Cory blew along the paper watching the eraser crumbs tumbling along its surface after he had erased the mistake he had made on his homework. Looking to the clock when he heard a car pulling up. Knowing his father had just gotten home from his construction job. Sighing when he knew what would be coming. Turning towards the door, leaning on the armrest with his chin resting in the palm of his hand as he waited. That fear all children have knowing they were about to get punished grew and grew as it crawled up his spine at the heavy footfalls of his father's boots. Watching his door being thrust open, and the pair of boxing gloves his father always used to solve their disputes came flying towards him.
"Backyard, five minutes, or I'll whip your hide worse than I would fighting a man," Jairo said, angrily.
Sighing as Cory leaned down and plucked the gloves from the floor. He knew he had lost all the other times they had done this; Cory was determined to win this time. He was just going to have to keep his anger in check and not let it lead him astray, like it had in the past.
"No more, Li'l Stanley, no more depression, no more self-esteem issues. After tonight it's a new start for me," Cory said, pumping himself up.
Cory noted how his mother and sisters were all outside sitting in the same old spots they always took when his father made him do this. Ignoring his mother's hateful glare and the snickers from his sisters as he strapped the gloves on. Seeing his father waiting for him. Then the uncertainty began to grow as his eyes ran down his father's muscular body, one he had gotten from his years in construction.
"So, want to tell me why you're calling your sisters those names?" Noting how his son was bobbing and weaving as he threw some soft jabs. He would beat him sure, but not to the point of incapacitating his son.
"If the shoe fits," Cory said, shrugging his shoulders. "You got to wonder if they're sluts does that make Mom one?" he asked, noting the anger in his father's eyes. "Touch a nerve, did I?" Chuckling as he backpedaled. Cory knew he couldn't win outright. His father just had too much strength for him to simply overpower. So, he took a tactic from his old man and got him off-kilter like he always did with him. Cory's uppercut slipped through his father's guard, landing squarely on his chin. He didn't give his father any time to recover as he pressed in on him. He heard the exhalation of his father's breath as he knocked the wind out of him. Then something happened, something marvelous as he felt bone crunching under his fist as it landed squarely on his father's nose. Yet the elation didn't last long as Cory felt the searing pain in his chest feeling a few ribs cracking due to the force of his father's punch.
"Jairo!" Celeste shouted seeing the blood pouring down his face. Ignoring her son as he laid on the grass holding his chest. "Honey, we need to get you to the hospital."
"I'm fine, don't worry about me," Cory spat bitterly. Fighting to tamp down the pain that was flooding his body.
"Fine you big..."
"I think I cracked his ribs," Jairo said, cutting his wife off.
"Oh, for fucks sake," Celeste uttered in disappointment that her husband didn't win like he always had. "Come on, li'l..." Her voice stilled as her son batted her offered hand away.
"Fuck off, you cunt." An audible gasp filled the air as those words left Cory's lips.
"Cory?!" Jairo growled through the pain.
"What?! You all have been degrading me for the past five fucking years, every single fucking day. You don't like how I degrade you fucks, too fucking bad!" Cory grunted through the pain as he pushed himself up off the ground. "I've dealt with your verbal abuse all this time, and not a peep out of me. The one time I speak my mind you people get your panties in a fucking twist. If you can't take it, don't dish it out..." Cory felt himself falling backwards. All he knew was dizziness and lightheadedness as he blacked out from the pain.