1.Kai walked through the zoo, keeping his eyes on the ground below him. He looked at the tigers, the flamingoes, and the monkeys. But he didn’t dare go near the lions. Not after what had happened a decade prior. He was young, but it was old enough for him to remember the class trip. He looked at his reflection in one of the glass windows. The scar over his left eye wasn’t the best conversation starter. Neither was the trauma received or the therapy given to him. If only Malia, his six-year-old sister, understood. She wasn’t there. Not when it had happened. In fact, Kai regularly felt alone. Despite all of the signs and quizzes from random websites, he was never diagnosed with depression. Everyone blamed the trauma. He had begged his stepmom not to make him babysit her, but his father said he would, and that was that. He knew some boy was having a birthday party here, some kid from her class. Malia’s face was covered in dried cotton candy, her breath from the sickly-sweet grape soda still there. Kai checked his phone, looking for something-anything to get his mind off the zoo. He got a notification from a game to claim his daily prize, and he played until he heard a familiar voice. It was Hunter Cain, Kai’s boyfriend. They had only been dating for a few months, but it was enough. Kai looked at his wrist, a blue and pale green threaded bracelet from his mother, and a beaded bracelet from Hunter - all beads were silver. Hunter playfully nudged him.
2.“Oops. Say, do I know you?”
3.“I have your favorite book in my custody. If you want any chance of getting it back, you’ll remember me,” Kai spoke. “Or I could give it to my sister, who colors in every book.” Kai smirked, and Hunter rolled his eyes.
4.“Oh, right! Kai Gray is the hottest boy in the world.” Hunter teased. Kai felt his face get hot. "Maybe," Kai thought to himself, "This won’t be such a bad party." A mother calls out.
5.“Everyone, we’re going to see the lions!”
6.Then again, Kai knew, hoping he had never really worked in his life.
