Daniel sighed as he read the paper. Why had he even bothered? He should’ve known she would respond that way, everyone else did.

Even people who knew his father thought someone was faking something.

He folded the paper haphazardly and set it on the table for his father to read it later. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, still wondering what to do.

He fell backwards onto the floor, the wood of the chair’s back splintering around him. “Aw, crap…” He rubbed his back, that would be sore tomorrow…Probably even later today.

He heard the key begin to turn in the door. His father was home.

He was struck by a lightning bolt of realization and grabbed the paper, rushing it back to his room before returning to clean up the broken chair.

His father opened the door, Daniel acted as if it was just another day.

“Hey, champ, how’s your day been?” his father set down his keys and wallet on the counter before looking at Daniel. “Another one broke? Those aren’t very good chairs.”