Reborn Between Two Homes, Belonging to None

The year my parents get divorced, they stand on either side of me, each wrapping an arm around my shoulders as they try to comfort me. "Don't worry, Nate. We'll both love you just as much as we always have. "Most kids only have one home, but you get two. How cool is that?" In my previous life, I choose to live with my wealthy mother. However, after she remarries and gives birth to my half-brother, I gradually become an afterthought. She forgets to pick me up from school, forgets my birthday, and even forgets that I have asthma. In the end, I die alone in the equipment room at my basketball training center. It takes three days for a janitor to find my body. When the police ask my mother where I keep my rescue inhaler, she falls silent for a long time before finally asking, "He has asthma?" In my second life, I choose my father instead. He's poor, but he loves me dearly. He spends most of the year on the road hauling freight, yet he never misses a single parent-teacher conference. No matter how busy he is, he always hops on his old scooter to pick me up from school. During the bitter winter months, he tucks the spare helmet inside his jacket to warm it up before placing it on my head. As he fastens the strap, he grumbles, "You little punk. Zip up your jacket. Who are you trying to look cool for?" I think that this time, I won't be forgotten. However, on the very first day I move in with him, Dad tells me to take the bus home by myself. He explains that my stepbrother, Daniel Mitchell, has just moved in and isn't used to his new school yet. One day passes, then two, then an entire month. I stand outside the school gates, watching Dad ride past me again and again, with my stepbrother sitting behind him on his scooter. Then, one day, I stop waiting. I take the bus home alone, watching the lights in countless homes flicker on outside the window. Mom has her new family. Dad has his new family, too. I've made my choice twice. Yet neither home has a place for me. Chapter 1 The bus had already traveled several miles before I finally tore my eyes away from the rear window. Dad's old scooter had turned onto another street, with my stepbrother, Daniel Mitchell, riding on the back in his padded winter coat. He was cradling a cup of hot chocolate between his hands. I lowered my gaze to my own hands, which had turned red from the cold. That morning, my father, Thomas Reynolds, had promised he'd pick me up after school. He'd sounded so certain when he said it. "Of course, I'll be there. I swear, if I don't show up, you can hold it against me forever." Yet even after every other student had left the school gates, Dad was nowhere to be seen. I waited another 40 minutes before finally giving up and taking the bus home alone. By the time I arrived, it was almost 8:00 pm. The only food left on the dining table was half a plate of cold spaghetti, with a few pale, soggy peas on the side. My stepmother, Claire Carter, was crouched by the front door, drying Daniel's hair with a towel. When she saw me come in, she merely glanced up and said, "There's food in the kitchen. Heat it up, and try to keep the noise down. "Danny started at his new school today, and some of the kids asked him why he didn't have a dad. He was so upset that he cried all the way home." Dad was crouching beside them, wiping down Daniel's wet sneakers. His hands paused at Claire's words. Then, he looked at Daniel and said, "The next time someone asks, just tell them I'm your dad." Daniel's eyes were still filled with sorrow as he threw his arms around Dad. "But you're already Nate's dad." Dad immediately turned to look at me. His eyes were filled with guilt, along with a silent plea for me to understand. He was asking me to give in again. I said nothing and headed for the kitchen. The spaghetti had clumped together into one sticky mass. I'd barely managed two bites when Dad followed me in. "Nate, I'm really sorry I left you waiting today. Danny was crying so hard at school that he could barely catch his breath. I was afraid something might happen to him." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of black athletic gloves, each printed with a silver-gray lightning bolt. "You've always complained about your hands getting cold when you ride your bike, haven't you? I spotted these while I was out hauling freight and picked them up for you." I reached for the gloves, but before my fingers could touch them, Daniel appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Those are so cool." He stared at the gloves in Dad's hands, the tip of his nose turning red. "My dad used to buy me gloves like those, too." Dad froze. Daniel didn't try to take the gloves from him. He simply lowered his head and whispered, "It's okay. Nate has a dad. I don't." Dad's expression changed instantly. He turned to me, hesitating as he called my name. "Nate…" I withdrew my hand. "Give them to him." Dad visibly relaxed and quickly passed the gloves to Daniel. "Here, take them." Then, he turned back to me and promised, "I'll buy you another pair next time." Daniel smiled through his tears and slipped the gloves on right in front of me. They fit him perfectly, as though they'd been made for him all along. Dad patted Daniel on the head before finally remembering that I was still standing there. "Next time, I'll get you an even better pair," he promised again. "Okay." I lowered my head and went back to eating my spaghetti. Dad lingered beside me and asked, "What do you want to eat tomorrow? I'll make it for you." I speared the last few cold peas with my fork. "Anything's fine." After all, his promises didn't mean anything to me anymore. … That night, I dug out my piggy bank and counted the 632 dollars inside. I counted it twice to make sure the amount was right, then opened a notebook and started doing the math. Bus fare to the city: 186 dollars. Housing: No idea yet. Living expenses: The more I could save, the better. I closed the notebook. From that day on, I knew I had to save every penny I could. Someday, I'd have enough to build a home of my own. Chapter 2 The next morning, I discovered that my asthma inhaler was missing. After searching my backpack twice, I finally found it in the trash can. Its plastic casing was cracked from being crushed under someone's foot. Daniel was sitting at the dining table, drinking a glass of milk, and the pair of black athletic gloves from the day before lay beneath his foot. I picked up the broken inhaler and looked straight at him. "Did you throw my medicine away?" He continued sipping his milk, wearing an innocent expression. "What medicine? I've never seen that before." Claire immediately stepped in front of him protectively. "Why are you interrogating him first thing in the morning? Danny had nightmares last night and could barely sleep. When would he have had time to mess with your things?" I pointed at the gloves beneath Daniel's foot. A layer of white powder had stained the fabric around the silver-gray lightning bolts. Daniel's expression shifted, and Dad noticed it, too. The dining room fell silent. "Danny." Dad's voice turned stern. "Did you break Nate's inhaler?" Daniel's jaw tightened as he blinked back tears, fighting to keep them from falling. "I didn't know it was medicine. I just noticed Nate hiding it every day, so I thought it must be something valuable." He paused before adding in a choked voice, "After my dad died, everyone treated me like I was a burden. Now even my own stepbrother hates me…" He lowered his head, trying to hide his tears. Dad's anger vanished almost instantly. He crouched beside Daniel and pulled him into a hug. "No one's calling you a burden," he reassured him. "As long as I'm here, no one's going to bully you." I tightened my grip on the broken inhaler. "Then, what about my medicine?" Dad looked up at me, and his tone softened. "I'll get you a new one later. Danny didn't mean any harm. He's still adjusting to this family, and he's having a hard time right now. Don't be so hard on him." "He knew it was mine," I shot back. "Nate," Dad interrupted, a trace of exhaustion crossing his face. "His biological father died saving my life. He stepped in front of a car to protect me. I owe that man everything." He paused before asking, "Can't you do this one thing for me?" I stared at him in disbelief. "So, he gets to take my life to repay that debt?" Dad froze, and even Daniel stopped crying for a moment. A few seconds later, Dad frowned. "Don't be ridiculous. We'll just get you another inhaler. Is it really as serious as you're making it out to be?" My chest suddenly felt tight. I didn't bother explaining any further. I slung my backpack over my shoulders and walked out. … At noon, my homeroom teacher, Eleanor Lawson, called me into her office. A competition registration form lay on her desk. "First place in the state math competition comes with an $8,000 prize," she explained. "The winner also gets a spot in Westbrook High School's honors program, with tuition, room, and board fully covered." My eyes lingered on the words "room and board fully covered". "Do I need a parent to go with me?" "No." "If I win, can I go straight to the city and enroll?" She looked surprised by the question. "Yes, you can. But the state capital is a long way from home. Do you really think your dad will let you go?" I picked up a pen and signed my name on the registration form. "He will." After school, I didn't bother waiting at the school gates. Instead, I headed straight to the pharmacy to buy a new inhaler. It cost 120 dollars. At the checkout counter, I stood there for a long time, counting my money over and over before finally handing it to the cashier. She glanced at me impatiently. "Are you going to buy it or not?" I nodded. "Yes." I had to stay alive. I couldn't afford to die before I got out of there. … On my way home, Dad's electric scooter pulled up alongside me, with Daniel sitting on the back, laughing loudly. Dad had already ridden about fifty feet past me before he seemed to notice I was there. He turned his head and called out, "Nate, want to squeeze in?" There was only room for one passenger, and Daniel immediately tightened his arms around Dad's waist, making no attempt to move over. I held up my bus pass. "No, thanks." Dad hesitated for a moment before nodding. "All right. Be careful on your way home." Then, the scooter sped off, disappearing around the corner. As I watched them go, I silently did the math. I was still more than 7,000 dollars short. Once I won the prize money, I could finally leave. Chapter 3 On the day of the math competition, Dad never showed up. He called to say his truck had broken down on the highway, and he couldn't get back in time. However, when I walked out of the competition hall, I spotted his scooter parked across the street. Daniel was standing next to him, clutching a brand-new basketball. Meanwhile, Dad crouched beside him, seemingly trying to comfort him with a cake. "Come on, don't be mad. I didn't mean to forget that it's been a whole month since you transferred schools." Daniel turned his face away. "Then, you have to spend the whole day with me today." "Okay. I'll spend the whole day with you," Dad agreed without hesitation. When he turned around and saw me, the smile froze on his face. "Nate?" He instinctively tried to hide the cake behind his back. "Didn't you say you'd be done with your competition this afternoon?" "I finished early." "How'd it go?" he asked. "Pretty well." Dad visibly relaxed and took a couple of steps toward me, but before he could say anything else, Daniel called out, "Dad, my foot hurts." Dad stopped in his tracks. A second later, he turned around and went straight back to Daniel. "Take the bus home. I'll make you something good for dinner tonight, and we can celebrate your results then." My gaze fell on the writing on the cake. "Happy One-Month Anniversary of Your School Transfer, Danny!" Apparently, even something like that was worth celebrating. "Okay." I turned and walked away. … The results were announced three days later, and I had won first place in the entire province. I also won the 8,000-dollar cash prize. Westbrook High School even handed me my admission letter on the spot. Eleanor was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. "Nate, your dad is going to lose his mind with happiness when he hears the news!" I tucked the prize money deep into my backpack. "I haven't told him yet." "This is huge! You need to tell him right away!" she exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement. I called Dad, but the phone rang for so long that I eventually gave up. Half an hour later, he sent me a voice message, with Daniel's nonstop screaming audible in the background. "Nate, Danny got into an argument with one of his classmates, and I'm dealing with it right now. If it's important, we'll talk tonight." I didn't reply. After school, I went straight to the bus station and bought a ticket to the city for 4:00 pm tomorrow. "One ticket to the city for tomorrow at 4:00 pm," I told the ticket agent. He handed me the ticket and asked, "Traveling alone?" "Yes." "Do your parents know?" he asked curiously. I took the ticket and offered him a faint smile. "They will soon." … That evening, Dad came home with Daniel, who was clutching a brand-new tablet. His eyes were red, and his jaw was clenched. When Dad saw me, he seemed to finally remember my phone call from earlier. "What did you want to tell me?" I hid my admission letter behind my back. "My school is holding an awards ceremony tomorrow." Dad immediately smacked his forehead. "Right! I remember now. Is your mom coming?" "No." He let out a sigh of relief. "Then, I'll go. I'm not taking any deliveries tomorrow. Hell, the whole world could come crashing down, and I'd still be there." Daniel suddenly spoke up. "Tomorrow is my school's parent-teacher conference, too." Dad froze. "Didn't you say you didn't want your parents to come?" Daniel lowered his head and fiddled with his tablet. "Whatever. It's not like what happens at my school matters as much as Nate's stuff." Dad fell silent. I studied his face before asking, "Dad, which one are you actually going to?" "Of course, I'm going to yours," he answered quickly, though he couldn't bring himself to look at Daniel. I nodded. "Okay." This was the last chance I was willing to give him. If he showed up, I'd show him my admission letter. However, if he didn't… My fingers brushed the bus ticket in my pocket. 4:00 p.m. Tomorrow. After that, he wouldn't have to choose between us anymore. Chapter 4 The awards ceremony began at 9:00 am, and the seat in the middle of the front row remained empty. At 9:20 am, Dad sent me a message. "Danny got into a fight with someone at school. I'll come as soon as I get things sorted out." At 9:40 am, the principal called my name. "First place in the provincial math competition goes to Nathan Reynolds!" I walked onto the stage to thunderous applause. Eleanor handed me the trophy, then leaned closer and quietly asked, "Where's your dad?" I glanced at the empty seat in the front row. "He's not coming." At 10:00 am, another message from Dad appeared on my phone. "The other kid's parents won't let this go. Nate, you're the mature one. Don't hold it against Danny." I stared at the message for a moment before turning off my phone. … After signing the enrollment confirmation for Westbrook High School, I didn't bother returning to my classroom. Instead, I went straight home. The front gate was open, and a table laden with dishes had been set up inside. Daniel sat on the couch with a Band-Aid on his elbow. He was unboxing a new phone while Dad sat beside him, helping him install the SIM card. "This is the last time I'm replacing your phone," Dad warned. "Don't get into any more fights." "But he was the one who taunted me for not having a dad!" "That's enough." Dad gently ruffled his hair. "If anyone says that again, tell your teacher. Don't worry. I've got your back." I stood in the doorway, watching them. When Dad finally looked up and saw me, the SIM card slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor. "Nate?" His eyes darted to the clock on the wall, and all the color drained from his face. "The awards ceremony…" "It's over." "I was going to be there," he explained, scrambling to his feet. "But Danny got into a fight, and the other family insisted we pay for a new phone. I couldn't just leave them to deal with it alone." Daniel immediately raised his arm. "Nate, look. I'm hurt." The wound beneath his Band-Aid hadn't even bled through. Dad followed my gaze and noticed it. His voice grew quieter. "It might not be serious, but he's still hurt. His biological father is gone, and I promised I'd protect him." I placed my trophy on the table. "What about the promises you made to me?" Dad went rigid. He'd promised to pick me up from school. He'd promised to buy me gloves. He'd promised he wouldn't forget about me anymore. He'd also promised he'd be there today, no matter what. He hadn't kept a single one of those promises. "Nate, please don't be like this." His eyes reddened. "I know I've hurt you. Once Danny settles in, I'll make it up to you. I promise." "How long will that take?" "What?" "How long until he settles in?" I looked him straight in the eye. "A day? A month? Or the rest of my life?" Dad opened his mouth, but no words came out. Claire walked out of the kitchen, looking displeased. "Do you really have to make a scene today? Your dad already has enough on his plate. You're the older brother. Can't you just be a little more understanding?" I smiled. "Sure. I won't make a fuss anymore." Then, I went back to my room and slung the backpack I'd packed long ago over my shoulders. I took only my admission letter, my prize money, and my asthma inhaler. Nothing else. When I walked out, Dad was in the kitchen cutting the cake, while Daniel stood beside him, insisting on getting the slice with the chocolate plaque. Neither of them even noticed me leave. At 4:00 pm that day, the bus pulled out of the station right on schedule, and my phone wouldn't stop vibrating. Dad called me 17 times. His final message read, "Nate, I saved you a piece of cake. Where did you go?" I didn't reply. Instead, I pulled out my SIM card and snapped it in half. Outside the window, the town slowly faded into the distance, growing smaller and smaller until it was little more than a speck behind me. This time, Dad hadn't lost me. I was the one who had chosen to leave him behind.