*Disclaimer* None of the characters are mine, but some of the ideas are. The quotes are not mine either, but I believe that I used them well. Again, this is dedicated to Donovan, and Ryan. Happy reading!
Classes went by pretty fast the next day, but that was no different then it usually was. Donovan was really looking forward to the Capoiara class, but trying not to show it. Boarding the bus, he looked around him. His friends were all looking anxious, to say the least, and he knew that most of them were probably going to give the teacher as much of a hard time as they gave their other teachers. Donovan, however was prepared to give Louis a chance.
The bus pulled up in front of the firehouse, or dojo, as Kerrigan called it. The teacher looked even more no-nonsense then he had the day before, and as the students filed into the dojo, he looked them over. Telling Donovan to turn his music up was a step in the right direction. As he showed them some moves, little by little they got more interested. Donovan swore to himself, right then, that he would make his life worthwhile. He would stick out the last few months, do as best as he could, and graduate in June.
Class ended, and everyone moved to go home. Donovan hung behind, and waited his turn to talk to Louis.
"Yeah, sure. Just remember where it came from." Louis looked at him with trusting eyes.
"Promise," Donovan said.
"You got a name?" Louis gazed at him while asking this.
"Yeah, uh, Donovan." With a smile Donovan turned to walk away as he heard his teacher's voice follow him.
"See you in class tomorrow, Donovan."
The classes passed quickly, and each day the kids learned more. They got more interested in the class then any of them had ever been in any other class, and it showed. Donovan like to play the drums. One day, Louis brought out an instrument that he had gotten while in Brazil. (!!!) He explained that it was helpful to keep the beat with. Telling Donovan to try and keep up with him, he began to play. Amazed, the boy did his best to keep up. After about a week and a half, the Principal made a video, and was going to take it straight to the board of education. As a reward, the class was able to go on a field trip.
Driving on the graffiti-splashed bus to the coast, the bus was filled with the sounds of everyone singing along to the Donovan-altered tape. They reached the coast at about 10:30 PM, and everyone except Louis slept on the bus because they were afraid. The next morning, eleven sore kids walked off of the bus, and over to where Donovan was standing on the sand. "Look at this place." Smiling, the class began to train. Later in the day, after a very vigorous workout, they group was setting up the tents on the beach. Donovan sat off semi-secluded, deep in thought listening to his headphones.
"I never knew that I could do some of that stuff. Louis taught us a lot in such a short time. I'll have to thank him." The next morning, the students rode back home on the bus again, but everyone was in a quiet mood, probably because going home meant going back to school. pulling up in front of the school, everyone piled off of the bus. Silverio Oliveres, 'Lando's cousin, was waiting, and there was almost a fight. "Not now. Please, we had such a good weekend." Donovan thought to himself. The fight was avoided, and everyone went on their way to classes.
That afternoon, Donovan walked home slowly. Reaching his house, he opened the door and walked in. Mom and Dad were sitting on the couch, watching TV. Nodding a quick hello to them, he walked to his room. "Just where do you think you're going?" His father asked with a smirk. Turning back, Donovan told him that he was going to do his homework so that he could try some Capoiara moves later, when he had nothing else to do. "You? Doing homework? I highly doubt that." Daddy dearest smiled. " You're probably going to go with that black friend of yours and get high. Well, you know what? I won't allow it. I already know that you're no good, you don't have to lie to me about it."
Facing his parents, Donovan tried to stay calm. "I know that you don't think very highly of me, Dad, but I'm not lying. How could I work on the moves if I have homework? Louis told us that to stay in the program, we had to do our work, and get good marks. Dammit, why can't you believe me for once?" He turned and retreated to his room, shutting out everything except his music as he sat down on the bed and began to do his History paper.
About two hours later, his Mom walked in and sat down. "Donny, can we talk?" she had called him Donny. He hadn't heard that for almost eight years. Nodding, he took his headphones off, and faced his Mom. "Your father and I are having problems, I'm sure that you have noticed." He nodded, and she continued. "Don't think that it's because of you, because it isn't. You know that and I know that, OK?" Nodding again, she stood up. "Your father often says things that he doesn't mean. I want you to remember that." She left, closing the door behind her.
"I love you, Mom." He said to the closed door.
Donovan finished all of his homework that night, and stayed up until almost 2:30 am, practicing his kicks and flips. He was getting better, and he knew that tomorrow was going to be his day to shine in front of the class. It would be him and Shay, in front of everyone. All he had to do was get through the day tomorrow, to