Chapter 18

"Get back here Matthew" the stern voice made him halt in his tracks. He had planned to make a clean getaway to his room. He wasn't even expecting to be at home this early on a weekday. Dad had also called him by his full name. He was in deep shit.

It seemed like he couldn't avoid his dad forever like he had hoped. Since he had been sent to his room that night, he had just accepted that he was grounded and he didn't care. More time in his room meant more time to himself and he could work. Now it seemed his luck had run out. He wasn't ready to face his dad just yet. He was still mad at him. At how unfair he was being treated.

"Now Matthew!" he called again this time harsher.

He wouldn't project the anger he felt for his mum on his dad. He took a deep breath and turned swiftly. He hadn't gone far on the stairs. He just hopped down and made his way to his dad who was leaning against the kitchen counter. He was happy that they wouldn't sit on the couch and talk. That thought alone was already making him squirm.

"Good evening dad" he tried not to sass. Seemed like he was still mad.

It was a stare off. Something that dad always won because he never had it in him to hold the stare. He only got this stare when he had done something that Elliot didn't expect. For example something disappointing. Like failing a test when you assured him that you were prepared. He did try his best though. This was something that he wasn't going to cower from. He had meant what he said and it would only turn out better for both of them the sooner he accepted that.

He did break and look away, but he still stood firm.

Dad finally spoke.

"Have you called your mum to apologize?"

Matt wanted to scream. He turned back to Elliot ready to do so but his eyes were still hard. That made him simmer down. Just a little. "Why would I do that?" he muttered under his breath, but still loud enough for him to hear.

"You were rude and disrespectful" he played along smartly giving him his reason.

"Can't believe you're taking her side" he scoffed, not bothering to hide the fact that he was rolling his eyes.

"Don't start right now Matthew" he could tell his dad was angry. "I get enough complaints as it is. Don't add to the pile" he was tired.

"Do you still love her?" Matthew rested his elbows on the counter.

"What?" Elliot blinked rapidly. Obviously startled by the question.

"It's funny" he said dryly. "That after everything-no with everything she's putting us through, you're still in love with her" there was this accusatory tone he had.

"Matthew I'm not going to discuss this with you now" he massaged his forehead.

"Why not?" he challenged. "You said I'm not the problem. Then tell me what it is!" he wasn't backing down. He was getting too excited.

"I can't right now with you Matt. Just go…"

"Go to my room?" he asked. "Yeah. I'll go. Take all your anger out on me when you can't even call your w-her out on her bullshit!" he was lost in his anger now. Everything he had been keeping bottled up, struggling to come out.

"Enough Matthew!" his dad said louder despite his tiredness.

"I expected you to have my back" he said softly. That harsh tone had grounded him a little. "Like I have yours. We're…we were meant to be a family. That's not happening" and he turned back to the stairs. This time Elliot didn't stop him.

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He stayed in his room the remainder of the night. He didn't go down for dinner just to spite his dad. Good thing he had stocked up on snacks due to him being in his room for his 'job'. That wouldn't do much. He was still a growing boy? Man? He wasn't done yet. After angrily finishing his homework he considered getting his laptop. That was a no since dad was still around. Great. Every time he was around all they did was argue.

And now he would have to call his mum to apologize. He knew he would do it eventually because his weak heart would push all those pictures of when they were still a normal and happy family. He was grateful to both of them. She could have sent him away to another home, but she didn't. He would do so tomorrow. Seemed like he was weak.

He got his phone out. Giving out personal information was a risk, considering the job he was doing. He didn't want someone tracing him and finding out where he lived and the people he was involved with. There were a lot of crazy people that roamed the earth. Anyway, people like Trisha weren't part of them. She was the only one he trusted a little. Everyone else, the men especially would have to settle for a private session on his laptop.

The women, if they passed his evaluation could move to his phone. There was a newcomer during his streams. Her username was 'Annabanana80$' and he was going to address her as such. She stood out. She made the chats rambunctious with her comments. Like she was talking to a pet. Like he was the pet. One moment she was saying the sweetest praises and the next she was typing the dirtiest things that would make a pornstar blush.

They had a few sessions and he was really thankful for the mask. She was literally a switch. He thought the cheating husbands were worse, Annabanana was way worse. Her name told him she was crazy. You could actually judge a book by its cover. She had a fetish it seemed. She liked them young and she loved their butts. Roleplaying with her was something. It was weird. It made him cringe, but still he had the mask.

She was able to afford the sessions with her teacher's salary. She was paying for the time so he really couldn't refuse her. She had passed the review that she wouldn't actually turn out to be a psychopath so they were able to exchange numbers. They fooled around in private messages.

She was still crazy. Nothing would make him think differently. She texted during school hours. He would be too embarrassed texting like that in public. Where anyone, especially people with glasses could just look over your shoulder and see clearly.

High school teacher meant that she was surrounded by teenagers. He didn't want to connect any dots but they were just swimming around in his head. During their scenes, he would call her Cynthia and she would address him by different names every single time. She had even given him the character descriptions. It was always about her coming onto them and somehow convincing them to sleep with her. He'd be really reluctant at first, but then he would ease into it.

There were predator vibes there, but in the end who was he going to tell.

She had texted him and he rolled his eyes that he was sure they hung up in his skull before dropping down.

'How's my little pet doing? Do you want me there with you right now to warm your slutty body up? I know you want it'.

'You know boys like me want it. We always want it but we love to pretend'.

He was playing as one of her bolder characters now. He would play along, but when it was time to do the deed he wouldn't. He called this one the tease.

'How bad do you want it?' a salivating and sweaty emoticon followed.

'So bad' he sent a pleading one along with it.

'As bad as let me say…three thousand dollars?'

He was glad he stood up then because if he had been sitting, he would have gotten on his feet in surprise. He wanted to tell her to double it, but this wasn't Trisha or the cheating husbands. This was a crazy teacher. So crazy that he was sure that she had scared off any man that had come close to her. Her fantasies were outrageous.

'Well when you put it like that I could make some adjustments'.

'Tell me what you want' she broke character instantly. He wondered why she was so desperate. He was sure that she wasn't getting some. Too busy dreaming of getting with her students.

'We'll meet up first before we can go further. That okay with you?'

'More than okay. How about next weekend?!' she sent with a lot of grins.

'Yes it is. I have to go now'. Huger called. Three thousand dollars was three thousand dollars. She wasn't Trisha, but he would get a free meal out of it. Maybe even more money. She seemed eager to please.

He wouldn't think about how normal all this seemed to him now.