3 Turning Point II

"Where have you been?" the loud voice of his father reverberated in his ears.

Jace's face paled little. His mind quickly rushing to come with an answer. "I...i just went out to the store a bit with a couple of friends, we just talked about colle... *SMACK!"

Before Jace finished his story. His father stood up and neared Jace. Then he caught a whiff of cigarettes that made his viens on his forehead bulge like roots of a tree. He smacked this useless son of his that doesn't seem to learn and doesn't listen to words spoken clearly. He clearly remembered warning him not going out at night because of the recent murders he's been seing on the news. And most, of all he's been smoking too. Which he already forbid him counless of times. And now he says that he was out with some "friends" he suspect to be those little troublemakers hanging out in some damp alleyway out on the streets! Which made his worrying paternal heart pump out excessive blood that futher fed his rising ager.

"YOU USELESS PUNK!!!! WHAT TIME IS IT NOW?!! WHERE DID YOU SAY YOU HAVE BEEN?! AND WHAT?? TELL ME WHO WERE YOU WITH AGAIN?!! TELL ME WHO WERE THESE FRIENDS EXACTLY?!! HMM? IT BETTER NOT BE THOSE FUCKING TROUBLEMAKERS THAT I KNOW OF!!! AND WHAT THE FUCK!!? WHY DO YOU SMELL LIKE A FUCKING CRACK POT!! YOU BETTER SAY THE RIGHT WORDS NOW BEFORE I FUCKING BEAT YOUR ASS!!!" his father berated and scolded in exaggeration through his anger. His heaving breathing causing him to give off an overbearing aura that made Jace who was now cover his throbbing red face marked with a handprint.

His father looked at this with a hint of surprise and guilt. Some sense coming back to him. But still made his stance clear. He would not condone such reckless behavior! Although he regretted what he did. Its already been done. His pride as a father not letting him back down as he gazed at his son with scornful eyes unknowingly.

Jace who had his head down looked up as he sensed the palpable anger simmer down when... he saw the look of his father's eyes. His young and free heart felt a mix of emotion that he does not know how to deal with. The look on his fathers eyes that seems like it was looking at something so heinous and disgusting.

His hand that was covering his face, went down to where his heart was. Clutching it. Such a novel yet awful feeling, stemming from the look in the eyes of such a significant person. Was his heart breaking? If so, he was confused as to why? He never had this feeling when he got rejected by a certain crush of his. Or was dumped by his puppy love ex-girlfriend. Nothing of the sort. Jace was shocked, specially when he saw a drop of something hit the floor. It kinda red but not quite. He felt his cheek with his other hand and felt something warm and moist. 'i was bleeding? But why dont i feel pain on my cheeks?' then his hand felt another most feeling both this time it wasn't warm. Not like when he felt his blood from the wound on his cheek. 'why am i crying? It's not the first time he had hit me.

What Jace was feeling for the first time was sadness that was stemming from seing some important in his life be disappointed in him. His shallow understanding of the world and the many meanings of love, shackling his brain to comprehend such complex feeling. When he saw the look of contempt and derision on his fathers eyes. It had made him aware. 'was he always looking at me through those eyes when he was scolding me? Am i really just noticing it now? Was i this dense the wholse time?' Jace contemplated some more about the things he was experiencing. He felt like he was at another level in life. A different field, with different possibilities. Is this adulthood? This feeling is... responsibility? Or the the lack thereof? If Jace was a character of a novel he had been reading from the past few months that a certain weeb friends introduced to him. He would be experiencing what they would call an enlightenment. Right?

As always. Useless thoughts seems to always come to brain on inappropriate moments. 'im a fucking weirdo!' he sighed. Not moving or taking. Just taking in the his father's tough love. Although he was experiencing pain of another level that wasn't physical. He chose to bear with it. Like the enlightened being he was.

".."

'fuck! What has he done to me? I'll fucking choke that weeb to death!'

"Why aren't you saying anything?" his father askedin a much more calmed manner but admonishment still laced in his tone. Seing his son shocked and not reacting to his wound like that made him realize something.' am i going too far? The look his son's eyes when he saw blood wasn't that of shock and pain but something else entirely.' thought the man.

"I'll do as you say father" Jace's docile tone rang in his father's head. His father not sure what to think of it.

"HUMPH!" the man snorted. Disbelief in his eyes. Not knowing the gravity of his son's acquiescence.

"Tell me of your plans. Explain it so that I would understand."his father demanded.

"I wish to pursue to study of the current trends which focuses mostly on the science in Information and Technology. The basis of this plan is that of the convenience of the people whos who uses its services all around the world" he mad sure to add emphasis on that last bit. His father had his hands on his chin in contemplation. Staring at him, urging him to proceed.

"As more and more people gravitate to this technologies and experience its convenience. Many more will likely to be attached or "addicted" to it." Jace put a little more emphasis on a certain derogatory word that his father used to call him. Which made him instantly regret it.

"DONT START WITH ME SMARTASS!" his father bellowed and snorted. But still urged him to proceed.

"Movies, music, entertainment, news, learning and teaching materials and many more. Easily accessible within it. The potential is endless. As long as people are interested and are eager to learn." his voice more stable and articulate.

His father now in deep contemplation. But said nothing. His head still facing downward then sometime later face up, his right hand on his chin.

Only a little while later his father uttered a word."Good. I'll think on it a few more time before I'll make a decision." his father showed his back to him and left the living room.

In the span of when Jace arrived to when his father left the room. His figure was still standing there sweating buckets. Did he do it? He did it right? Was it enough though? Jace exhaled a sigh. Exhaustion apparent on his face with a tint of hope. His body moved slowly towards his room. His mind full of doubts and fears. Fear for his future, fear for the unknown as he starts making his steps towards whatever decision his father would make. He would do it as he had always done in the past. Face it and deal with it when it comes.

And so the day ends with a bitter note. The house seemed ghostly and eerie. Althought the house was silent, none of its tenants were asleep. All of them aware of what had transpired . None of them spoke of it though. Like all of the problems within this household. They would either forget them or bury them within themselves.