Struggles of a Single Father (Book 1 of the Struggle Puff Series)

Chapter 23 - Tilisia

Edited – 3/1/2020

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September – eleven-years-old

"Come on, it's your last year of middle school! Do something exciting!"

"Exciting and stupid are not the same thing, Tilisia. Besides, I just want to be done with middle school without any problems in between.

"You're no fun, Ain." I said with an eyeroll as Ain and I walked up the steps of Chapel Hill Middle school.

I had been trying to convince him to do something fun before he was a high schooler, but he just wouldn't budge.

Once we reached the top of the steps, Ain elbowed my side to get my attention."

"Ow." I muttered.

"Suck it up and look over there." He was gesturing to a girl with blonde hair that was sitting at the edge of the stairs with her knees pulled up to her chest.

We had seen her there every morning for the past week and we couldn't seem to figure out what her deal was.

"Do you think she's okay?" I asked.

"Who knows. Maybe we should get the counselor to- hey wait!" His goody-two-shoes thing was not working for me, so I started walking towards her with my best smile.

"Hey you!" I shouted, waving my hand in the air to get her attention.

She looked around to see if we were talking to anyone else, but she was the only one there, which seemed to make her nervous.

"May I help you?" She asked formally.

I stopped just a few feet in front of her and held out my hand for her to shake, "I'm Tilisia, and the boy making his way over is Ain." When she took my hand in her own, I decided that meant I should continue, "We noticed that you've been sitting here alone for the past few days and wanted to know if everything was alright?"

She didn't seem to trust us, "Not that it's any of your concern, but my mom keeps dropping me off early and..." She looked down awkwardly, "I don't really have friends. No one usually talks to me unless they want homework answers."

Ain and I glanced at each other before nodding in unison.

"Basically, you're pandering for attention by sitting here, right?" Ain said bluntly.

"Geez Ain! I thought our shared look meant we were going to befriend her!" I glared at him, but he just shrugged.

"I thought it meant that we were going to forget this ever happened and then walk inside."

I turned back to the girl and sighed, "I'm sorry about my friend. He's an idiot. What he said aside, would you maybe want to be friends with us?" I asked politely.

There was a moment of silence before the girl snorted.

"You're kidding right?" She asked snidely

"Excuse me?" I couldn't understand her reaction, but I was hoping she'd explain it.

"Little miss sunshine is trying to befriend the friendless loser as a charity project. Is that what this is?"

My eyes widened in shock at her words.

"Um... no. I just don't like seeing people alone." I tried to explain.

"Or is it some sick way of getting the smart girl to do your homework or something?"

"I'm sorry, but did I do something to give off that kind of vibe?" I felt myself getting hostile.

"No offense, but you made it pretty obvious when you just happened to be watching me this whole time and then all of the sudden you want to be my friend."