Hardcore.

One

First day and I walk in late. Always making a great appreciate in homeroom. Always.

"Leo, late to school already." A voice echos behind me from the front doors.

I turn around with my arms open, "course." I smirk before shoving my hand in my pockets and turning around.

I run up the stairs, hands still in my pockets.

"New tattoo Leo?" I hear walking past the vice principals office.

"How nice for you to notice Mr. Dominique." I say before turning into my homeroom class.

"Mr. Blake, nice of you to join us."

"Nice of you to notice me Mr. Landon." I snap. He glares at me through the tops of his bifocals.

"Your schedule is at your seat, next to Vanessa." He slightly pointed to an area in the room with an empty seat before going back to looking through papers.

I find an empty seat near the area of the room Mr. Landon blindly pointed to. Throwing my bag to the floor I plop down onto a hard stool.

"Vanessa," A small slim hand shoots in front of me. "I'm new." The peppy girl continued still holding her hand before me.

I sit quietly ignoring someone not of my kind.

She clears her throat and wiggles her hand. Her hand drops limbless to the table like her hand was a piece of medal and the table was the magnet. "This is where you shake my hand and tell me your name." She again holds up her hand.

I take a large breath in before pushing her hand to her while turning to look at her. "Listen, Carmen or whatever your name is-"

"Vanes-"

I put my finger over her mouth and lightly shush her. "I don't talk to people like you, or anybody really. And you'll learn my name quick, I don't need to tell you." I finish my statement by turning back to how I was sitting.

"School bad boy I see," she's staring at me, I see it out of the corner of my eye. "okay." She stares straight ahead of her and sits straight up.

"No." I reply staying in my position. Still not looking at her.

"Yeah you are."

I glimpse down at my sweater where 2 earbuds were dangling from the neck. I grab both and slam them into my ears.

I don't talk to people, shit I barely think about people. Plus she was just too peppy. Ky use to be peppy like that. Ky knew exactly how to make me happy. She's gone now though, I can't change that.

***

I puff the terribly rolled joint. I look up to the sky. Look at me, I'm in an alley sitting on a crate. Life use to be so much better than this.

I use to be a straight A student. I wanted to be better for her, for us. She was worth all the effort and then some that I put into what we had.

I miss her so much, things will never be the same and neither will I.

I puff one last time on the now tiny joint. I stroll out of the alley and get into my black Stratus. I never smoke in my car, why? Cause driving and smoking at the same time isn't my strong suit, plus smoking in a car is super dirty and I hate cleaning my car.

Ky never liked dirty cars or dirty anything really. She was a super neat freak and I never liked cleaning so why not keep something clean so you don't have to clean it.

She'd always complain about my dirty room, now its always spotless. I want her to be proud if she ever comes to visit me.

I pick up my phone to tell my mom I'm on my way home.

"Hello, mom?"

"Yes honey, I'm at work right now. Can you make this quick?"

"Just wanted to say I'm on my way home. Anything you need me to do?" I ask her.

My mom works 2 jobs to support my little brother and I. She wasn't home often so my brother is usually with me or my granddad.

Granddad was 70 years old, he technically wasn't my grandad he was just Kizer's but we grew real close. Kizer's dad committed suicide when he was a few months old. Granddad was always there to help with him though. Granddad was diagnosed with cancer when I was 12, Kizer was a little over 2. He tells us its getting better but we know its not.

"Nope, everything should be good, thanks honey but I really gotta go. I get off late tonight so make sure Kizer is in bed at 8. Love you hun, bye."

"Love you, bye." I hung up quickly.

I shove the key into the ignition and roar the car to life.

I drive home thinking about Ky. That girl today reminded me so much of her.

***
"Home!" I scream into my upstairs apartment I've lived in since Kizer was born

Granddad was at the table coloring with Kizer.

"Where you been Leo?" Grandad asked nicely in concern.

"I visited Ky's grave then went for a little stroll." I reply.

He turned to me as I walked into the living room that was open to the kitchen. "Kyla's grave?" He questioned my actions, "You haven't went to visit her in a few weeks, everything alright?"

"Yeah, granddad its just there was this new girl in school today. She- She just reminded me so much of Ky."

"Was she pretty?" Kizer said innocently as he concentrated on his coloring.

"Actually Kiz, she was beautiful. Not as beautiful as Kyla though." I disappoint myself with my words as I droop my head.

"I miss Kyla, when is she gonna come visit again?" Kizer lifts his head for this question.

Kizer was only 7. He didn't understand. All he knows is that Kyla and his dad are in the same place.

Tears wells up in my eyes. One slowly drips down my face followed by another and another.

"She can't visit anymore, Kiz. She went to the same place your daddy did."

He went back to coloring, "Oh, so Kyla was sad in the head too?"

I walk over to Kizer and put my hand on his shoulder. I wipe my tears with my other hand as I squat to Kizer's level.

"No, Kiz, Kyla wasn't sad in the head. She was hurt but someone else. That's it."

"Okay." Kiz said calmly still coloring.

Granddad looked at me with sad eyes. I take a deep breath before walking to my room.

••••
Hope y'all liked the first chapter. This is gonna be a fun book.

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Love y'all
-T