Cerci carries Lance up to her bed that night so she protect him. All of the other kids have blankets so they're not cold at night. All of them have jobs of their own so they can afford to just buy anything the house doesn't provide, which is everything. Unfortunately for Lance no one think about how he doesn't have the things he needs to survive.
In the morning Lance wakes up to the alarm set in his sisters' room. It's the alarm for getting ready for high school. Which means Lance missed the middle school bus. In a panic Lance run out of the room and to his nursery. He doesn't even change just packs his bag and pulls on some shoes.
He run out the front door and down the street. He knows the route to school easily it's just very far away. By the time Lance shows up he can't breathe his shoes are muddy and he's an hour and a half late. He enters the front office still trying to catch his breath.
"What do you need buddy?" The office secretary asks Lance looking up from his paperwork. Lance looks around and then points at the sign in sheet. "A tardy pass?"
Lance nods his head yes and the secretary gives him a worried expression.
"Alright, and your name is?" He prompts the young boy. Lance writes his name on the sign in sheet and shows it to him. "Lance McClain, is your sister Veronica?"
Lance nods yes again and the secretary smiles at him. "I was her home room teacher my first year here. She's a good kid. A lot more talkative than you though." The secretary laughs a little awkwardly while printing out Lance's late pass. "Here you go. There's some time left in second so you should head there."
Lance smiles before rushing off to class. When he leaves a parent volunteer comes in to help the office secretary. A little unsure the office secretary looks at the mom. "Barbra, the strangest thing just happened."
——
At lunch Lance meets Hunk the science room and the two of begin work on their comic. Lance used to be really good in groups and just with people in general, but he had trouble being around them now. Hunk was a lot big than him and that's scary but Hunk is also sweet.
Hunk had a homemade packed lunch of Thai rice. It looked mouth watering to Lance who was eating school lunch. Lance had an uncrustable PB&J, a small apple, and some broccoli that seemed questionable. Lance decides against eating the broccoli.
"So you really like space?" Hunk looks at all of the book Lance had just taken out of his bag. Lance nods yes and shows Hunk the notes he has on black holes. "You're really smart."
The two boys start to narrow down what their comic will be about and Lance makes rough sketches for possible panels.
"Hey Lance, would if we personified the black whole?" Hunk suggesting. Lance stares at him before he begins drawing. What he holds up is a rough sketch of a woman with a note next to it that says "I'll work on it." It's a drawing of Lance's mother.
——
"I don't want you sleeping in there anymore!" Cerci declares dragging him up stairs. Lance doesn't speak although he tries to fight against her. Cerci swings open the door to their second youngest brother's, Jeremiah, room. Ever since Nathan moved out both of Lance older brothers got there own rooms. It's
"Hey! Knock!" Jeremi quickly throws a blanket over his exposed dick.
"You can masturbate later," Cerci huffs. "You're sharing a room with Lance now."
"What?" Jeremi cocks his head to the side. "Hell no!"
"It's funny you think you have a choice in the matter." She scoffs.
"It's my room. I don't see mom making me share and you definitely don't have any power over me." Jeremi readjusts his blanket, very not ready to argue with his little sister.
