Secondhand Smoke

Chapter 1: Prologue

PROLOGUE

The same, it's always the same for Keith. Rise before the sun, do your chores, get dressed, pray to a god; any god to answer your prayers. "Let not a soul awaken from my noise", Keith whispered into the dark nothing of his barren room. It was the same for the last three months. Keith is out the door, feet hitting concrete as early as he can muster himself out of bed. He hates it here with this stupid 'Conway' family and avoiding them altogether, in as many ways as possible seems like the only option.

His previous foster home consisted of a middle-aged woman, her two kids, and her husband. They, like many others, at least had the decency of allowing him to keep his hair as long as he would like. Now, his hair didn't cover his acne or his ears. The buzz cut aided only in keeping him a complete outcast. A misunderstood teenage boy amongst the crowd sporting his hood over his hair like the rest of the angsty his age.

That wasn't the problem, it was the hour he hid behind the mall after the drastic haircut. It's the tears shed over something he knew would grow back without trouble.

Just like the previous day, Keith walked the good, silent twenty minutes to his middle school. His music blared into his eardrum just as the sun was beginning to peak over the tree canopy of the trail beside the school. He thanked the trees for their convenience. The willow trees cried with the gentle breeze, their leaves and vines swinging and swaying in the wind as if they were waving at someone. Keith's eyes shifted course from the pebble he was kicking to the different shades of green to his right. He stops for only a second; admiring.

He blinks slowly, the wind pushing his hood right off of his head. Without a second thought, he edged his fingers alongside the curve of the hood until it lay flat on the crown of his head. He kept walking.

School tended to go by quickly. He enjoyed light reading after class, mostly in the library. That was his escape from his foster home. He'd pretend he had clubs and meetings to attend, all finishing at around six. Today was no different. Even the books felt dull and lifeless in his hands, the pages worn and dog-eared at every other page.

Keith sighs, closing the book abruptly.

"Keith," The librarian starts, "You finished early?"

He can't even muster a smile, his eyes slowly drifting to the floor. The corner of his lips quiver and by the time he meets her gaze, he's ready to answer her. "I just need a break. I'll go outside for a bit. Save me some cookies?". The librarian nods slowly, her smile just as fierce and unwavering as the first time they talked. That was a month ago, he recalls.

The moment he stands, he respectfully takes his headphones out, leaving them on the table. He stops himself from walking on but decides against sharing another word.

In the next few moments, he would see something he thought he had stepped away from since Juvie. The big cat eats the mouse, the fox catches the cat, and the wolf will tear it apart with sharp fangs... that's normal. That's how life tends to go, but for humans to behave in an animalistic manner. Surely, a weak pair of adolescent creatures... humans, had enough understanding and insight not to pick on the weaker without a need or reason.

Just outside the library, feet dragging, hands in pockets, he watched the scene unfold. The climate was the same as yesterday, and the humid air was the same as yesterday. his face contorts in disgust.

"Your sissy coming to get you~"

"She's hot. treats you like she's your mom! tell her to make you something to eat, you're skinny as shit!"

"Look at him!" One of the kids prods at the tan boy's arm.

"Stop, you look the same"

Keith watched on, side-eyeing without stepping foot into the conversation. He didn't want to. He wouldn't unless he had to. Now, there was regret about leaving his headphones. There was only hope that his mind would do all of the filtering for him instead. He takes a seat by the library door, gently hitting his head against the uneven wall behind himself.