Two days later, Jemilla was banging on a bathroom stall door.

"Come on Zazz open up."

"No!'

Zazzalil was sobbing loudly in the bathroom stall, lighter in hand. She had just learned that she might not graduate on time. If she didn't graduate this year, there was nothing the Tribe Leaders could do. She would have no place to go.

Jemilla had been running an errand for a teacher at the front desk when Zazzalil had come tearing out of the counselor's office in tears. She excused herself and sprinted after her. By the time she reached the bathroom, Zazzalil had already barricaded herself in a stall.

"Zazz please talk to me!"

"You wouldn't understand!"

"You really think that? After everything we've been through this week?"

"This is different."

"I can go see if I can pull Keeri out of class."

"No don't do that. Just go away."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Suit yourself." The lighter clicked.

"Zazzalil please no! You don't have to do this. You're not alone this time."

A pause, then a latch unlocking.

Jemilla pushed open the bathroom door and could immediately tell Zazz was in a bad place. Fat tears rolled down her splotchy cheeks. Her breathing was quick and uneven. She had her lighter in one hand and her opposite sleeve pulled up, Jemilla's bandage still on there from the other night.

Jemilla steadied herself and spoke in a clear, careful voice not wanting to set Zazz off.

"Zazzalil give me the lighter."

The petit girl gripped it tighter and shook her head.

"Zazz please. If you light that bandage on fire, then I'll be forced to tell someone. We both know you don't want that."

Zazz hiccuped, flicked the lighter on…then let it go out and dropped it into Jemilla's open palm with renewed sobs. Jemilla pocketed it.

"Good. Thank you. I'm proud."

Zazz cried harder.

"C'mere."

Jemilla pulled Zazzalil up to switch places with her, then pulled the small girl onto her lap, cradling her. The usually feisty Zazz just sobbed openly into Jemilla's shoulder, her arms wrapped around the taller girl's neck. Jemilla made soothing noises and rubbed her back. They stayed like that for a full ten minutes. Finally, Zazz began to calm down. She stopped crying but didn't let go of Jemilla. The bell rang. Lunch time.

"Come on Zazz. I'm going to take you home."

Zazzalil shook her head and tightened her death grip.

"Come on," Jemilla repeated, "If you won't walk, I'll carry you out. In. Front. Of. Everyone."

Zazzalil's head popped up.

"You wouldn't dare," she said thickly.

"She speaks! And I so would. Don't test me."

Knowing Jemilla's stubbornness, Zazzalil peeled herself off of her and they headed to the front office together. Jemilla insisted on holding Zazz's hand so she couldn't run away. People stared. Zazz kept her head low and held onto Jemilla's arm.

Jemilla took care of everything in the office. She had quite a pull with the staff. They were in her car in no time.

"So? Are you going to tell me what happened?" Jemilla asked as she backed out of the parking lot.

Zazzalil took a deep breath and started to recount what the counselor had told her before dissolving into fresh tears. Jemilla comforted her the best she could whilst driving. They didn't speak again until they were parked in front of the group home. Jemilla started to get out.

"What are you doing?" Zazz questioned, looking puzzled. She had been under the impression that Jemilla was going to drop her off.

"Well I'm obviously not going to just leave you here alone. I cleared it with the school. I got all our assignments for the rest of the day. I'm going to stay here with you. At least until Keeri comes home."

Zazzalil opened her mouth to protest, then shut it again. She really didn't want to be alone. So she let Jemilla follow her inside and up to her room. She opened the door and tossed her bag on the floor. Under any other circumstances, she would have been embarrassed for a girl like Jemilla to see the state of her and Keeri's living quarters. The Tribe Leaders only did inspections once a week and neither girl was tidy by nature. Zazz collapsed face down on her bed. Jemilla seated herself in Zazzalil's desk chair and whipped out her phone. The girl on the bed didn't move. Jemilla, ever studious, began on some homework. A while later, the doorbell rang. Zazzalil finally sat up, confused.

"I don't—"

Jemilla grinned sheepishly, "I ordered us food. We skipped lunch remember?"

Zazz's stomach rumbled. Jemilla giggled and Zazz cracked her first smile of the day.

"I can get down with that."

/

They ate their takeout in Zazz's room. That normally wasn't allowed but as long as Zazz disposed of the evidence before the Tribe Leaders got home it wouldn't matter. Jemilla had gotten them Chinese: a box of chow mein and rice for herself and a bowl of orange chicken and fried rice for Zazzalil. When Zazz had questioned Jemilla's food choice for her, Jemilla told her that when she stopped by the other night, Clark had invited her in for chicken and vegetables. She figured it was a safe bet but had ordered an extra side of noodles in case Zazz was a vegetarian like herself. Zazzalil gaped in surprise. Jemilla really did think of everything.

After their lunch was finished and discarded, Jemilla decided it was time to try to talk to Zazz about what had upset her earlier. Zazzalil was able to tell her the whole story this time. How the counselor had said that whilst Zazz's science grades were excellent and her math grades decent, her other grades were sub-par. Especially in history. She would have to pass the class with an A to be able to walk with her other classmates at the end of the year. Jemilla listen attentively.

"…and I HATE history. Why should I care what some old dudes did a bajillion years ago? It's SO hard to pay attention. I just zone out. I don't know what to do." Her voiced hitched at the end.

Jemilla rose from her chair to set on the bed next to Zazz and put a protective arm around her shoulder.

"Well I do," she said reassuringly, "I will tutor you personally."

Zazzalil searched Jemilla's face. She wasn't lying.

"You would do that? For me?"

"Of course. You've grown on me rather quickly Zazzalil." She smiled. Zazzalil blushed and dropped her eyes from the pure brilliance of it.

"Well…thank you, Jemilla. Can we start tomorrow? I don't think my brain can handle any more strenuous activity today."

Jemilla chuckled, "Whatever you want."

This time, it was Jemilla's turned to be surprised when Zazzalil hugged her tightly.

That was when Keeri walked in.