L
were claustrophobic! I would never-” SLAP!
Alex crumpled to the floor.
See? A slap was all it took. Compared to
almost dying, what was a single slap?
Dad and Ethan helped him up, protective as
ever. “How could you hit him so hard? He
apologized! You’re fine! What’s the big deal?” Dad snapped.
Ethan soothed a crying Alex, glaring at me.
“You’re a curse on this family. Why can’t you
just leave Alex alone? He apologized! Do you
have to be the center of attention all the
time?”
Mom stood beside me. “Noah, I know you’re
upset. I don’t know why every attempt at a
nice surprise ends up like this…”
I turned to her. Was this a change of heart?
Alex, huddled in Ethan’s arms, gasped
dramatically, sobbing about how sorry he
was, how he was so playful, he’d give his life
for me. The performance was pathetic. But
my family was his captive audience.
“But Alex is young, you’ll forgive him, right?”
Mom said, glancing at his pale face. “Please,
for me. Just comfort him, apologize to him. I’ll
make it up to you next time, I promise.”
It was pointless. I just wanted to be away
from them. But Alex had almost killed me, and
they wanted me to apologize? Every time I
thought they couldn’t sink any lower, they
proved me wrong.
“Mom,” I said, looking her in the eye, “you
know what? This is disgusting.”
I left the hotel, leaning against the wall for
support. Six months. I just had to make it
through six months, get into the NDU, and
escape.
