Seeing him there was terrible. Seeing my own father on his back, shot three times in his head. What was he doing at three in the morning? Cheating on mom? Dealing drugs? What could be possibly be doing? The worst part, is that, I saw it all happen. I couldn’t see the killer, I just saw my dad, Zeus getting shot.

Let me give you some background about myself. My name is Poseidon Apollo. No, I am not the Greek God. My father was named after the god. The funny part is that, my mother’s name is Artemis. When she was pregnant with me, they decided to name me Poseidon. Growing up, was the best. Through middle school, they treated me like a god. Now I’m a senior in high school, and I still get treated that way. Especially by my girlfriend, Cameron Smith. But she only jokes around with me.

But I forgot all of that when seeing my father shot. I woke up when hearing his door shutting. I’m a light sleeper so I wake at a pin dropping. I got up and looked out my window. All I saw and heard was three gunshots and him falling. I was terrified. I ran in and told my mom.

"Mom! Mom! Get up! Dad was shot!" As soon as I said that, she ran and looked out her window.

"Poseidon! Call the damn cops! NOW!" I ran and got my phone, called 911. When I hung up, I heard the sirens right away.

"Mom, I’m going outside." I said pulling on a sweatshirt and my Nikes.

"Not without me you’re not." Mom got her robe and shoes. When we out the door, I ran to my father.

"Oh god no." I whispered.

"Zeus! Zeus, why him?" My mom started to cry. She took his hand.

"Artemis, Poseidon, I love you two." Then he died. We both started to cry hysterically. I was never one to cry, but this was a time where I just couldn’t help it. I witnessed my father’s death. I looked to the side of my mom. The gun.

"Mom, look, the gun. Don’t touch it. You’ll get your prints on it." This is a time where I don’t regret watching CSI shows after school as I’m doing my homework.

"I’m going to kill that son of a *censored* whoever did this to my husband."

"Relax mom. We’ll find who did this." The first aid came and the police came too. They interviewed me. I told them everything I possibly could.

"The gun is over there. The killer just threw it." I said trying to sound calm. But I was freaking out inside.

"Well take that in. We’ll do as much as we can."

"Thank you." My mom came up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders. I saw my dad’s corpse in the ambulance. I pulled away from my mom and went back in. I had to see if Cameron would answer her phone. I need to talk to her.

"What?" she moaned as she picked up.

"Cam, my dad was just shot." I said, trying to hold everything in, but failing.

"What? What happened?" she was awake now.

"I don’t know. Just can you come over? There’s no way I can sleep like this."

"I’ll be over in five minutes." Cameron walks over here all the time. I went from my room to the living room downstairs. I tried to somewhat relax. Cameron knocked at the door. I opened it and she hugged me immediately.

"Thank you." I whispered in her ear. "You remember when I told you I never cry?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I lied." I held her tighter. She pulled away to kiss me.

"It’s alright Poseidon. We’ll get through this."

"I feel terrible for crying in front of you." Cameron laughed.

"Don’t feel bad. Let it out My God." I love her nickname for me. "Listen, the cops are going to find the killer and it’s gonna be okay. Do you hear me?" I ran my hand over her light brown hair.

"I hear you." I held her tighter for a second. "I love you."

"I love you too." I pulled away to drop back on the couch. I pulled her on top of me. "Can I go back to sleep?"

"As long as you stay with me then yes." Cam fell asleep quickly. Then I was left forced to drown in my thoughts.

As Cameron and I lay side by side on the lumpy couch, images swirled around inside my head, scaring the crap out of me. Who killed Dad? And why?

My father, Zeus, was a caring man. All he did was donate to shelters, cancer kids, etc. My father had never even touched a fly.

Cameron stirred beside me, and I stared at her. Her long, bouncy chocolate hair was sprawled all over her angel carved face. Under her eyelids, were the most beautiful hazel eyes ever. They sparkled like a million diamonds. Cameron was a wonderful girl, never getting into trouble. She held me back from fights, tutored me to get good grades, and kept me steady on two feet. I loved her so much. I knew that she would be with me forever. Only death would draw us apart, one way or another.

Sooner or later I finally gave up on thinking things through and finally drifted to sleep. But every other hour I woke up. I kept dreaming of him getting shot. It was like, I got shot in my dreams. I jumped every time I woke up. I looked at Cameron to see if I woke her up. I didn’t and fell back to sleep.

After a few hours of sweet deep sleep, I woke up at nine, and Cameron was gone. She left a note,

That’s my girl. She’s always there for me, forcing me to do the right things. I got up and went to the kitchen. Mom was there, staring into her coffee cup, with a tear stained face. I walked over and sat on our counter and poured myself a cup of coffee and added a bit of sugar.

"Poseidon?" Her voice was dead and miserable.

"Yeah mom?" I asked, my voice was nothing like hers.

"Promise me you won’t do anything stupid."

"Like what?"

"Just anything. Don’t get yourself into trouble. Please." I got off the counter and put my hand on her shoulder.

"I won’t mom. I’ll be safe."

"I don’t need anything happening to you."

"I know."

"Poseidon, you’re my only child and I’d die if anything happened to you now. I love you hon."

"I love you too Mom." She turned to face me. She ran her fingers through my medium length brown hair. "Listen, we should do something today. Do you want to go bowling? I need practice for school."

"No, you go. I need time alone."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Go. You need your practice."

"I’ll bowl three games then come back."

"Keep your phone with you."

"I’m not leaving yet. I’m going to take a shower and change. I’ll leave in about an hour."

"Alright." I finished my coffee and went upstairs to the bathroom. I started the shower and got a towel. I undressed and got in. After I was done, I dried off and went into my room to get dressed. After that I got money, my three bowling balls, and my wallet. I loaded my two thousand eight Ford Explorer, and told my mom I was gone. I got to the bowling alley and saw my friend Chase.

"P-side! What you doin’ here?" He was smoking pot. He’s a good friend, but a pot head.

"I needed a day off. I came to practice." I said as I opened my trunk to get my bag. I got it, closed and locked all the doors. I went in and the lanes were empty.

"Poseidon, what are you doing here? Don’t you have school?" Kacey the manager asked me. I tell him everything. He’s definitely like a brother to me.

"Kace, listen, my dad was shot last night." I whispered. "I saw it all happen. I don’t know why the hell he was shot."

"Whoa, you’re getting free games. How many are you bowling?"

"Probably three like usual."

"Want someone to bowl with? I’m bored as hell right now." he had a smile on his face. I smiled back. "Lane twenty seven. I’ll meet you there."

"Alright Kace." I took my bag and went to twenty-seven. I cleaned off my balls and set them by the ball return. Kacey came back with his. I put my brace on my left hand. He put our names in and of course put me first.

We bowled the three games, which took us two hours. I beat him by three pins.

"Hang in there. You’re a god. You can get through this." I laughed at "you’re a god".

"Thanks Kace. I needed to hang out with someone."

"Anytime." I put the bag in the back and headed back home. By the time I got home it was eleven thirty.

"Mom, I’m home." I said loudly so she could hear me wherever she was. I went in the kitchen and saw her, sprawled out on the floor with a Vodka bottle in her hand. I checked her pulse. It was beating very slowly. I picked her up and took the bottle from her and put it on the counter. Her mouth was full of blood. I don’t know what happened. I took her straight to the hospital.

They took her and left me in the waiting room. A girl came beside me. She was about the same age as me. Maybe a year younger. She was crying hysterically.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked quietly. She looked up at me. Her blue eyes looked into my brown ones.

"No, my brother is dying. I can’t even look at myself. We’re twins."

"It’s going to be okay."

"Have you been in a situation like this before?"

"I saw my dad getting shot last night. He’s dead. Now my mom is in there now. I went bowling to practice for school with a friend, I come home and see her on the ground with a Vodka bottle in her hand."

"That’s awful." She whispered. "Well, I’m Mandy by the way."

"Poseidon."

"Like the Greek God?" I nodded. "You probably get treated like one with looks like yours."

"To tell you the truth, I do get treated like one. Since middle school actually." I said with a half smile. "It’s been great. But last night, I forgot everything."

"Poseidon, it’s going to get better for the both of us."

"Let’s hope."

"Let’s hope." She repeated.

We were talking about little things until Cameron called me.

"Um, excuse me. I’ll be right back." I said awkwardly. I walked to the end of the hall and answered. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" Cameron asked. "I’m standing out side your house for ten minutes now."

"My mom’s in the hospital."

"What why? What happened?"

"She p*censored*ed out drinking. I went bowling and came home and saw her on the kitchen floor."

"That’s terrible. I’m coming to the hospital now. I’ll see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too." I hung up and went back to Mandy. "Sorry, that was my girlfriend. She’s coming to be with me." I saw a little sparkle in her eyes dull.

"Oh." She said looking away.

"What?" I asked sitting next to her.

"That just reminded me of something."

"Of what?"

"It’s nothing really. Don’t worry about it."

"Mandy, I’ve only known you for a few hours but I can tell it’s bothering you. Just tell me and get it off your chest."

"My boyfriend just broke up with me this morning. I told him Ryan was dying then dumped me over the phone."

"What a jerk." I whispered. "If you need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here." I smiled. Then she burst into tears. Not from her ex, but her brother. I hugged her and she cried into my shoulder.

"I’m so glad I met you here." She whispered. I put my hand on her head and slid it down to where her hair ends. She didn’t calm for a half-hour. I kissed her head, trying to calm her.

"Poseidon, what the hell?" Cameron came out of nowhere.

"Cameron, relax." I said quietly. "I’m not cheating on you. I’m trying to calm her."

"You have more important things to worry about instead of some random girl."

"She needed the comfort."

"You have more important things to worry about." She repeated.

"Relax." I said to Cameron. "Mandy, will you be okay for a second?" I whispered to her.

"I guess." She whispered. I let her go and went by Cameron.

"Walk with me." I said to her, looking over her head.

"Fine." she said bitterly. Then we walked down the hallway.

"Cam, her brother is dying. She came and sat by me, crying hysterically. What was I supposed to do? Let her cry? Uh, no. I’m better than that."

"Poseidon, you’re just saying that." Cameron spat at me.

"What can I do to show you it was nothing?"

"I don’t know."

"Come on, Cameron." I said with a somewhat laugh. "You do that all the time."

"Excuse me then." She spat again. "Stay away from her." Cameron was never this clingy. She never cared whom I hung out with. She never cared about any of that crap.

"No."

"What the hell?"

"You don’t control me Cameron." She couldn’t take it anymore. She threw my books at me and walked away. I walked back to Mandy. She was asleep. I looked at the clock on the wall. Four thirty. I guess crying made her tired. I sat next to her.

"Poseidon Apollo?" A nurse asked behind the desk.

"Yes?" I said.

"You can go and see your mother. She’s in B112."

"Thank you. And when she wakes up, tell her where I went."

"I will."

"Thanks again." I walked down the hall again and went all the way down. I walked in the room and saw her, pale as anything. She was sleeping. I took her hand lightly.

"Poseidon?" I could barely hear her.

"I’m here. What do you need?"

"I just need my son."

"Well you have me."

"I was so stupid. I should have gone with you. I drank so much. Then it was all blank."

"It’s okay Mom. You were trying to relax."

"I drank half the friggen bottle."

"Relax Mom." I whispered. I pushed her pale blonde hair out of her face. "Forget about it."

"How can I? I almost died."

"Mom, relax and sleep. I’m going to start my homework. I’m not leaving." She weakly smiled.

"Thanks hon." She fell asleep. I sat in the chair across her bed and started my homework. It didn’t take long. It was just study guide crap and looking over notes. It took me less than a half-hour. Mom was still asleep. I went down the hall to see if Mandy was still there, still asleep. I walked to the cafeteria, and got myself coffee. I went back, looked at the sleeping girl, then back to Mom’s room. Hardly sleeping was starting to bite me back. I basically downed it and was still tired. I threw my cup away and got comfortable in the chair. I drifted to sleep.

I was running. From what, I don’t know. I heard a gunshot. I dodged the bullet. A second one fired. It hit my leg. I yelled in pain. I tried to get my phone, but it wasn’t in my pocket. Oh my god. I’m dead. I didn’t even want to look up. I forced myself to look up. A male, maybe in his twenties, his face was dark, I could only see his grey eyes. I was done.

My eyes shot open. Oh god, I’m still alive. I took a deep breath.

"Poseidon, hon, are you okay? You slept through the night." Her voice was stronger than yesterday.

"Yeah, I’m fine. Just a nightmare. I’m going to get some coffee. Want anything?"

"No thanks. And listen, I want you go to school. You can just make it."

"No, Mom, I’m not leaving you." I got up and took her hand.

"Poseidon, you don’t have to stay with me."

"Yes I do. I really don’t trust you alone now." I smiled. She did to.

"I can understand that."

"Now, I’m going to get coffee." I smiled and left. I went to the cafeteria and got coffee and a bagel. Mandy came out of nowhere.

"Poseidon!" she screamed happily. I turned around, she was smiling.

"Yeah?" I smiled back.

"They saved my brother! He’s alive!"

"That’s great Mandy!" I put down my breakfast and hugged her.

"I know it is! My mom and dad sent me to go somewhere for the day, told me to relax and let things sink in. so I decided to hang out with you."

"Well I’m going to be in my mom’s hospital room all day probably. She might kick me out later. Want to go bowling then?"

"Sure, why not? But I’m warning you, I suck." She said with a laugh.

"No problem, I can help out." I smirked jokingly.

"Sounds good." she laughed.

"Let me eat, then I’ll tell my mom where we’re going."

"I’ll sit with you."

"Oh, I was going to the room, but here’s fine too." We sat at a table closest to us and talked about random things. I learned that we have the same taste in music. Her favorite band is All Time Low, which is mine too.

"I really want the new CD, ‘Nothing Personal’." Mandy laughed.

"Me too. I was thinking about stealing it from a friend and burning it."

"Could you do that for me too?"

"Sure."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Where do you go to school?"

"You know the high school, down by the lake right?"

"Yeah I go there."

"Me too! Why haven’t I seen you?"

"I’m a senior."

"Oh, I’m a junior." I laughed. "When’s your lunch?"

"Eighth."

"Mine too!"

"Why didn’t I ever see you?"

"I by the door."

"I sit by the window with my bowling friends. My other friends make fun of me for bowling but I play along." I smiled.

"I sit with my art and creative writing nerds." We laughed at that.

"You write?"

"Yeah, I don’t really like to talk about my feelings to anyone. I bottle everything up, wait for an inspiration, then I write all day and night."

"I suck at writing. I’m failing English."

"Well even though I’m a junior, I can help out."

"We’ll see." I finished up and went to the room.

"Hey, Mom, is it okay if I go bowling with a friend?"

"I thought you’re not going to leave me?" She joked with a laugh.

"Well I changed my mind."

"Are you going with Cameron?"

"No, we got into a fight yesterday. She thinks I’m cheating on her."

"With who?"

"A girl I met yesterday. Her brother was dying and they saved him. She was in hysterics. I was trying to comfort her. I was hugging her. I kissed her head once and Cam saw. She got jealous. She’s never been like that."

"Well, Poseidon, girls get jealous over the dumbest little things."

"True that. Well I’m gone. Call me if you need anything." I went over and kissed her cheek. "Love you Mom."

"Love you too." I got my keys and went out the door. Mandy was waiting at the end of the hall.

"You ready?" I asked as we started walking.

"Yep."

"I have to stop at home to get my stuff."

"Okay." We walked to my Ford in silence. When we got there, and got in, I started the car and realized that I was listening to Hellogoodbye. I looked at Mandy, she was smiling.

"What?" I asked.

"I love Hellogoodbye. They’re an older band, but I love them!"

"I do too. A friend got me hooked."

"I love techno, so I listen to all this nonsense." I smiled and kept smiling while I was driving back home. When she saw my house.

"This is huge." She whispered more to herself.

"I know." I said with a laugh. "You want to stay or go in with me?"

"I’ll stay." I got out and went to the house. My bag was by the couch. But my rosin was in my room. I ran up the stairs into my room and saw it was trashed. I looked around. My bed was flipped, my desk was on its side, papers everywhere, and on my mirror, written in red lipstick,

That *censored*. I wasn’t cheating! Why can’t she process that? Oh my god. I can’t believe she would do something like this. Sweet innocent Cameron Smith. I guess she’s not so sweet after all. I didn’t even want to find my rosin. I found my camera and took pictures of my room. I’m thinking about suing for entering and breaking. I got a really good picture of the mirror.

I went back down stairs got my bag, and went out to the car. Mandy was blasting the music. She could tell I was pissed off.

"You okay?"

"Oh no."

"What’s wrong?" she said as I was putting my bag in the back.

"I’ll show you." I shut the back and got in the driver’s seat. I took my camera from my pocket and showed her the pictures.

"Psycho." She whispered. "No offence."

"None taken. I’m thinking about suing."

"I’d support you."

"I know you would. She’s just changed. I don’t know why." Then we were on our way.

I kept trying to think things through. My dad always told me I think too much and I should focus on what’s ahead of me. But was he thinking of that when he was shot? I have to set that aside for a while. As he said, "Poseidon, stop thinking too much. That annoys the crap out of me and you know it. Just take things slow and enjoy the moment." Then he would flash me a perfect smile and send me off to school. When I pulled up to a stoplight and I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"You okay?" Mandy’s soft voice asked.

"I guess just pissed." I said opening my eyes and started to drive again.

"I can help with putting your room back together." She said with a laugh.

"Nah, that’s alright. I can do it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." I dragged out the word. I pulled into the bowling alley. I parked and we got out. I got my stuff and we went in. Kacey saw me and smiled.

"Hello Mr. Apollo." He said.

"Hello Mr. Branson." I said with a smile.

"Why are you here again?"

"My mom’s in the hospital now. She told me to leave and do something."

"Why? And who’s this sweetheart over there?" he nodded at Mandy.

"Mandy Argon." She smiled.

"Kacey Branson." He extended his and she shook it.

"Well when I came home I saw her p*censored*ed out on the floor with a Vodka bottle in her hand." I said to him. "Kace owns the bowling alley. I work here during the summer and when I need money." I said to Mandy now.

"Which is like, every other month." He smirked.

"Shut up Kacey." I said with a laugh.

"Well, you really shouldn’t tell your boss to shut up… I could fire you…"

"You wouldn’t do that. You know how much business I bring in."

How much do you bring in?" Mandy asked.

"A lot. My bowling nerds come here everyday because we get a little discount because I’m friends with the owner over here."

"Well you two get bowling. Wait, where’s Cameron?"

"I’m breaking up with her."

"Why?"

"She turned psycho. Want to see what she did to my room?" I took out my camera and showed him the bed, desk, floor, and mirror.

"Who does she think you’re cheating with?"

"Mandy. She was crying hysterically and I was trying to comfort her. I kissed her head once and Cam saw and flipped out."

"But it did help." Mandy took hold of my forearm. I looked at her and nodded.

"I barely knew her. And I still barely know her. But we’re getting pretty close." I smiled and she blushed. I laughed. "Now, can we have a lane?"

"Sure. Sweetheart, do you need shoes?" Kace asked Mandy.

"Might be nice. Sevens please."

"Here you go. And Poseidon, lane twelve."

"Thanks." I said and we went to our lane. I got my spare and my regular ball. I helped Mandy pick out a ball. She was so tiny, it was a bit harder. I finally found a ten pound one.

"Try this one." I said as I handed it to her.

"Yeah, this works." We went back to the lane and put our shoes on. My hands were a bit damp, from the oil on the house balls.

"Kace! You have a rosin a can steal?" I called across the alley.

"Pro Shop! Tell Joshua that I sent you so you don’t have to pay!" he called back.

"I’ll be right back. I said to Mandy. I changed to my sneakers and went to the Pro Shop.

"Hey Poseidon. What’s up?" Joshua said.

"I need a rosin. Left mine at home."

"Well, I have one." He turned around and got me a purple rosin bag. "Pay up."

"Kace said he’d cover it."

"Alright. Oh and your next match, remind me to get out of this shop and watch. I heard you’re amazing under all that pressure crap."

"I’m amazing anyway."

"Don’t get cocky Mr. Apollo." Joshua smirked. I smiled and walked away. I put my bowling shoes back on and then I put our names in.

"You’re so going to win." Mandy said with a laugh.

"Oh I knew that already." I smirked. She hit my arm and I smiled. "Ready to bowl?" I asked.

"Yep." I made her go first. One word, gutter. I tried not to laugh. That was an epic fail.

"Do you want me to help?"

"Sure."

"Okay you’re a lefty, so that helps me a lot. I shoot for second arrow and stand on middle dot. Don’t force the ball, just push it. Here I’ll show you what I mean when I bowl. Just do what I told you." She got her ball and lined up at middle dot and tried to aim for second arrow. Epic fail.

"Epic debacle!" I laughed at that.

"What does debacle mean?"

"Fail."

"Well you’re right about that. Watch my approach." She nodded and I got my ball, lined up, and focused on my target. I started walking, once I was at the foul line, I rolled it, making no sound. Strike. I turned and smirked.

"How did you… how did you do that?"

"Practice over the years."

"Well I officially hate you when bowling."

"Come on, don’t be like that." I smirked.

"Fine." she smirked back.

"Well you’re up."

"I’m just going to throw it."

"Let’s see where that gets you." She got a strike. "You got lucky."

"That’s what he said."

"Perv. I never thought you’d be the one making jokes like that."

"Oh I’m terrible."

"That’s a plus for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I love a girl with a good sense of humor. I’m so perverted when I’m with my friends. But that doesn’t mean I’m into you in a romantic way or anything." Or at least not yet, I thought. Yeah she’s pretty but not yet. I like to wait. At least I used to like to wait. It took me a month to ask out Cameron just to see if we would be good together. We were until all this nonsense happened.

"Hey, Poseidon!" Mandy said snapping her fingers in front of me, getting me back to the world. "You’re up." she said with a laugh.

"Sorry, zoned out for a second." I lined up and bowled a strike again.

Three games later, we were done. We stayed at the bowling alley all day. Before we went back to the hospital, I went home and put my stuff away. This time Mandy went in with me because it was dark and she was a bit freaked.

"Do you want to start fixing your room? With me, you could get it done a bit faster." She suggested.

"Sure. Why not?" Then we headed upstairs into my room. I opened my door and saw Cameron writing something else on the mirror.

"What are you doing here?" I yelled, more and more anger growing within me.