Watson Family
Keifer's POV
"So annoying! You'll pay for this," I whispered while walking.
"Keifer. What did I tell you?" Mom said in her signature "remember-what-I-said" tone.
"Don't curse back," I replied innocently.
"What else?"
"Revenge is not the answer."
Mom smiled at me, but I couldn't smile back. That Yuri Hanamitchi beat me again. He already beat me in the exams, and now in a fight too?
I hate him.
"Why aren't you smiling?" she asked.
"Mom… He beat me again. Dad will get mad at me," I said, disappointed. Well, I really was. Especially when Dad finds out. He'll start thinking again that his eldest son is weak. The same son he says will inherit everything he owns.
I'm only seven years old but I already feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.
"Don't think about your dad. I'll talk to him," she said with a smile. I had no choice but to force a smile. I didn't want to, but I knew Mom wouldn't stop pestering me until I did.
We stopped at the gate where Dad's car was supposed to pick us up. From across the street, I saw him. I saw the boy who beat me, with his friend who had blue eyes.
He glanced at me briefly but quickly looked back at his friend.
Dad's car arrived, but it looked like he wasn't inside again. I felt a bit relieved since I knew he'd only scold me if he found out what happened.
As we got in, the car started moving. From the window, I saw Aries with his scary older brother. But I didn't care about them. I could only think of Yuri and how I would get back at him.
"You lost to that Hanamitchi again?" Dad asked. I couldn't answer. I just looked down. I was waiting for Mom to say something, but Dad gave her a fierce look.
"I'm asking you a question, Keifer," he said firmly.
"Y-yes, sir…"
Suddenly, Dad dropped his utensils. They hit the plate so loud, it hurt my ears. I hated hearing that sound—especially when it came from him.
I was scared.
"H-hon… it's okay. They're just kids—"
"That's the problem!" Dad cut Mom off. "Because they're kids! That's exactly why they should be learning now! He'll carry this into adulthood!"
I wanted to cry but couldn't. If Dad saw me crying, he'd get even angrier. I just looked down. I was scared of him when he got like that. I glanced at Keigan. He was staring at me, and I could see tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
Even Keigan couldn't cry out loud. I looked at the food in front of me. I had no appetite, but Mom's gaze was practically begging me to eat. So even though I didn't want to, I picked up my spoon and started eating.
"Next time, make sure you beat that Hanamitchi," Dad said.
I nodded. But I immediately regretted it—especially when I saw the look on Mom's face.
Sorry...
"Keigan sleep here," Keigan said, pointing at my bed. He's getting used to sleeping here in my room. He does it whenever he's scared.
"No. Go back to your room," I told him.
"Keigan doesn't want to." Suddenly, he jumped into my bed and covered himself with the blanket.
What the heck?
"Keigan…"
"Keigan sleep," he said and made fake snoring sounds.
So stubborn!
I just let him be. Someone knocked on the door. I didn't say anything. I knew it was Mom. The door opened—and I was right.
"How are my boys?" she asked with a smile.
"Keigan will sleep here," Keigan said, smiling.
Mom kissed his forehead. She was about to kiss me too when we heard a loud bang outside.
"SERINA!" Dad yelled like a madman. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"
I knew Mom was scared, but she managed to hide it. She looked at me to reassure me.
"Stay here," she told us. She was about to open the door when it burst open by itself.
Dad stormed in, holding some papers. Keigan immediately hugged me in fear.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Dad shouted, waving the papers in Mom's face. "Are you stealing from me?!"
"N-no… T-that's my money. I have the right—"
Suddenly, Dad grabbed Mom by the neck. Both Keigan and I trembled in fear and shock.
"You have no right! This is my money. You don't own anything here!" he yelled.
I wanted to help Mom, but I didn't know what to do. My whole body was shaking. I was just a kid.
"Y-you're hurting me, K-Kaizer," Mom gasped, struggling to escape.
"You should get hurt!" Dad shouted, then slapped her hard.
She fell to the floor. All we could do was cry and call out to her.
"Stop it, Kaizer! Not in front of the kids!" Mom pleaded through tears.
"I don't care!" Another slap.
"Dad! Please stop!" I begged.
"Kaizer! Please stop!"
"Mom!"
Dad finally stopped but gave us a sharp, angry glare. He grabbed Mom by the hair.
"If you do that again, this won't be the worst thing I do to you!"
He let go and stormed out of the room. Keigan and I rushed to Mom.
I hugged her tightly. "Mom!"
"Shhh… Don't cry. Mom's okay," she said, hugging us back.
I felt useless. I couldn't do anything to help her. We just watched him hurt her.
It's haunting me. A nightmare for me and Keigan. Seeing our Mom being hurt by our own Dad. And we couldn't do anything.
"Keifer!" one of my classmates called. "Come on! Let's play!"
I shook my head and looked down. I wasn't in the mood. I needed to think about what to do if Dad did that again.
Suddenly, a ball rolled toward my feet.
"Keifer! Pass it over!" someone shouted.
I looked up to see who it was.
Yuri.
Him again! So annoying. Did he throw that ball on purpose? Was he messing with me?
I picked up the ball and played with it in my hands. I smiled at him and he smiled back. Maybe he thought I forgot what he did.
"Want to play with us?" he asked.
For what? To prove you're good at everything?
"Sure," I replied quickly.
He glanced back at his playmates. I took that moment. With all the force I had, I threw the ball straight at his face.
Bull's-eye!
"Yuri!" they shouted as he dropped to the ground. His friends quickly ran to him.
"What's your problem?!" the blue-eyed one yelled.
"None of your business," I replied coldly.
Yuri stood up, blood dripping from his nose.
"There's blood! Call Ma'am!"
Yuri looked at his hand and then at me—confused and angry.
"What's your problem?" he asked me calmly.
"Nothing. I just hate your face," I answered.
"You jerk! We're telling Ma'am!" the blue-eyed one yelled, pointing at me.
"Psh. Go ahead."
"You—" He was about to lunge at me but Yuri stopped him.
"Let it go, Percy… It's not worth it," he said calmly.
That made me even angrier. What was he trying to say?
Cocky bastard!
He looked at me, no reaction. Calm and composed even with a bleeding nose.
My fists clenched. How could he stay calm in this situation? It made me even more furious. My body moved on its own—I ran toward him and punched him again. He fell.
"You're crazy!" the blue-eyed boy yelled and attacked me.
Why was he interfering?!
Before he could hit me, I hit him first. But then—bam! A fist landed on my face.
Yuri!
I couldn't hold back anymore. I fought back, and soon we were brawling. Other classmates even joined in. In the chaos, someone crashed into me.
"Ouch!" he yelled.
Aries?
I wasn't sure what happened, but I didn't expect Aries to join in.
He stood up on his own and threw punches too. I went back to Yuri. I didn't care where I hit him.
What mattered was—getting revenge!
With one last punch, I gave it all I had. He could barely stand up afterward.
Did I win?! I won! I WON—
"MARK KEIFER WATSON! TO THE GUIDANCE OFFICE! NOW!"
I'm dead.