James went home and sighed as he saw his father laying on the couch, snoring and drunk. He walked up to his room, and he didn't have to wait long before his dad woke up and tried to walk up the stairs. "James..." he said in a drunken stupor.
James closed his eyes, not wanting to deal with his dad at the present moment, but knowing that there was never going to be a good time, he opened the door.
His dad was half way up the stairs, looking up at him, "Where have you been?"
James looked at his dad, knowing that he could not tell him the truth. The stripes from a couple days ago was still burning on his back.
"Answer me." his father roared angrily, and James cowered.
"I went...out...walking." James stuttered.
"Lies..." his father hissed.
"Look, I just wanted to take a walk, so I did."
His dad punched his face-hard. James' nose started bleeding, "Don't sass me, boy!"
Tears smarted James' eyes, but he wouldn't let them fall down his cheek. His father hated weakness, and that's what tears were-a sign of weakness.
His father looked at him in disdain and slowly started walking down the stairs, yelling over his shoulder, "I know where you were, boy. The pond. Probably warning some girl that she is in danger, like you did the last one."
James did not admit or deny the accusation. He simply did not say anything.
James' father was insecure about himself. The big scar that started from one side of his face to the other did not help. He never talked about how he got it, but he had it before James was even born.
James laid down and flinched against the pain on his back. He thought about the young girl on the lake. She was definitely not graceful, but he knew that she would get there. He thought about her beautiful auburn hair and bright green eyes. He sighed and slowly closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep...