Crossing the Darkness Towards Happiness

CHAPTER 19

The sun gradually peeked through the curtains, emitting a gentle light in Jake's room.

Jake reluctantly gets out of bed, still carrying the remaining burden of loneliness from the previous night that keeps Jake's mood still down.

She knew that even though she longed for a warm and loving relationship, from her Father or Mother's attitude they still remained cold and distant from her.

Jake sighed heavily, then stretched out his hand and yawned.

When Jake enters the kitchen, he finds his father sitting at the table, Darion staring at his laptop as usual.

Darion looked up for a moment when he heard footsteps, Darion's expression still cold as he looked at Jake.

"Morning, Dad" said Jake softly, trying to melt the atmosphere.

Darion stared at Jake for a while, his gaze meeting Jake's eyes before returning to his laptop screen.

"Morning." The response was short and without the slightest warmth.

Jake can only smile wryly looking at Darion who doesn't care about him, even Darion's gaze staring at him like a stranger, making Jake's heart even more hurt.

Jake pours himself a bowl of cereal and sits across from his father. Silence filled the room.

Darion is focusing on her laptop without noticing Jake and Jake secretly chewing on her breakfast.

Jake glances at his father, hoping for a change in attitude, but Darion appears to be immersed in doing his job, barely acknowledging his own son's presence.

I wish there was some kind of conversation. Jake cleared his throat, trying to spark a conversation with his father.

After a while, Jake mustered up the courage to melt the atmosphere.

"So, um, how was work yesterday?" jake asked hesitantly, trying to find a topic that might involve his father.

Darion sighed and put her laptop on the side. He looked at Jake, but his eyes showed no genuine interest.

"Job is fine, nothing out of the ordinary" Darion replied in a monotonous voice.

Jake's heart sinks a little, but he survives, hoping to find more talk.

"I miss Mommy. Have you been talking to him lately?"

Darion's expression hardened, his response short and getting colder. "No. He's busy."

Silence enveloped the room, making the distance between father and son feel clearer than ever.

Jake takes a deep breath, trying to strengthen himself to stay strong, Jake feels like crying again but Jake holds back his tears from coming out.

"Dad, can we watch a movie together today?"

Darion sighed, his eyes fixed on the laptop. "Jake, I have a lot of work now. I can't always be for you."

Jake's heart sinks, but he refuses to show his disappointment. Swallowing his choked throat, Jake musters up the courage to express his feelings.

"I understand that you're busy Dad, but I miss you. I miss spending time with you. I feel like we're getting further away, and it hurts a lot."

Darion's expression remained unchanged, his voice containing indifference. "You've grown up and you don't need that anymore, learn to be independent."

Jake felt his throat choking, Jake lowered his head down on the floor, to hide his glassy eyes wanting to cry.

Swallowing his choked throat, Jake mustered up the courage to continue the conversation.

"But Dad.. I still need both you and Mommy to guide me."

Darion's face remained steadfast, his response guarded. "Jake, I have a lot of things to take care of right now. We'll talk about it later."

Darion stood up from her chair, tidying up her belongings after she was done, and Darion went straight out without saying goodbye to Jake.

Jake's disappointment was clearly visible on his face. He expected a glimmer of warmth from his father.

But instead, he met with indifference, making him feel invisible and unappreciated.

The rest of the breakfast passed in silence, the twang of a spoon with a bowl serving as a painful reminder of the emotional distance between them.

Jake tries to finish his cereal but his appetite is gone and Jake just churns his cereal without eating it again.

He just sits quietly in the silence of his house, Jake's tears drip slowly, he just lets his tears keep coming out without wiping them off.

Jake cries silently while holding his throbbing chest in pain, wondering when he can feel happiness like everyone else.

"I want to be happy too...I also need their affection, I'm not yet an adult Dad.."

Jake cries a hiccup, trying to calm himself down but his tears continue to flow profusely without wanting to stop.

As he returned to his room, Jake could not help feeling deep sadness anymore. He missed the attention of his father and his mother.

The emptiness in him grows bigger and bigger, making Jake give up more and more to seek the attention of his parents.

For the rest of the day Jake spends shutting himself up in the room without going out to eat or anything.