You can come with us if you choose to."

"I wouldn't join you even if I didn't have school." Nash rolled his eyes. They didn't get it. They never would, so he stepped back, slowly making his way out of the kitchen.