Omg you guys. There are now words to describe how sorry I am for not updating in god knows how many months. School got intense and then it was summer and I got lazy (still am whoops). But I promise from now I will try to update more frequently. Sorry this chapter is on the short side, but I felt the need to post something. Thanks for being patient and enjoy :)

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"That is enough! I have just about had it with you!" Mr. Hollingsworth shouted, taking a step towards Miles.

The young teen was scared shitless, but he fought to keep his face stoic.

"You were always the black sheep Miles," his father addressed, taking another step. "And at times, your mother and I didn't know what we were going to do. I mean, our first born was already a fuckup before he even hit his teens!"

Miles clenched his hands into fists until he felt his nails dig into his palms, but he still didn't say anything. He quickly decided that there was no need to poke the bear and make it more angry than it already was.

"Miles, your rebellious and self-destructive behaviors are the reasons I am the way you insist on perceiving me as," his father said simply, as if he were explaining this to a first grader.

"No they're not!" Miles finally shouted, unable to hold it in any longer. "I do all of these reckless and hazardous things to myself because of the way you've perceived me as since the day I was born!"

His father stared at him, as if he were trying to read his mind, then immediately threw his head back in laughter. "Oh god, Miles, really, you ought to have a reality check or something," he said in between chuckles. "I mean honestly, get over yourself! The whole world isn't about you for crying out loud!"

Miles opened his mouth to speak, but his father had silenced him. Maybe he really did try to read his mind earlier because he said,

"Lost for words are you?" he teased. "You know what your problem is?" he asked, continuing to get ever so closer to him. Miles shifted his weight between his two feet and folded his arms across his chest. He was trying to stay calm, but inside he was a mess.

"You take everything so personally! 'Oh, look at me, I'm Miles Hollingsworth the third, and I get upset whenever someone says something negative about me!' he mimicked.

"Stop it," the boy muttered under his breath.

"Oh, have I upset you? Big freaking surprise!" he shouted, causing Miles to look away.

"I said stop it," he repeated, desperately trying to hold onto what little dignity he had left.

"What are you going to do Miles, really? You don't pose a threat at all."

"ENOUGH!" he screamed, taking his balled fist and raising it so it was just inches from his father's face.

"Oh, I take it back son, maybe I had you all wrong," his father said thoughtfully.

Miles could only glare daggers.

"Oh, what's with the hesitation? What are you waiting for? I know you wanna do it Miles."

The teen in question closed his eyes, trying to escape his voice. Blood pulsing rapidly through his veins, Miles twisted his face in pain as he struggled to ignore his father's taunts. More than anything he wanted to knock him out, but where would that lead? Their relationship was always like a game of tug of war; both sides fought endlessly to gain the upper hand, but it was always a long and draining battle.

Miles opened his eyes so he was face to face with his father and then took a deep breath before slowly lowering his fist.

"Wow Miles, you really disappoint, don't you? I guess that's the one thing we can always count on you to do…" he added crudely.

"No dad!" he shouted, fed up with the whole conversation. "I am not a disappointment by any means. I've overcome so many hardships that most people are lucky to avoid. All the pain and suffering I've felt my whole life has only made me stronger, and thus I am stronger than you; I'm not going to hit you even though you've hit me countless times and you fucking deserve it. It would be as pointless as your attempts to be a husband and father. Even though at times I've come close, I am not the apple of your eye or the spiting image of you; I am better than you which is sad when you think about it, but that's just the way it is. I refuse to even be associated with you anymore. So either you leave this family alone or I will tell the press everything and have you impeached as mayor."

While he was talking, Miles noticed his dad's face growing more livid with each word he spoke, but that didn't intimate the teen one bit. He needed to get this off his chest for once and all. He had to be the bigger person and put a stop to all the bullshit if he ever wanted to move on from the past 16 years he had suffered. Light years seemed to pass, but neither Hollingsworth spoke. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife, and neither so much as lifted a pinky.

"This…this isn't over…" his dad finally muttered, in a dull, meaningless tone.

Before Miles could even react, he turned his back to him and shuffled out the door, grunting to himself.

The brown-haired boy watched his car pull out of the driveway and speed away, ignoring the several honks and shouts from nearby cars. Miles breathed a sigh of relief and slid his back against the door. He did it. He finally won.