"Monday's are always the worst"

 

Jackson always told me this ever since my first day of high school. It's kind of funny how things never really changed since then. I remember him trying to calm my anxiousness the night before, back then it was a hard time for both my mom and I. Months before I started high school, my dad decided to leave us, so all the pressure was weighing down on me then. Now that I'm in my third year of high school, it's a little embarrassing how I still rely on Jackson for nearly everything.

 

Thing's hadn't really changed after all.

 

It was nearing two in the morning and Jackson tried his best to make me go to sleep. After he sent me to bed at midnight, he realized that I wouldn't be getting any sleep at all. So he climbed into bed beside me and brushed through my hair with his fingers for a good half an hour before figuring out that that wouldn't work either. He reclined against the headboard with his arm around me. Jackson had left the bedroom door open so the lights from the living room flooded into the room a bit.

 

"Monday's really are the worst." He said in a hushed tone and I nodded in agreement. We both agreed to leave early in the morning since Jackson was going to drive me to school. He lived farther from the school than I did so of course the only option for me was to leave early. That meant I didn't have much time to sleep at all, which put me in a bad mood already. Not only that but Jackson didn't do his laundry yet, so I was stuck wearing one of his old uncomfortable jersey's to bed. I tossed and turned before throwing the covers off myself and groaning in frustration.

 

"I'm tired." I said sitting up, Jackson patted my back a little, sensing my sour mood. I couldn't really see his expression that well but he looked at me with worry.

 

"Is something bothering you? Do you not feel well?" He asked curiously, Jackson was always concerned for my well being. I shook my head, pulling at the bed sheets a bit. I flopped backwards pulling the covers over my head. Jackson sighed a little, I could tell he was a bit frustrated with me, I knew that I was the one who was keeping him awake so I felt bad. He had to go to work tomorrow, just like I had to go to school.

 

"I'm sorry Jackson, I can't help but be a brat sometimes." I mumbled into the pillow. He laughed a little at that.

 

"You don't have to go tomorrow." He whispered a little and it made me want to cry because not only could my mother not afford the school anymore, but I didn't know how long I had until she would take me out. That would mean I would never see Junhong again or any of my other friends, and I know it seems childish but that's all I have known for the last few years. I didn't want to think about it anymore because my eyes started to water and I sniffled a little. It made me think of my mom and how much I missed her, it made me think of the two times she hit me with her own hands and I wondered how many times she would do it again. I was crying now and I couldn't hide it anymore, Jackson must have heard me because he pulled back the covers that were hiding my face and hugged me tightly. "What's wrong?" He whispered, rubbing my back and I wiped my eyes, shaking my head. He knew I didn't want to talk about it. "It's okay, it's okay. Don't cry."

 

A bitter feeling crept over me, and I had the overwhelming urge to just shut myself away from everyone. I didn't want to talk to anybody, I didn't want to see anyone, all I wanted was to sleep in Jackson's bed for the rest of my life. At that moment, that was all I wanted, so I made the decision not to go to school for the day. Even though I knew that guilt would consume me later on, I quickly pushed that feeling aside.

 

"I don't wanna go tomorrow." I whispered to Jackson, I didn't want to talk because my voice would have cracked and I would have started to hiccup and that would be embarrassing, it was already bad enough that I was crying in front of Jackson. He smiled at me and nodded in understanding.

 

"Try and sleep." He told me, and that was the last words I heard before I drifted off into a deep sleep.

 

...

 

Before I knew it, morning had come and Jackson was awake already, holding me in his arms like a father would a child, and even that alone made the pain in my chest grow. He looked at me and brushed my hair away from my eyes.

 

"Do you want me to stay here with you today?" He asked me, patting down my crazy hair. Jackson looked well rested at least, it made me feel less guilty about everything I put him through last night.

 

I shook my head at his question and pulling the bed sheets tighter over me, the cold morning air biting at my face. I cleared my throat, "I'm probably just gonna sleep all day anyways." I smiled a little and Jackson patted my head, he got up to get ready to go to work and I closed my eyes, trying to make myself go back to sleep so I wouldn't have to think too much about anything.

 

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Jackson POV

 

It wasn’t even 9 am yet and I was furious,

Absolutely furious.

 

Just the fact that Bam was crying earlier this morning made me angry. I had the burning desire to go and get rid of anything that made him angry or sad. I knew I shouldn’t shelter him from everything, but I couldn’t help it sometimes. Bam was like my little brother and I wanted to protect him at all costs, I needed to protect him.

 

I was tired, and it was hard to keep myself awake at work all day but I couldn’t help but think of all the problems that Bam was facing right now. It was making me sad that I couldn’t do anything to help him out. The only thing I could do at the moment was take care of him at my house, and even doing that might cause more problems than solutions.

 

I was on break when my phone started to flash, signaling the incoming call. I glanced at my phone to see the name : ‘Bam’s Mom’ flashing on the phone screen. I glared at my phone, hoping that somehow she would understand how angry I was at her. I sighed heavily before picking up the call.

 

“Hello?” I rolled my eyes at myself, my voice sounded calm but I was far from it. Bam’s mom pissed me off and there was no denying it.

 

“Jackson, you bring my son over here this instant.” She seethed, “I got a call from the school, they said he didn’t come to school today.” She was angry and I could tell, I just let her say what she wanted because there was no way I was taking Bam back to that home right now. “I thought you knew that I don’t like him being out on school night’s.”

 

“I understand, but I don’t think I can take Bam back right now. I’m at work…” I tried to think up any excuse, “I’ll ask him if he wants to go home this evening, okay? I’ll make sure he gets all his work done.” I rolled my eyes for the second time, I tried not to yell at her, “Don’t worry.”

 

“Listen Jackson. He is my son. Any decisions regarding Kunpimook will be made by me.” She said, then hung up. I figured that meant I could take him back home later on this evening so I didn’t try to leave work yet.

 

…

 

After Jackson got off work he went home only to realize Bam had slept all day just like he said he would. Jackson tried to get him to eat some food but he didn’t even want that. The only thing he said he wanted was sleep and so Jackson let him for an hour before realizing how late it was already. Jackson sat on his bed next to BamBam and tried to convince him to go home, BamBam held the blankets tightly over his head and protested loudly.

 

“Please Jackson, I don’t want to go home. Don’t make me.” Bam whined and moved away from Jackson’s hands. Jackson sighed, he didn’t know what to do, he was almost positive that BamBam’s mom was going to kill him if he didn’t get him home within the next hour.

 

“Bam, you have to. Your mom called me earlier and told me to take you home. I don’t want her to be angry.” Jackson whispered and gently pulled the bed covers from BamBam’s head. The teen sighed softly and sat up in defeat.

 

“Fine.”

 

The drive to BamBam’s house was fairly quiet and neither of them talked. However when they pulled up in front of the house Jackson stopped the kid from getting out of the car. “Wait, Bam. If anything happens with your mom that upsets you, please tell me. If she lays a hand on you again I want you to call me so I can come pick you up. Okay?” Jackson held onto BamBam’s hand tightly and the teen nodded his head slowly. Jackson ruffled his hair and grinned, trying to lighten up the tense atmosphere.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, kid.”

 

BamBam smiled and then got out of the car and headed to the front door, he waved to Jackson as he drove off. He turned and quickly unlocked the door, wanting to get inside and eat some dinner. When the teen opened the door he was met with a harsh slap in the face and an angry mother.

 

“Where the hell have you been?” She asked, her demeanor seemed calm, but she was far from it. BamBam held his face in shock and looked up into the face of his mother. Her hair was cascading wildly around her face and she looked like she hadn’t washed her make up off from the night before. BamBam stepped into the house slowly and his mother slammed the door shut behind him. “I asked you a question.” She growled. BamBam gulped and shrugged.

 

“I was at Jackson’s.” He whispered and looked down. He felt like he had done something wrong, and he wanted to fix it.

 

“You’re always at Jackson’s. Why don’t you ever come home once in a while.” She approached the shaking boy and he backed away from her cautiously.

 

“I am home, I was home mom, but you were never there. Why are you getting so angry? I didn’t do-” Another slap and the sound bounced off the walls in the silent livingroom. BamBam’s eyes widened and he couldn’t help it when his eyes started watering.

 

Don’t cry, don’t cry. He pleaded to himself silently.

 

“Don’t talk back to me, understand?” She asked, and BamBam nodded silently. His mom crossed her arms and stood up straight, suddenly the door to her room opened and BamBam’s eyes darted to the man who was now standing at the top of the stairs. He looked intimidating and BamBam immediately felt the need to run from him for some reason. All at once Bam suddenly put the pieces together and his eyes widened at his mother.

 

“Mom...Did you-”

 

“This man will be staying with us for a while. We used to know each other in the past. We ran into each other at the club last night.” She smiled happily at her son and he stared at her, “Now go to your room.” She whispered and pushed the teen towards the stairs. He stared at her dumbfounded, the bruised teen walked up the stairs slowly, trying to avoid the gaze of the young man staring at him from the top of the stairs. He smirked at the teen as he walked past him,

 

“Looks like I’ll be your new dad soon. You can call me step-dad if you’d like.” He chuckled lowly and BamBam gasped, turning to face his mother.

 

“Mom. You’re not actually thinking of doing this are you? Please, please don’t do this to me, mom, you can’t.” BamBam yelled at her from the top of the stairs. She glared at him as her son started to yell at her, “He’s practically half your age mom, what’s going through your mind? Have you gone crazy!” Tears of frustration were pooling at the corner of his eyes.

 

“Shut up kid!” With one swift punch to the face, BamBam landed on the floor, staring up at the man who stood above him. BamBam’s mother yelled at the man and BamBam immediately got off the floor and ran to his room. The weight in his chest got worse and as he slammed the door shut. He pulled his knees to his chest and cried softly, he immediately thought of one person: Jackson.

 

BamBam quickly walked over to his bed and picked up his phone. He stopped suddenly and thought for a moment. Ever since Jackson got a rapping career the teen felt like he became a burden to him. He couldn’t get in the way of Jackson’s happiness anymore. He clenched his eyes shut and ignored the burning sensation on his face as he put his phone down and crawled under his bed sheets. He decided he wouldn’t call Jackson, he didn’t want to bother him anymore than he already has. BamBam decided to keep this all a secret for now. He gulped and held his face in his hand, he knew he would get a bad bruise.

 

He suddenly remembered something, there was no way he could hide it from Jackson tomorrow morning. The teen sat up and grabbed his phone quickly, texting Jackson.

 

To: Jackson

From:Bam

 

Hey, I decided to walk to school tomorrow. I’m going to wake up later than usual and I don’t want you to be late to work. Be careful driving home, goodnight.

 

To: Bam

From: Jackson

 

I don’t mind being late!

 

 

 

BamBam bit his lip in worry, he didn't want Jackson to think he was acting weird.

 

To: Jackson

From:Bam

 

It’s okay! I want to walk and don’t text while driving! I thought I told you already.

 

To: Bam

From: Jackson

 

Okay, if you say so. Have a good day tomorrow!

 

BamBam felt the pain in his face suddenly start to set in. He tucked his phone under his pillow and lay on his back. He still had his shoes and clothes on but he didn’t care, he fell asleep and hoped that his dreams would be better than his reality.

 

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