Ghost Bird Fanfiction: Sang's Lyric, The Story of Sang Sorenson's Mother

Focus

"Did he hurt you?" James asked me, directing me through the hall as we walked toward Calculus class.

"No," I answered, my voice shaking, "but Jamie, I can't go there. I don't want to go!"

My voice began to rise in panic.

James stopped; his eyes closed and I saw him take a huge breath.

"I..." he looked at me, his handsome face miserable. "Lyric... I think you have to go."

"I could find another place," I answered quickly. "I can take care of myself."


James turned toward me. "We're working on it, Lyric," he said, his eyes begging me to understand.

I nodded. "I don't feel right leaving you guys," I said, as we went into Calculus.

"You're late, lovelies," the teacher singsonged. "Ten extra problems as homework."

"I'm sorry," I managed, sitting down quickly.

"Of course," James agreed.

"Of course," Keefe mocked from a nearby seat.

James narrowed his eyes at him. "Whatcha gonna do, Fancypants?" Keefe whispered, "Sic your dog on me?"

James ignored him and Keefe looked over at me, giving me a wink. "Hey there," Keefe whispered. "You clean up nice."

He must have seen the confused look on my face, because he snorted, and shook his head, turning around and beginning his work. I bit the eraser of my pencil, and watched Keefe's back for a moment before copying down the problems on the board. I struggled with it. My mind focused on Kell and Taylor, and then after school, when I was expected to go to a stranger's house, and live there.

I wasn't getting the right answer, so I erased the problem and started again, biting my eraser before tapping my pencil on my notebook as I stared at it. I felt someone staring at me, and I looked over at James. He gave me a small smile, and looked down at my notebook. My face flushed and I tried the problem again. I just couldn't get it.

"Oh dear, Lyric," I heard my teacher's voice in my ear and I jumped. "Is this too difficult for you?"

Maybe not on any other day, but today, it was.

"I'm sorry," I said.

I felt her hand pat my shoulder. "That's okay," she said. "Let's go up to the board. I'm sure if you're struggling there are more students who need help."

Oh no.

James looked over at me in sympathy, but I couldn't fashion a smile. I followed Mrs. Smith to the board.

"Okay, my darling ones," she called out. "Lyric is having some trouble with the first review problem. I'm going to have her start the problem on the board, and I want you to call out when you see her headed in the wrong direction!"

If Mrs. Smith wasn't so genuinely nice, I would think that she went out of her way to be purposefully cruel.

Stop thinking about Kell and Taylor. Stop thinking about Garret. Just think about math.

It didn't work. I lifted the dry erase marker and began to solve.

"Mrs.Smith?" I heard Keefe call out. "Right there," he said, and started describing what I was doing wrong.

My face flaming and my hand shaking, I erased the work I had done, and started again, following the steps that Keefe called out.

"Alright, Lyric," Mrs. Smith said. "Keep going, let's see what you do next."