Blue-Haired Muslim

Chapter 17: Blue

     "Dad," Sam called out once his father came home. 

     "What's up Sam the Man?" Max smiled and noticed that his son had made breakfast for him. "You made me breakfast?"

     "I have to go to school soon and I'm not letting you go to bed hungry. We take care of each other, Dad," Sam reminded his father. 

     "Your blue is fading, bro. Need some money to touch it up?" Max asked before ruffling Sam's hair. 

     "No, sir. I've saved up enough for a trip to Nancy's," Sam smiled. Nancy Kilworth was a local hair stylist whose husband worked with Max. After hearing Max talk about Sam's regular touch-ups of blue, Nancy's husband suggested that the teen stop by his wife's establishment to get it done professionally. 

     "What's on your plate for today?" Max asked his son. 

     "School, then hit Nancy's place, and then heading to Cafe Libre to study for a bit. They give students a free drink if they're there to study," Sam explained. 

     "That's the place where they have like a science lab for little kids, right? Saw it on the news. Don't they lose money for giving you guys free drinks?" Max asked with a shake of his head.

     "Nah. I mean most of us buy snacks and stuff with the drinks. I think Joe makes more money than some of the other cafes in the area because he's pro-education. He has essay contests every week and gives a weeks supply of freshly baked goods for the winner," Sam smiled. 

     "Need money for anything? Field trips? Uniforms? Shoes?" Max asked while shoveling some food into his mouth.

     "Dad, you give me an allowance. I make it work. I don't need extra money. You should save that for emergencies," Sam nodded before grabbing his backpack. He was grateful that his father made enough to more than make ends meet, but he couldn't forget the poverty they had faced when he was a child. He hated asking for extra money because he didn't want his father to think that they didn't have enough. 

     "Have I ever told you how lucky I am to have you as a son?" Max asked with a smile. 

     "Every single day, Dad and I love every minute of it. I'm heading to school. Love you," Sam smiled before strapping his helmet on and heading outside. 

     "Love you too! Be careful! No wheelies!" Max yelled out as the door closed behind Sam.

     "Got it!" Same called out before the door closed. He had never attempted a wheelie in his life, but his dad always made the same joke whenever he knew that Sam would ride his bike. 

     School passed by in a frenzy of physics experiments and Shakespeare quotes. Sam sat in his last class with his phone in his hand. He read the confirmation text he'd received from Nancy that told him that she was expecting him at three. Sam glanced up at his teacher, raising his hand, once she called out his name for end of class roll call.  Once the bell rang, dismissing him along with his peers, he headed towards the bike racks.

     "Sam!" Daehan called out as Sam rushed out he front doors of his school. He paused and quickly turned to look at Daehan in surprise. The Asian teen smiled and caught up with Sam with before catching his breath.

     "You go to school here?" Sam asked, his expression stuck in "surprised" mode.

     "Just transferred. I didn't think I'd meet anyone I know, " Daehan explained.

     "That's cool, man. What classes have you taken?" Sam asked with with a smile.

     "World history, calculus, English, and physics," Daehan read off from a slip of paper he dug out from his pocket.