calculus | lamelo ball

part 1

Kaia's POV

"Kolton come on!" I yelled bagging his lunch into a brown paper bag.

"Coming!" He cooed back as he ran through the hallway and into our kitchen. Looking into the brown bag he scrunched his face up. "This banana has brown spots on it" He said and scrunched the bag back up and shoving it into his bag.

"I know, but I don't get paid until tomorrow. That's the way-"

"The leaf falls, yeah! yeah! every morning bro." He said slyly.

Rolling my eyes, I smiled. Moments like this is when I think I would not trade my life for anything.

"Oh shut up, now go say by to Dad" I said and shooed him off as I packed my laptop and book into my bag. Following Kolton into the living room.

After my Dad returned from Afganistan he has never been the same. I still can't understand what really happened. But he is in this catatonic state that stops him from being independent. It made him non-verbal and crippled. He lives in his wheelchair twenty-three hours of the day. His carer, Janice, comes everyday at eight am to watch Dad until we get home. On Tuesday's and Thursday's the night carer, Marlin, fills in for Janice when I am at waiting at Wendy's Diner. Dad gets a veteran wage every fortnight, but that is only enough to pay rent and for his medicine. I work to pick up checks to feed Kolton, and to pay for my car.

"Bye Dad! I love you!" Kolton said as he signed to Dad. The doctor said that their is a lot of chemical imbalance in Dad's brain that ultimately caused for the loss of his hearing. We taught him sign language in the early stages of his hearing loss. He cannot sign back, but always flashes a smile to acknowledge us.

I kissed his forehead, "Goodbye Dad! I love you so much! We will be home after school. Have a great day!" I signed as I spoked to him. He opened his hand, gesturing me to place my hand in his. He would always plant a kiss on my hand every day before I left, but lately he has lost more co-ordination and became more stiff and less mobile. I saw him struggling to lift my hand up so I assisted him, pulling our hands towards his face. Placing a gentle kiss on my hand and squeezing my palm tight he smiled cheekily at me. I smiled back, before signing "I love you"  once more.

The drive to school was thankfully short. Although we pass through the wealthier neighbourhoods, Kolton and I always make conversation of how that is going to be us one day. Hoping for a miraculus blessing that will get us out of our situation now. Even though I mentioned I would not change anything, sometimes I dream of an alternate timeline- where Dad came home healthy, my Mother never left, and I had financial support like any other kid.

My ultimate goal is to get into Stanford College to study astrophysics. I have always had a fasination with the outer universe. And not only because the planets are pretty, obviously. I've always wanted to develop a study into how the wider universe might have encouraged or influenced major cultural development. Getting the grades was the first barrier.

"Have a good day" I spoke to Kolton as he hopped out the car. I was fortunate enough that Chino Hills High was located right next to his middle school.

"Yeah, you too" He spoke and started running through the carpark towards his school.

Locking the car, I already knew I was late. I sighed throwing my keys into the zip pocket of my bag. Walking into the office, I cringed at how often I was late and it was basically an expected daily act.

"Miss Porterson...your timetable" The receptionist handled the piece of paper over the desk. "It is the first day, I would hate for this to be a trend again." She said sternly and looked over the bridge of her glasses.