BONDS

"If you have the energy to run away from your problems, then why not use that same energy to confront them?"- K.D

14-year-old Kedi Yildiz is an upcoming freshman who is going to attend a boarding school: a boarding school that is known for having the smartest students in her home state. For a lot of young people who are around her age, it's a dream come true to attend the famous school. Everyone except for Kedi. Going to the prestige boarding school would mean Kedi will have to leave her family: the family that she treasures so deeply. Ever since her mother died 4 years ago due to a mass shooting that took place at a local mall, Kedi and her family has slipped into poverty. To try to make sure the family doesn't end up being homeless again, her dad constantly works to support Kedi, her brother, an 8 -year-old non verbal autistic, and her optimistic 11-year- old sister. Since Kedi was 9 years old, Kedi decided to be the "mother" of their family so she can help take care of her siblings and to ease the burden off her father's shoulders. For starters, she always makes sure her grades are at the best in her grade and does odd jobs such as babysitting to help pay her brother's medicine for his epilepsy. Despite being in poverty and constantly having to balance between taking care of her family, work and school, Kedi is content with her life. However, when her father tells her that she has a full ride scholarship to J.R academy, her heart sinks. As much as she doesn't want to leave her family behind, she agrees to go to the academy to make her father happy and not worried about her education. "How bad can the school be?" She said to herself before leaving home for the academy. Little does she know that she is going to get a very rude awakening at her new school. To make matters worse, she is being watched by a classmate who is making it clear that he's interested in her.

**Warning**
Rape and other attempted sexual assualt and suicide is present in this story