.

Ring Ring~

The phone began to ring in the quiet of the morning— not loud, just persistent, like a drop of water tapping against glass. Sunlight slipped through the curtains and rested on his face, warm and unwelcome. He shifted under the blanket, eyes still closed. Another ring. He hated waking up like this— not to birds, not to silence, but to that sharp little sound pulling him out of sleep. The phone kept vibrating against the wood, a restless hum in the still room. And for a few more seconds, he let the ringing fill the morning before the day could change.

The phone stopped ringing

As soon as the boy answered it

Jerome's voice came through low and tight

He said with a pause his voice rough with sleep

Jerome countinued in a low and soft voice

Atlas let out a slow breath, gazing past the window at somewhere

Jerome exhaled sharply

He couldn't complete

It came out heavily

Even though he never cared about his parents...

How could a son be at peace, knowing his parents are no more?

His heart sank

He wished if he could hate them for all that they did

Yet his heart was unwilling

Atlas closed his eyes

Slowly... drifting back to his past

Like dust in sunlight

And he was sixteen again

. .

* Past *

"THUD!!!!"

A loud crash echoed through the house

Atlas's eyes opened slowely

for a moment he stared at the ceiling

Another shout followed from downstairs

Two sounds clashing, sharp and tired

His parents...

Atlas sighed softly and rolled onto his back rubbing his eyes

The shouting continued

Something else slamming against a wall. But Atlas didn't rush, didn't panic

There was no shock in his expression.

Only the quiet acceptance of someone who had witnessed this scene far too many times

He pushed himself from the bed, running a hand through his messy hair

He slowly stepped out of the room

Walking downstairs

with an ache in his heart

For a second he froze

.

.

Stepping in between two figures

His father was holding a flower vase in his hands

Ready to hit his mother

the words came out faster before he could realise it

"CRASH!!"

The glass broke into peices

Atlas didn't flinch

Alfred muttered

His gaze filling with anger

Atlas's eyes moistening

He blurted out

Before he could say anything

SMACK!!

The sound cracked through the room

Atlas stumbled back a step

his cheek burning with the sudden slap

He didnt even raise a hand to touch his cheek

He just stood there stunned for a moment

He said weakly

His mother standing at the back quietly

Atlas said quietly

Hoping his father would regret his words and console him

His mother said

Not even sparing a glance at her own son who was standing there

Alone.

Tania holded her husband's hand and walked away from there

Atlas swallowed hard

Forcing himself to stand straight again

For some reasons

their words and actions hurted deep than the hit

And as his mother said, he wasn't allowed to eat for the whole day(punishment)

.