Jaylen Evans

ISS - last day

Jaylen pov
I woke up feeling like my whole body was made of lead. My limbs were stiff. My head ached. My brain felt foggy like i was stuck underwater. The melatonin had helped me sleep but it didn't fix the exhaustion deep inside. Because no matter how much he rested the world still moved too fast. Still expected too much.

I dragged myself out of bed, slowly getting ready. It took forever.
Lena: Jaylen come on
My brain kept stalling, skipping, making simple tasks feel impossible. By the time i finally made it downstairs, the house was already buzzing with morning chaos. Jesus and Mariana bickered over something dumb. Brandon tuned them out with his headphones. Callie was finishing up coffee with Stef and Lena. Jude was doing homework
I hovered near the kitchen, rubbing at my temple.
Lena: Rough morning?
Jaylen: Tired I guess
Lena: You ate a little better last night. Want to try breakfast?
I just shrugged. My stomach felt off but I also knew I he needed something or the day would be even worse.
Lena: you need to try something?
Jaylen: toast?
Lena: toast it is
Lena passed me some toast and I put some butter. I had a couple bites and put my plate to the side
Jesus: you still eating that?
Jaylen: nah
I gave him the plate
Lena: remember it's your last day of suspension today
Jaylen: mhm
Lena: I've spoken to Mr Grayson and you're doing suspension with me
Jaylen: okay
I went upstairs and brushed my teeth before getting ready to school.
Lena: come on. Everyone in the car
I ran downstairs and out to the car. Lena started driving and I was annoying Jesus
Jesus: cut it out Jaylen
Jaylen: ah is Jesus getting annoyed?
Jesus punched me in the arm so I punched him back
Lena: you two enough
Jesus: but he started it
Lena: and im finishing it
We arrived at school and I went to Mrs Daniels' classroom
Mrs Daniels: morning Jaylen
Jaylen: hi
Mrs Daniels: what's up?
Jaylen: nothing
Mrs Daniels: you never come to see me. Normally you have to be dragged here
Jaylen: last day of suspension
Mrs Daniels: you learnt your lesson
Jaylen: no?
She just looked at me
Jaylen: im just messing
Mrs Daniels: shouldn't you be with mr Grayson?
Jaylen: no cause he's a jerk
Mrs Daniels: Jaylen
Jaylen: my bad
Mrs Daniels: go to where you're supposed to be and come and see me at lunch
Jaylen: okay
Mrs Daniels: have a good day okay
Jaylen: I'll try
I went to Lena's office and sat down.
Lena: you okay?
Jaylen: mhm
Lena: where you been?
Jaylen: with Mrs Daniels
Lena: you ready to get on with some work?
Jaylen: mhm
I sat at the small table bouncing my knee as i tried to focus on my work. It wasn't going well.
Even with the changes Lena suggested like an audiobook instead of a textbook or a stress ball, my brain still skipped. Still wandered. Still refused to cooperate.
I groaned, flopping back in my chair
Jaylen: This is fucking stupid
Lena: What's stupid?
I gestured at the math worksheet
Jaylen: This. School. Everything.
Lena: It feels like that sometimes.
Jaylen: It's like no matter how much I try, it's never enough. I still find everything too hard. I have a brain that is constantly working against me
Lena closed the folder she was working on and leaned forward
Lena: Jaylen listen to me. Your brain is wired differently and that's not a bad thing. It just means we have to find different ways to help you learn
Jaylen: But I should be able to just—
I made a frustrated gesture at the page
Jaylen: Do this. Like everyone else
Lena: No. You should be able to learn in a way that works for you and that's our job to help you figure out what that looks like
She helped me with my work for the rest of the morning. The bell rang for lunch
Lena: right being stuck in here ain't gonna do you any good so you can go outside for lunch okay
I ran outside. I felt so restless and like I had all the energy in the world. I found Henry and we were just messing around. Jesus walked past me and paused when he saw me. We locked eyes.
I tensed automatically, bracing for more tension from last night. Jesus just nodded like we were good. Like I didn't take my frustration out on him
Henry: last day of suspension?
Jaylen: yeah
Henry: dad said that you can come round this weekend. Said he'd take us to that new trampoline park that opened
Jaylen: I'll have to ask Stef and Lena
Henry: that's cool
The bell rang
Jaylen: I better go back before she thinks I've run away
Henry: lemme know what she says
Jaylen: okay
I went back to Lena's office

The school day had finally ended and me and Jesus were waiting by the car for Brandon.
The car unlocked and Brandon was walking towards us. The car ride was mostly quiet. I stared out the window, my fingers tapping against my leg, the leftover tension from the day still buzzing under my skin.
Brandon: You want music?
Jaylen: Yeah. But not like loud
Brandon nodded and turned on something low and steady and nothing with too many lyrics, just a calm beat in the background.
Brandon: You hungry?
Jaylen: I guess
Brandon: hopefully moms made food
I didn't say anything.
As soon as we walked through the front door, my body itched with leftover energy. I needed to move. Stef noticed immediately.
Stef: go shoot some hoops with Jesus. Burn some of that off before dinner
Jaylen: play
Stef: good choice

Jesus was already outside, dribbling the basketball lazily. He looked up when i walked over.
Jesus: mom make you come out here?
Jaylen: yeah
Jesus: figured
I caught it and took a shot. Missed. Tried again. Missed again.
Jesus: Wow. That was embarrassing
Jaylen: Shut up
Jesus: C'mon, man. Let me teach you
Jaylen: fine
We played for a while, not talking much, just moving. Just existing in the space together.
Hours went by
Lena: boys dinner
We ran inside and sat at the table
Lena: boys go wash your hands please
We washed our hands and sat down. I was hungrier than i thought. I actually ate most of my food without Stef or Lena having to remind me.