Lag

8.

The chilly December had finally decended in on all of us in Central California. It had only been two months since i started giving keenan off brand lessons but it seems like he had been understanding what mrs. Garcia had been teaching better than I had been.

Blazing red embarrassed cheeks after another I bring the botched lesson back to keenan and he masters them in front of me almost as if Mrs. Garcia was in the room performing in front of him showing him the ropes instead of me.

I couldnt help but smile at him as I watched him bloom gently in front of me. Keenan had so much talent, but too much doubt. His mother would watch silently from the back door window as we practice and i would wink at her to let her know he couldn't see her and she was safe to observe without him knowing.

Comfortability had taken ahold of me at the timberland home. I find myself in their living room so often these days it had become my second home. I love it.

"Where is everyone?" I ask nonchalantly one night.

"Brandon and robert are getting ready for the timberline raffle." Keenan informs me.
My eyebrows knit together, "what's that?"

"Oh, I forgot you're only in 9th grade. Basically for the past four years now near the end of the school year we do a fund raiser for cancer. It's just a normal raffle, you buy the tickets, hopefully you win the prize. You know." He shrugs casually.

I nod, "that's interesting. What's the prize?"

He takes a sip of his Pepsi before proceeding. "Just an outing with brandon, vanessa and robert."

I pondered that for a second trying to understand, "what? It's a raffle to hang out with the timberline kids?"

"Well, sort of. Each of them have their own raffle. Vanessa always gets the most raffles because all the guys think shes hot or something. Robert and Brandon get a pretty decent amount too, because all the girls think they're charming or whatever." He explaines.

I raise my eyebrow, "so it's a blind date type deal. Like a kissing booth raffle. You pay a ticket you get a kiss. But you buy a raffle and you might win the date."

His cheeks redden, "it sounds bad when you say it like that. But yeah, basically. But it's for a good cause and it was brandon and Robert's idea and it's been approved since they started high school."

"And vanessa doesnt mind it?" I ask questionably. As frosty and abrasive as she is I dont see her going along with that.

"Shes the one that picked where she wanted the proceeds to go. I was too young to remember, but she had a friend that died of leukemia. She was six when it happened. Never been quite the same since."

I wasn't expecting that answer but I felt my heart drop all the same. Those are stories I never like to hear. I take another bite of my pizza and chew it slowly pondering all the new information.

"Well, what about you?" I ask after a moment.

He furrows his eyebrows, "what about me?"

"Why dont you do it, join the raffle I mean."

He gives me a small smile, "I did. No one bought any of my tickets. Who would want to hang out with me?"

And that made my heart fall. All the way to the bottom. "I would." He genuinely believes hes not worth the same amount of love, respect and attention as the rest of them. Or any other person.

He gives me an uncomfortable half smile as he finishes his food.

Keenan

Sweat drips down my nose as I rehears the  last lesson for the hundredth time after Cami left two hours earlier. She constantly tells me how impressed she is with my progress but I cant help but feel like she's lying.