I Walk in Circles

I walk in circles, leaving my shadows canceling out the light that pours out the windows.
Windows.
Windows are high up in this abandon building. I walk in a room of nothingness.
I came here to get a break from the world. That’s the only reason you’d find me here.
I found this place in second grade while exploring the woods. That’s when it became my hideout.
I think and I breathe here.
I’m mad at my mom who made the decision to get married. Why didn’t I have any input? I don’t even like this guy. His jokes are horrible and he’s irresponsible.
Once, my mom couldn’t make it to my football game and, apparently, she told him to come. He never showed and when I got home at dinnertime, I asked my mom why she wasn’t there. She said, “Chase, Dave was supposed to be there..?” Her confused hazel eyes were the color of my own. That’s when her phone abruptly rang. Her eyes lit up when she answered it and it was Dave. She answered a giddy yes to him.
“What was that about?” I ask her curiously after she hung up.
“Dinner date with Dave! Sorry, no time to talk! He’ll be here in thirty minutes!” She practically jumped out of her seat, almost knocking her plate full of chicken, broccoli, and rice to the ground. She raced to her room.
Sometimes, having a single mom is as bad as having a teenage sister.
Afterwards, she forgot about Dave not coming to my game. She didn’t even ask who won or how my walk home was. I finally found a time—when he was picking me up from school—to confront him about it. He went inside because I was helping my friends with math. We sat in the hallway. He walked up and told me it was time to go and I saw his chocolate brown eyes flick to my friends as if he was plotting to embarrass me. As we walked away, I tol...

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...mething..?” He didn’t ask me anymore about it and just trailed off. Dave shook his head. “I guess being curious can be a good thing?” he said as more of a question, not a statement. “I saw this building and was wondering what it was. I came to the door and noticed a pile of scraps fell in front of it. And then I found you.”
Oh, that stupid scrap pile that always just sits there by the door! The bench must’ve finally given out.
I give a halfhearted smirk.
Maybe I could forgive mom. Dave saved me. I want to tell myself that I could’ve made it out on my own but I couldn’t have. “Thank you,” I repeat myself.
He has his positives and negatives but he’s a good man. As long as my mom’s happy with him, I guess I’ll be lenient. “You’re welcome, gova’na,” he says in a British accent.
He just has to stop doing that.
I smile as I think to myself, Yeah, like that would happen.