Chapter 17

Elio heard a loud whacking sound in his ear and realized that he had just been slapped by his father. He held the cheek to be sure if he had really been slapped by their father. The stinging he felt affirmed that he had indeed been slapped on the face. He was very surprised because their father had never raised his hands on them before and the man loathed anyone who does. His brothers heard the sound too and stopped in their fighting practice.

"You ungrateful child. I am doing everything to make you secure, yet, you disrespect my decisions at every point." His father said in a very loud voice.

Elio lost his cool too. Even though he was only a child, he felt like he was entitled to his own decisions about his life. Why couldn't their father accept him the way he was, just like he had accepted their father and his brothers? Why was he always trying to change him into a bad person? He stared at his father straight in the eyes and spoke up.