This group of students all come from broken families, taunting their lives and whatever comes next. Here at Lake Shore High - A student voice deserves to be heard, your story needs to be told. You shouldn't feel different in any way, and with the he...
"What people don't know, it's who they want to know"..
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Reciting his thoughts, Dontae couldn't help but feel uneasy as he prepared to give his little brother a haircut before his graduation. The memories of his father's shop still haunted him, and he tried his best to avoid setting foot inside. However, he had made a promise to his father and his son, so he had to reopen the shop with his uncle Ramon, who was both the store manager and a close enemy to his father, the former boss.
Back when they were kids, Ramon always felt overshadowed by Earl's success and ,attention, which fueled his jealousy and envy towards his younger brother over the years.
"Are you ready?" Ramon asked, and Dontae nervously nodded, almost accidentally cutting the little boy's head off. Blood trickled between his fingers, causing Dontae to panic and pace back and forth. The cries of the little boy and the other sounds in the barbershop only added to his growing insanity.
Closing his eyes tightly, Dontae let out a soft scream, trying to calm himself down.
"Are you done yet?" the little boy rudely asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Uh... yeah. Take care," Dontae said kindly, closing his eyes after the boy left.
He wasn't sure if he was still losing his sanity, with his mother's figure haunting him or the echoes of his uncle's voice, taunting him from the depths of his mind.
"Boy!" he shouted, causing an awkward silence between the two.
"Boy, it's time to lock up. Are you alright?" Ramon asked, noticing Dontae's distant gaze as if he had been possessed by a ghost from his own imagination.
"Ooh, uh, yeah... let's go?" Dontae replied, quickly gathering his brushes and items and locking them away in the cabinet. His eyes caught sight of a utensil that only his father used, but it had a crack stained with blood. Realization struck him that it was the last utensil his father had used.
"Come on, boy! We're gonna be late!" Ramon yelled impatiently from the open screen doors. Dontae nodded, looking back at the utensil closely. He carefully wrapped it in a cloth, placed it in his backpack, and reached for his phone and his father's set of keys. As he exited the barbershop, he couldn't help but glance back at the spot where the tragedy had occurred. He felt a wave of sickness wash over him, but he also felt a newfound bravery to conquer the pain and carry on his father's legacy.
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After hours, they finally arrived at his brother's graduation service. It felt different without Earl, who would always encourage his boys to strive for greatness and never stop dreaming or achieving success. Dontae had to step up and be the support his mother needed, with his Uncle by his side. He noticed the looks on Calvin's face as he took his place in line.
