Turning Points.

Chapter 2

For seven years, Keith has had his lion book his father gave him. For 7 years, Keith has carried around a picture of him and his father taken when Keith was three. For seven years, Keith has carried around his father's old firefighter uniform.

For seven years, has Keith been in and out of foster homes. He can never stay in one foster home for long. His foster parents will only use him to get money. They'll verbally abuse him. They'll sometimes even hit him. For seven years, Keith has endured the crappy foster care system.

For seven years, Keith has been alone.

Today was now October 23rd. How exciting. Keith's 12th birthday.

Keith woke up to his foster mom screaming. Keith wasn't really listening to her though. He stayed in bed. He didn't wanna go to school. His birthday was on a Monday. How convenient.

Did Keith do his homework? No. He never felt like there was a point. There wasn't a point to anything.

He tried to fall asleep again until he felt a hard smack on the side of his head.

He only groaned and got up. This is a pretty normal thing. Keith carried on with his morning routine. He wasn't fed any breakfast. He put on his red and white hoodie and jeans, the same thing he wore everyday, and grabbed his black bag and got on the bus. He sat in the back, alone.

Keith liked morning bus rides. They were the only thing Keith liked in the first place. Everything else just seemed to piss him off.

Keith also recalled he had a unit test today in science. He didn't even study.

Keith was still lost in thought when the bus stopped to drop him and others off at Balmera Middle School. Mrs. Ryner, the bus driver, had to make sure Keith actually got off the bus because sometimes he didn't. He would just hid in the back until school was over.

"Keith?" Mrs. Ryner called.

Keith knew he had to get off. The bus driver could easily call the staff to get him off the bus (like last time).

Keith just got up and walked off the bus, and he walked into the school. He heard the bell ring right when he stepped in the  building. He had Math first period.

Keith stepped into class.

"Keith, do you have your homework?" Mr. Lubos questioned.

"Nope," Keith simply responded.

The teacher sighed. "That's another detention."

So Keith's day was normal so far. 10 minutes into the lesson, Mr. Lubos started talking about an assembly.

"Instead if heading to your social studies class, you and your science classmates will head straight to the auditorium. We have been given the amazing opportunity to get famed scientist Takashi Shirogane to come and speak at our school!"

Almost immediately the room burst out into whispers.

Keith thought for a minute. "Takashi... Shirowho?" Keith accidentally said allowed.

The whole room went silent and turned towards Keith.

"Ha! Of course you wouldn't know, Keith." A kid with light brown hair taunted. Keith shot the kid a death glare.

"James!" The teacher scolded. Taking a breath, the teacher started: "Takashi Shirogane is one of the three famed pharmaceutical scientist, that went to Harvard University, who helped find a cure for cancer!"

"Cool?" Keith managed to get out. He didn't know how to react to that information. Plus, he didn't care. This guy probably thought he was better than everyone else.