Saturday

Claire was silent on the journey back home with her dad. She was thinking about today's events: how she has smoked weed, how she had a close run-in with a very angry teacher and she fell for someone she never thought she would have. Her dad pulled up on their driveway in his silver BMW. "For god sake, why is your mother home." Claire looked around, glad to hear her dad wasn't ignoring her seeing as she gave a boy her earring and kissed him right in front of him. Her dad angrily slammed his car door. "Close the door and come inside." Claire's dad wasn't always angry, he was mostly always happy, he would do anything for Claire and do the exact opposite of what her mother says she should do, her mum in recent months had turned to alcohol and tried to escape family life by going on holiday at whatever chance she got. She was a nice person sometimes. Claire closed her door, repositioned her hair and walked into the large family home behind her dad.

John on the other hand lit a cigarette and inhaled it and then exhaled deeply. He smiled, thinking about Claire. He got the girl. Well, just for that moment anyway. Secretly he longed for someone to love him, and care about him seeing as his parents never showed any of that towards him. But deep down he knew nothing would ever happen. He walked across the school and stopped at the road. He was debating whether to go home and face his abusive father and horrible mother. Or go to the store, buy a few things and then go home; at least it would kill some time. He turned left, and started to walk to the store. He would do anything to not live with his mother and father. Anything in the world. If he could have 3 wishes that would indefinitely happen, that would be one of them for sure.

Claire's mum was slouched on the sofa. Her dad sighed. "I can't believe it's come to this." Claire's mum awoke and looked at Claire and then her dad.

"What did you say?" Claire's mum looked at her dad.

"I said, I can't believe it's come to this." He had a serious expression on his face.

"Well. I'm glad you're perfect." Her words pronounced slowly. "You know who's done this to me? You." Claire stood in the door way as her dad approached her mum, and her mum sat up to confront her dad.

"We've been over this many times and it's the same argument over and over. You have issues which you won't confront, it's not my fault I-" Her dad was cut off by the screaming from her mother which followed.

"MOVED ON TO SOMEONE ELSE. Someone who was more perfect then I am, who doesn't have problems. You keep sleeping around, I'll keep drinking." Her mum raged. Claire started to cry. She was sick of it, sick of the constant arguing that happened in this household. The constant disagreeing, even when she was being punished for skipping school and going shopping, her mother didn't seem to care simply because Claire's dad had punished her. They disciplined very differently, opposite completely.

"I hate you both sometimes; you're as bad as each other. Just get a divorce. That way, everyone in this household will be happy for the first time in 6 months." Claire raged, and stormed up the stairs. She had been in a very good mood, but it had gone completely. She longed to be back in the detention where people who liked her were listening to her and cared about her. She cried into her pillow on her bed.

John grabbed some cigarettes and a chocolate bar. He wanted a can of soda but didn't have enough. He wasn't in the mood to steal it either. He paid the cashier and walked out the store heading home. He had only just noticed how it was getting dark. While he walked through the Jackman Estate he came across someone he knew, a friend of his. "John." He looked at her. She was in his wallet, one of the girls that he 'considers'.

"Sarah, how's it hanging." Sarah grabbed something from her pocket. A condom. John looked at Sarah, she was his friend. With benefits. But somehow he couldn't bring himself to say 'yes' to her. Sarah looked at him desperately. "Uh, not today Sarah. Not in the mood, I've been in detention with that idiot Dick Vernon." Good cover, he thought.

"I see. You want me to walk you home? We can smoke a joint on the way." John was very ok with that. He needed one to calm him right before he entered hell, AKA, home.

"Of course that's fine." John and Sarah rummaged in their pockets getting the things they needed. They prepared them and began walking to the other side of the Jackman Estate where John lived. The Jackman Estate was a massive area of houses. By people, it was considered the rough area of Shermer because lots of druggy people lived there, John definitely included in that stereotype. "Thanks Sarah, see you soon." John smiled at Sarah and walked into his house.

"Who's that?" John's mum said. John peeked into the kitchen and smiled. "It's you." She said, almost disappointed that it wasn't the police coming to rescue her from her horrible, vile husband.

"Hi mum." John looked around the kitchen. Broken glass on the side, by the sink. "Has something happened?" John heard footsteps behind him.

"Oi, you little punk. Where have you been? It's gone 5pm. It's a Saturday. Family time starts at 5pm." John swallowed and it made a loud noise. He noticed his dad was wearing a glove and holding a piece of glass. Shit, he thought. Shit.