𝐋𝐀𝐋𝐀 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

01

KESANI GAULDEN SIGHED PRESSING the buzzer to his school's front door, left hand gripping the straps of his painfully heavy backpack. A

He had no idea what time it was but he was a thousand percent sure it was no where near when he was supposed to have gotten there at 7:35.

In only a seconds time a second buzz could be heard before a voice flowed through the door bell speaker.

"It's nine thirty, Kesani." The school's secretary spoke in a disappointed tone the boy knew well.

The boy sighed simply shrugging his shoulders, too tired to even plead his case.

He heard the woman release her own sigh before the door was clicked unlocked.

Kesani gratefully gripped the handle pulling the clear glass open exposing him to the entrance of the third most horrid place in the world.

The first being wherever he had to call "home", and the second being jail.

Though all three had their similarities to one another. Like the jail pat down and bag check he had to go through just to get into the building.

After getting his bag back from the guard, labored huffs blew past his lips as he tiredly lugged his body through the empty hallways of the building on the same path he followed every time he was late.

Through the doors, then when at the gym which was next to the cafeteria, to the right, leading him to the main office where Ms. Kelly would be waiting with a look of disapproval and her pad of passes out.

In his head Kesani liked to make bets about what lecture she would try to give. Today he bet she would use her handy if there's something happening you need to talk to somebody one.

To no surprise when he entered the large office the woman behind the front desk, Ms. Kelly, was waiting with her head tilted at him.

The teen knew upon first glance she was bound to see the red and puffiness in his eyes from both a lack of sleep and crying the previous night.

The woman softly shook her head, not needing to ask any questions and clicking her ballpoint pen open silently.

No lecture.

Maybe she had finally given up on hope this time, Kesani thought.

"Where are you going? It's 2B." She asked beginning to fill it out for him.

Kesani paused to recall what class he was supposed to be in right now since he couldn't go look at his schedule. "Um, health. With Mr. B."

Seconds passed before he could hear paper tear.

"Alright, walk quickly you already missed your whole first period." She warned softly, handing over the signed white slip.

This made his heart frown. Ms. Kelly had been one of the few that still did show a bit of sympathy for him.

Another bet he had going with himself was on how long it would take for her to change on him too. He had guessed by late March for sure but she seemed to be a month early.

"Yes ma'am." He nodded taking it gently.

"And please, if something is happening I beg you to tell someone." She added with a bit of pain in her voice.

There it was.

Kesani gave her a lip tucked smile, happy to hear the words though he didn't plan to listen to them. Happy to hear someone had hope for him.

"Can you just call Ms. Santana and tell her my phone is broke? Just in case she checking for me." He requested referring to his social worker.

"Of course."