keep on going

Eren was born when his mother had been in America a mere four months, having fled from her husband to live with her family. For ten years, Eren and his mother lived with Eren's grandfather, aunt, uncle, and two cousins while his mother worked various jobs in order to pay for their expenses.

When Eren was ten, his mother met a very, very rich man while she was working as a waitress for a high end restaurant. Within six months, Eren went from living in a small two-story house in a bedroom with two other children, to having his own room to himself that rivaled the size of his entire previous home.

Such a change would be difficult for anyone, much less a child. Eren was no longer in close contact with the family that had helped raise him. He was thrust into a private school where he struggled to make friends and keep his grades up. While he had his mother to support him, his step-father's needs still came before Eren's own. Eren had two step-siblings, but both were in high school by the time their father had married his mother and had barely given him a glance.

The years in middle and high school were a series of poorly kept, yet even more poorly understood secrets. It wouldn't be until his late 20s that Eren would come to understand how unconventional his mother and step-father's life was. Lovers came and went from the mansion, leaving Eren feeling awkward and unsure.

Learning to drive opened up a whole new world. Despite the lack of attention his step-father gave him, he was fine giving Eren anything he asked for, including multiple cars since Eren never went more than six months without an accident. Eren's grades fell even further as he spent more time skipping school, and none of his time outside of school studying. As long as he didn't get into trouble with the law, his guardians didn't seem to care what Eren did for the most part, though his mother did make a few half-attempts at interventions over the years.

Eren became very fond of the various substances available at the parties he attended on a regular basis. It allowed him to stop feeling so lonely, to forget what a disappointment he was and how unhappy he felt.

He lasted a whopping half a semester in college before practically dropping off the face of the earth. After a single text to his mother that he was leaving of his own volition and to not report him missing, he and a few other of his 'party friends' planned to drive to the 48 connected states. A way to get away from their parents and see the world. Their trip lasted 16 states and a little over a year before the massive wad of cash began to dry up. One by one the group began to return home, yet Eren had no desire to go back to the Hamptons. While he missed some of the luxuries his status had afforded him, his anger and depression were enough to keep him in the last city they had visited.

Now living on his own with none of his stepfather's money, Eren spent his time and money on drugs and the jobs he did to stay afloat. Unfortunately, he had a chronic inability to hold down any of the low wage jobs he found.

The days blurred together until finally he met the first person he had ever felt a true sense of closeness towards that wasn't related to him. He found himself able to relate to them in a way he'd never had before, having both been raised with extreme wealth before leaving the life behind and now having next to nothing. Their romance was full of passion and intensity, and Eren felt happy for the first time in his life since his mother had remarried.

Of course, like everything else good in his life, it couldn't last (at least in Eren's opinion). His partner became fed up with Eren's various flaws and finally called it quits. However devastated, it did serve as a wake up call for Eren. After over 10 years without any contact, he called his mother, breaking down and begging for help. Though his stepfather wasn't enthusiastic about Eren's return, his mother convinced him to let Eren come back to the Hamptons and live with them.

He's now lived with them for two years again, having gone to rehab and picked up various jobs to appease his stepfather. Despite attending therapy for two years, he still feels very lost and struggles with depression. On the bright side, he's actually found a few people he calls true friends, and is closer with his mother than ever. He's currently in between jobs but looking for something while considering trying to go to college again.