I walked slowly in trepidation as our little apartment got closer. It was a 3-bedroom apartment that, thankfully, my father had bought in cash before his death or we'd probably have to move to a smaller home by now.

  I had a feeling something bad was gonna happen today. It usually does when I have a superb day at school.

  Yes, I was still going to elementary school. I won't risk my education because of some bad parenting. I know that I don't need school (at least not elementary school) with the level of my knowledge, but my mother refused to allow me to skip grades and I had to spend as much time away from her as possible. Initially, I thought it would be torture to spend almost half of your waking day with little kids learning basic things that most people know. But surprisingly, it was still better than looking after a grown woman who does nothing but waste away her days in a daze of booze.

  So, as I was saying, it was a good day today at sy cssmate Mark just turned 8 today and his parents brought enough snacks and cake for the whole css. Then, my homeroom teacher, Ms. Sarah told me that she would be reending my name for the regional spelling bee and if I performed well enough, I could even pete with older children o on to the nationals. Then she gave me this angelic smile and said, "I'm proud of you."

  I basked in that praise of hers.

  I know, I know, I should be mature enough to not crave such little attention. But that was all the praise I would get for probably the entire month. My teachers in general had gotteo my 'brilliance' by now. I had overheard more thaeacher pin about me wasting my potential in their css.

  If only they knew about the soury 'brilliance'.

  So yes, my day till now had been amazing and that just filled me with dread. The st time something like this had happened, I had to pick my mother up from her own vomit and wash her up before tug her in. Not an easy task with my current size. The day my father died and the day my man her depressed drinking were both simir when I had the best of times at school.

  My uneasiness wasn't unwarranted, at least not in my opinion.

  I climbed up the steps to the sed floor and took out the keys from my backpack. It might be unusual for an 8-year-old to carry a set of house keys, but with me hardly anything was normal.

  I held out the door ajar only to freeze inessing the sight in front of me.

  Three people were on the floor of my living room. Two men and a woman. Needless to say, the woman was my mother while I didn't kher of the men. That wasn't what shocked me though. The shog part was their clothes that were strewn across the floor haphazardly.

  Yes folks, my mother was having a threesht in front of my eyes and she didn't even notice wheered. I stayed transfixed on the spot, uo even move to my own room because then they would definitely notice me.

  That image was too muy young eyes, so I closed them tightly, their cries of passion however filled the atmosphere pletely as all three of them moaned in unison.

  'What the fuck have I walked into?' With that thought in mind, I decided to slowly inch out of the pd wait he stairs. At least better thaiailed sex education at 8, right? I slowly tried shutting the door as I was making my way out.

  It was right at that moment that the damn door chose to creak. Somehow, it was loud enough to get the attention of one of the men my mother was blowing. His eyes lifted up a mine and for a sed I could not move. Apparently, the man had some morality because he withdrew himself from that woman and shouted, "Hey! There's a kid watg!"

  I chose that moment to leave all subtlety and shut the door quickly. I moved back to the stairs and sat down timidly. Yes, she has brought home people before, but they were mostly younger men. I remember this ur guy of hers who looked underage.

  Usually that happened in my mother's bedroom so I didn't have to see them in a. The noise and when they left afterward (I saw that from my room window) was enough to know about them. Most of the time these men didn't even know I existed. Clearly, that wasn't the case today.

  "What the fuck Car! That was your kid?" The voice was clearly the blowjob guy.

  "That's what happens when people fuck. Oh.. oh.. oh yes! Keep going, Kevin."

  "Will you stop fug fod's sake! That kid just saw…"

  "Shut the fuck up asshole." My mother's agitated voice cut him off mid-sentence. "He is a little motherfucker who was born to fuck my life. her finish what you started et the fuck out!"

  My eyes teared up hearing that sente's not my fault for being born! I know this as a fact but still, I had hoped she would have at least some love left for me somewhere.

  I just sat there and cried silently.

  Within a minute I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up with my watery eyes to see the blowjob guy, now fully dressed, "Sorry you had to see that kid." Now that I see him with his clothes on, he is a man in his te 20s or early 30s with a noticeable tummy but still quite handsome.

  I him, accepting his apology silently. It isn't his fault that my mother couldn't love me.

  With that he started walking dowairs, but he still kept looking back at me every few steps. He didn't hide the pity in his eyes as he walked down.

  Now that the guy with a sce has gone away, I only wait for the other oo finish, hopefully soon and then I go to my room for some well deserved solitude.

  It took them at least another half hour to finish.

  It was agonizing to wait outside the door but I dare not disturb them. While my mother hadn't hit me in years, I wouldn't try provoking her.

  Wheher mahe house, he just gave me a side g didn't say anything. I waited for him to disappear from my sight before opening the apartment dain.

  "Finally, his lordship is back!" My mother's voice rang out with heavy sarcasm.

  I avoided her sight and made a beeline for my bedroom. Through my peripheral vision, I saw that she was wearing a negligee with nothing underh. I quied my pace but was unfortunately stopped by her voice.

  "Troy."

  I turowards her slightly but kept my eyes firmly locked on her feet.

  "You've been a naughty boy, today. You ruined mummy's fun, as a punishment you won't get dionight." She finished in a clipped tone.

  I abruptly looked up at her fad took ieely expressio there. Anger coursed through my veins urained, but I didn't utter a word.

  This was a new low, even for her. Although she won't ever accept the fact, she khat I was the responsible oweewo of us. In the past year alone, I prepared meals for her more times than she did for me.

  What right did she have to take away my food?

  But I didn't say a word. I won't give her the satisfa. So, I simply went to my room and tried to ignore whatever happeoday.

  I probably fell asleep in my bed when I was awakened by my mother's shouting.

  I immediately became aware of all my surroundings as I quickly got up and put ao the door of my room.

  "... and I fug told you. He is asleep in his room."

  Me? Someone came to meet me? But why?

  "He is healthy and happy. His teachers only sing his praises. Why the fuck d'you think I'll beat him up?"

  "I didn't say you beat him." A gruff voice sounded, "There was a pint and it is obligatory for us to check the kid and his surroundings. If he is indeed sleeping, show that to us and we e back ter when he is awake."

  Holy Shit!

  Someone lodged a pint against her. It didn't take long for me to deduce that it robably the blowjob guy. But what should I say to them?

  Before I could make any sort of decision, the door opened on itself and I came face to face with my mother who was looking down at me with the sweetest smile I had seen on her visage in a long time.

  "Troy, love. These nice people want to talk to you. Why don't you tell them how much you love me?" The st part was whispered in a low tone. For an instance, she gave me this venomous look that said she would probably kill me if I said anything else. Behiood a tall brawny man on the younger side with a nice smile and a middle aged dy whose ugh li the er of her eyes spoke of her i kindness.

  I was flicted.

  I could probably end this farce of a life with her at this moment. She didn't want me anyway. But then again I didn't know what awaited me once I left this pce. It could be like from one foster home to another like shown in most of the movies. Or it could be a quiet, b but stable life.

  And I had made a promise to Dad to care for my mother. But then I remembered the sed promise I made to him. I'll be happy as much as I .

  It didn't take me long to decide before I told the two nice looking people everything. I even made up the part where I feared for my life because she was trying to starve me to death.

  "Mum doesn't want me around," I told the nice dy who was hugging me while his colleague was gring daggers at my mother. I didn't even have to fake my tears because I was genuinely hurt with her as. " you take me somewhere else? I know she would be happier once I move out."

  "You little piece of shit! You ungrateful little fuck! I'll show you happiness!" She poune.

  Fortunately, the brawny man held her away from me and the shouting tinued.

  *sigh*

  I koday would be a bad day.

  (Break)

  They temporarily moved me to a group home. Apparently, her having wild sex in front of me is a type of sexual abuse and judges tend to be harsher against such crimes. As a result she lost all rights to my custody.

  The worst part is that she didn't even fight for it. I knew she didn't want me, but she didn't even see me after that horrible day. Didn't even ask the public defender she robably assigned, for anything to do with me.

  That's my best guess because I knew she couldn't afford a wyer with whatever little insurance money she had left.

  At least she could be happier iure without the burden of a child. That's what I told myself befoing to sleep every night and to avoid any lingering guilt over her punishment.

  One week after that I was moved to another home. But this time it was a foster home belonging to a very nice looking couple in their mid to te 30s.

  "Hello love, I'm Kathy Kloves and this is my husband Steve Kloves." The homely dy beamed down at me. Immediately I got the feeling that this pce would definitely be better than anything my mother could provide for.

  My case worker pushed me gently on the back, "Go on love, introduce yourself."

  "Hello, I am Troy Francis Armitage."