It always starts the same way. Bickering before they even make it out of the public eye. Remarks turn more passive aggressive by the second, then as soon as everyone is just out of earshot, the screaming match begins. They yell in the car all the way home, a grand total of thirty minutes of rampant yelling, and muffled crying. They pull into the drive way and everyone is out of the car hastily. Hayden just stays a foot in front of them and quickly opens the front door. The two parents stand in the front room pointing fingers and screaming as if they were trying to break glass. Hayden just backs out of the room and shuts the door quietly and as inconspicuous as possible. He just prayed neither of them noticed him, but they didn't, they never do.

He sits with his back to the door hearing his mother screaming divorce and his father screaming profanity. He just sat there listening to their petty insults and threats. He knows they're getting divorced, and they sure as hell do. He even hears them speaking about custody and how, according to his mother, Hayden would never be in his fathers care, and his father didn't want him in his mothers care, so there was only one agreeable option; unwinding. Hayden's cheeks already had dried tears on them from the car ride, but now he was crying more, his breather getting wheezy and his eyes on fire. The volume began to die down and the door cracked open, causing Hayden to fall backwards before catching himself and standing up. His father looked him over with either disappointment or malice, Hayden couldn't decide. His father stumbled down the stairs mumbling about how he needed a drink and his mother came out of the room and held her son in her arms.

It started out as a light chuckle

"Hayden, what's so funny?"

Then it became a semi-audible giggle

"Hayden, is something the matter?"

Then he lets go. He starts cackling and backs back down onto the ground, and his mother just stares. He was crying listening, but now tears are running down his cheeks from the rampant laughter. Though he feels absolutely dead on the inside, though he knows of his horrendous fate, all he can do is laugh. Laugh Hayden laugh, because if you ever stop, it will tear you a part worse than a chop shop.