When Roxas awoke it was already well past noon, he'd noticed that the over-sleeping had become habitual since no natural light ever made it into the basement. With a groan, he sat up, feeling rejuvenated, ready to take on the day. His feet hit the cool cement floor, causing him to wiggle his toes to get used to the new sensation. He raked his fingers through his dirty blond hair, attempting to get it out of his eyes, his bangs were a bit longer than he'd liked.

"I need a change of clothes." Roxas sighed, walking over to a box labeled with his name in sharpie, retrieving a white beater, and slipping it on. (His mother had always called them 'Wife Beaters' since they were the stereotypical clothing choice of drunk men with tempers.) His blue jeans were still pretty-clean from yesterday, and Roxas, being a bit of a slob didn't mind giving them a second go-round for the day.

Since he was all dressed, he thought it appropriate the make his way upstairs. The bright August sunlight stung his eyes, taking him a moment to adjust. Roxas was so jealous of those who could partake in caffeine, so many people seemed as if they could live on a strictly coffee diet, he just couldn't get past the taste.

The basement door was accessible only through the kitchen, where he was standing, looking out the bay window into his back yard. The lawn was between a yellow and green in color, not sure if it should just give up or keep trying. Roxas had an angsty thought about how he identifies with that same notion, he wasn't quite sure what he was doing either.

With that line of thinking aside, Roxas decided to go and wake his mother up.

Once in the living room, he saw his mother's sleeping form. The dress she was wearing as hiked up, drool oozing out of her open mouth, he thanked the heavens above she was wearing underwear. Roxas gave her a gentle shake at her shoulder, calling out to her to wake up and that it was late. She mumbled in response, obviously awake but keeping her eyes shut. This irritated the boy, causing him to sigh.

"Lucinda." He reverted to using her real name, which usually worked in getting a response.

Still nothing.

"Mom, get up. I'm hungry, plus you said a couple days ago you were going to enroll me in school before the weekend was over." It was true, she had skipped on it yesterday so they could attend the party, but it was Sunday now, and if he wasn't enrolled today he'd have to wait until next week. Roxas wasn't all too excited to go to school, but the thought of sitting around their home was beyond unappealing.

"Oh, so now the boy wants to go to school." She spat, pulling her dress down, before pivoting herself so she was sitting upright, her hands covering her face. Roxas knew she was a bitch when she was first getting up, especially with a hangover, who could blame her though?

"Well, yeah sort of. I don't want to be cooped up here that's for sure." Roxas replied, sitting down next to her, eyeing her intended cigarette pack she had fallen asleep on. His mother noticed his hungry look, wanting one herself.

"Go ahead, and light me one too while you're at it." Her words fell of her tongue like gravel, her throat scratchy from all the bile that had burned it last night. Roxas did as he was told, grabbing two cancer sticks and plopping them in his mouth, pulling his lighter out of his worn jeans and setting them both aflame before passing one to his mother. "and, yes, I'll take you to the school, just let me gather myself first."

They sat there and smoked in silence a moment, he was trying not to badger her too much. Roxas knew she had to work the night shift later, 8:30pm to 5am, at Moody's. It was a cow theme dinner which sat in the middle of town, open 24/7. She had most likely wanted to sleep in a little longer, and he appreciated her taking him there, he couldn't imagine having to work such long hours.

After they'd finished their smoke, his mother disappeared into her bedroom for a little while, presumably getting dressed, he didn't mind, it was only one in the afternoon and they had plenty of time to get there. He just sat on the couch, playing some mindless strategy game on his phone.

She returned some time later, a disinterested look on her face.

"You ready Roxas?"

He was.

Range Point High, it was about six miles from their house, a short drive so they arrived around 2pm. It was rather small, only three stories high with a small courtyard encircling it. They had problems with overcrowding, about 60 kids per class. It was the only public school in town, meaning the under privileged got the pleasure of being shoved in this brick encrusted palace like sardines while the big fish went to the prestigious Range Point Academy.

While making their way inside, they saw just how full to the brim it really was, they had a line wait of about twenty minutes just to go see the principal.

"It's a God damn zoo in here." His mother whispered to him, pointing to a boy through the window to the hallway, said boy was a bit older than Roxas. He was making taking a girl by the hand to the boy's bathroom, not even caring that he was in plain sight of the principal. "The whole place makes me want to take a bath."

"Next!"

Both Roxas and his mother jolted, turning their attentions away from the debauchery they'd just witnessed to a bald man in his mid-forties sporting a dress shirt and loose tie. The Principal. Walking in, Roxas looked around, the man's office was built to be semi-private, a big glass window was between him and the students in the hallway, pictures of his wife was littered on his desk.

"His wife is much younger, he must have a wonderful personality since looks are definitely getting him nowhere." Roxas observed, he felt sort of bad for making such a brash judgement, but he couldn't stop his mind from being unpleasant, he left that job to his tongue.

"Please, take a seat." The principal gestured to the two faux leather seats adjacent from his desk, they obliged his offer and took a seat. "I'm Mr. Brooks, very nice to meet you both."

"Nice to meet you as well." They both retorted the mandatory pleasantry back to the man, like a couple of parrots.

"Lucinda, and Roxas Strife I take it? We have most of the paperwork filled out already with the information you've provided on the phone." He was looking at Roxas' mother now, and she was nodding along. "All we need is a few signatures, and to give you guys a look around, it was actually perfect timing since the school day is all but over. Once the paperwork is done, I'm sure the class rooms will be empty."

The three of them were walking down the corridors Mr. Brooks was correct in his assumption, only a few stragglers were left behind, chatting around their lockers, making plans for the evening. Some stared at the Roxas, but most didn't seem to care, they were used to the incoming flow of new students every few months. Roxas felt like a needle in a haystack in this place.

As they passed by different classrooms, Mr. Brooks took Roxas in each one to meet the teacher who taught the subjects. Mathematics, Political Studies, Home Economics, Physical Education, Geometry, etc. All of the teachers seemed nice in their own way, but then again…First impressions are always misleading.

They had made it to the last room in the school, located on the second floor on the east wing, by this point Roxas and his mother were bored, tracking along behind the man not wanting to seem rude.

"We're going to meet Mr. Flynn, he's one of my favorite educators here, and he's a student favorite too." Mr. Brooks said in a praising tone.

"Science-Room #47." Roxas read the door, suppressing the yawn in his throat. Mr. Brooks knocked once, then pushed the door open.

"Just a minute," The man called, out of sight behind his laptop, he seemed to be talking on the phone to someone. Roxas would hear the occasion "You too sweetie." and "I'll be home soon." Being whispered from where he was sitting. The voice sounded a bit familiar, but instead of thinking about it farther Roxas eyed the room he was in, it was normal enough, a dry erase board sat at the front of the room, lab tables facing towards it, and Mr. Flynn's desk toward the back.

It was a moment before he heard the door close with a snap, and Roxas finally caught a glimpse of this "Mr. Flynn." He was in mid mid-to-late twenties, tall man, close to a foot taller than Roxas, with reddish brown locks, tied in a low hanging pony tail, absinth colored eyes that were very hard to read.

Roxas tensed, this, was unmistakably who had he met yesterday, and the initial shock grew to a low anxious feeling in the pit of his stomach. He felt dirty for some reason, like, instead of having a clean slate with his new professor he was now going to be thought of as the punk poor kid who smokes.

Roxas knew he shouldn't care what others thought of him, he just felt bad for his mother, who he knew would be judged in the process as well. Roxas looked to his mother, she was curing her ginger hair like a grade schooler, keeping her dark eyes trained on his teacher/neighbor, giving him, "The look"

"Oh gross." Roxas remarked inwardly, Lucinda, his mother, really was a person who needed instant gratification. Hence why she was so impulsive. It made Roxas pretty angry sometimes, he just wished that she would focus on herself, instead of using that attention on others. She always gets dumped, always gets hurt. Roxas wanted his mother to be happy.

It seemed he was used to the attentions of single mothers, because he either didn't notice, or was just playing it cool.

"Sorry to keep you folks waiting," Axel half chuckled, sauntering over to the three of us. He acted as if he had never met the blond, eyeing them each equally.

"It's totally alright, Mr. Flynn, but let's leave the personal calls to a minimum. Even your wife can surely wait another hour until you get home" Mr. Brooks said in a friendly manner, his mothers face only faltering a bit, she still had a flirtatious air about her.

"This is your new student Roxas and his mother Mrs. Strife." Mr. Brooks spoke plainly.

"Hell, maybe he'd forgotten already." Roxas thought to himself, staring blankly at the man.

"H-hello." Roxas fumbled to spit out, this entire situation making him really uncomfortable.

"It's very nice to meet you Roxas, and your mother as well. I know that you're about a week behind but I have to qualms in helping you catch up." Axel patted Roxas' arm, giving him a cloying smile. "Oh!, I have some text books for you if you'd like to read up tonight, if not a little bit."

Roxas nodded, "Sure."

"Whatever helps me leave faster."

Axel made his way over to a large peach cabinet, reaching inside, taking out a large book, he then proceeded to rip a paper off of his desk and wrote on it a bit before sticking it back inside the book. He handed the book to Roxas, the same smile pasted on his face.

"I wrote down a few specific chapters you should read, they're sure to enlighten you on the subject we're dealing with." Axel spoke, before turning his attention back to his mother and Principal.

"Again, it was very nice to meet you all." Axel gave Lucinda a big, toothy grin. "See you bright and early tomorrow morning Roxas."

They all said their goodbyes, Mr. Brooks escorting then to the front door. Once he and his mother were in the Volvo, Lucinda shrieked like a teenager, beginning her confessions.

"Roxas, I think your teacher likes me, did you see the way he was looking at me? I mean, he's a few years younger than me but-"

Roxas cut her off with a groan.

"Mom I just want to go home." Roxas didn't want to hear another word, I mean, he was glad in a sense that she had some of her charisma back, and yes even though his mother was a few years older than Mr. Flynn she was decent looking for her age and probably could sleep with him if she wanted but, it would only lead to her ultimate unhappiness.

"Well, I'm sorry. I forget I'm your mom sometimes yknow. I always want to go off and blather to you like your my girlfriend or something." She sighed, and it made Roxas feel utterly horrible, killing her pride like that.

"I love you." Roxas said, leaning over to give his mother a hug.

She responded back with the same, squeezing her son tight.

The drive back was quiet.

-After his mother left for work, Roxas decided to nuke himself a frozen dinner and check out that science book.

"Might as well have some idea of what they were talking about," Roxas thought, sitting down at the kitchen table with both objects. He was flipping through the pages with one hand, and forking spoon-fulls of orange chicken into his mouth with the other. He came across Mr. Flynn's note near the back of the textbook, and what it said caused him to literally drop his fork.

"I don't like being lied to, Roxas."

The 'what if's' began to fill his mind once more.