and then i met you

4. A-STUDENT

5 MONTHS LATER;

Everyone in the mall spoke with one another. It's near impossible to hear anything, let alone your own thoughts. A group of high schoolers walk together, all in black and gold blazers. Two feet behind them walks Wright. His head is down as his eyes count the dirt on the floor. He wears earphones, living in his own world, as he drowns out everything, the sound of escalators, yelling from people, until-

"Wright, right" Jen stops, along with the entire group. She looks at him, as he removes his earphones and looks at her," are you even listening to?"

"Yes," Wright instantly agreed," absolutely."

"So?" Jen wonders, crossing her arms, giving a suspecting stare," do you like him?"

"Do I like him?" Wright repeats," do I like him?"

"The exchange student," Matilda, Jen's younger sister, helps him out," the Frenchy."

"I don't... I don't know him," Wright scratches the side of his neck," besides, I'm not looking for anyone right now. My mom wants me to focus on my grades."

"What a waste," Jen's boyfriend, Malik, studies Wright with his eyes," such good looks but you don't use them."

"Excuse you," Jen whacks him on the arm, causing Malik to chuckle and hug her, kissing her on the lip.

"Don't worry," Matilda puts her arms around Wright's neck, as the group begins to qlak again." We will find you someone, eventually."

When the group walks past a coffee shop, Wright stops, being well left behind by his friends. His sights are on a girl, about his age. She wears shades, even though they're indoors, twirls her blonde hair with one hand, while using the other to hold up her coffee cup. Wright then looks at his friends, then back to the girl.

Wright walks to her from behind, giving her a kiss on her cheek and sits next to her, his hand on her leg, while smiling at her. She looks his way. Wright was only able to see her dark glasses.

"Soft lips, smells like he's some Goldbridge high," Kassandra feels his hand and smiles at him," fairly small hands. Hello Wright."

"I missed you at school this whole week," Wright informs her," you know i'm really lonely when you aren't there."

"I'm glad you still cry when I'm not around," Kassandra briefly places her head on Wright's shoulder, then sits back in her seat, holding his hand," I had dumb f*****g check-ups all week."

"Really," Wright leans forward, sipping some of Kassandra's coffee and sits back, moving his tongue in his mouth,"mmhh, good coffee."

"Caramel," Kassandra takes the mug and puts it in front of Wright," it's all yours if you like it so much."

"You've barely touched it," Wright reaches for his pocket," let me pay you back."

"Don't bother," Kassandra gushes," I basically get every coffee for free."

"Really?" Wright is impressed.

"The sweet barista boy told me it's free and on him," Kassandra holds onto her cane," if only there were more people like him."

Wright scours the coffee shop, his sights landing on a young blonde boy, a friendly attitude towards any customer, a golden smile and charisma. Then the barista looked their way. He smiles at them and waves.

"What does he look like?" Kassandra asked," is he handsome, is he ugly, is he looking this way?"

"Easy, easy," Wright looked away from the boy," he's waving at us."

"Well you, obviously," Kassandra hisses," it's insulting waving at a-"

"Wave," Wright nudges her.

Kassandra waves and smiles. Wright changes her position, making her face the barista's way. The barista boy chuckles and waves back at her, his cheeks turning purple.

"His cheeks are purple," Wright tightly holds her hand," I think he really likes you."

"Do you?" Kassandra has a skip in her voice," really, really?"

"Of course," Wright smiles at her," you're beautiful."

"Yea," she scoffs," I know that."

Then an alarm went off. Wright took out his phone. He reads something off his phone, sighing as he packs his phone away.

"Hey," Wright stands up," I have to go."

"Don't let me keep you," Kassandra leans forward and gives him a kiss on the cheek," later."

Wright looks at her pinky finger, a sudden burst from the past hits like a ton of bricks. Wright sat by Kassandra's hospital bedside. Badages are over her eyes but she puts out her pinky finger. Weakly she said the words,"later." Wright, agreeably hooks his finger with hers and says....

"Later," Wright hooks his fingers with hers and gets off the chair. Further and further, he walks away from Kassandra but stops to look back.

Wright steps off the bus, standing on the sidewalk, and looks up at the tall metal Gods, that are the skyscrapers. Entering the building, Wright comes across a weapon detector but the security guard standing by steps aside, giving him instant access. Wright continues his journey, making his way to an elevator that takes him up to one of the higher floors of the building. Wright enters a well furnished office, with a comfy lounge, a fancy kitchen and business men and women typing away at their computers. Kingsley Firm is the first sign you'll see as you enter.

Wright walks to a door and is seconds away from knocking, until-

"Your mother is in a meeting and will not be interrupted," the voice of a British man came from a man behind a desk close to the CEO's office," it won't be much longer now."

"What deal is she making this time?" Wright slouches his shoulders and sits on the couch opposite to the PA's desk," defending the government's agricultural farming?"

"I am not permitted to inform you of what your mother does or doesn't do," the PA, Nelly, stared at Wright from across the room," looking forward to the weekend then?"

"I guess," Wright shrugs his shoulders, letting out a lazy yawn," I am going to my dad's tonight and my brother is coming home from college."

"You enjoy that," Nelly writes something on a piece of paper," I have my mother coming down for a visit."

"Oh," Wright sinks into the couch," happy to see her?"

"No, no," Nelly sighs," she knows I have a boyfriend."

"OK," Wright doesn't see the issue," so..."

"Oh he just happens to be white," Nelly rolls his eyes," she's not all into the idea of an interracial couple."

"She's racist?" Wright questions.

"Old fashioned," Nelly informs her-" it's a wonder she accepts me being-"

The office door swings open without warning. Two men in grey suits and dark hair walked out of the office. They shake hands with a woman, who stands in high heels and wears a pantsuit and a neat short hair cut, with strong beautiful perfume.

"Until next time," Serena smiles at the men, her red lipstick shining brightly. The men leave the room as they're escorted out by Nelly. Serena immediately rolls her eyes," useless fools, always leaving me to fix their shit."

"Ben&Ben's Industry with another s****l assault suit?" Nelly returns into the office and sits behind his desk," shocker."

"The seventh time," Serena taps her nails on the desk," I shouldn't represent them. They are loyal clients but they give our firm a bad name."

"You are the boss," Wright sits in the couch, slipping his way into their conversation," do as you please."

"Wright?" Serena looks at him, she then points at her office," you, me, now."

She clops her heels against the floor, entering it. Wright groans, forcing himself off the couch and up to his feet. He looks at Nelly, who tightens his teeth together, showing concern for Wright with his face.

Wright sits across from Serena, as she files through his test scores. Tap, tap, her nails hit the desk. Wright looks at her nails and rolls his eyes, biting his tongue and scratches his neck.

"Mom," Wright lets out a soft breath of air.

She looks at him with hazel eyes identical to Heath's, pushing the test scores closer to him.

"It's not terrible," Serena stops the nail tapping, eyes still on Wright," but a B? You have never gotten a B."

"I can get a better grade next time," Wright says with confidence," at least it's still a pass. No one else in class gets an A to begin with.

"Because they aren't smart like you," Serena stated," and don't count on them next time either. I expect consistency from you. To get into the best colleges you need-"

"A flawless record," Wright finishes her sentence, as tedious as it is," I'll do better next time."

"I know you will," Serena began to look through paperwork on her counter, placing reading glasses on," that'll be all."

There's silence between Wright and Serena. He watches as she breezes through her work. Wright taps his legs with his hands and begins to hum quietly.

"Did you know Mal was coming home from college?" Wright kills the silence," he'll be at dad's tonight. You should come say hi, have a family-"

"I...I'm busy," Serena looks at Wright," besides, he got kicked out of college. I paid for him, but suprise, suprise, like his father, he'd party and drink and blow all my money. He'll run to daddy, who'll play the good guy and I'm the bad guy again."

"He hasn't seen you for a long time-" Wright sat up straight.

"I don't want to see him," Serena protested," not your brother and certainly not your father."

"Mom," Wright's voice breaks," he's your son."

"Wright," Serena calmly breathes in, looking at him momentarily," I...I need you to go. I have a client coming in any second."

Wright bites his lip and stands at his feet, pinching his thigh. He walks to the door, about to open it, he briefly looks back, catching Serena taking a tissue and wiping her eyes.

"Mom," Wright grabs her attention," I love you."

"Mmmmh," she hides her face behind her paper work," call if you need anything ."

Wright leaves things at that. He opens the door, walks out and shuts it. Serena lowers her papers.

"I love you too," she whispers.