Chapter Text
Summer break had just started, and yet here he was, returning to the grueling hell that is South Rose High. His vacation wasn't even over, and Keith Shadis was already missing it. His boots clicked methodically against the freshly waxed tile floors as he made his way to the main office.
"Mr Shadis!" The short woman at the front desk shot up, "Ms Brzenska," Keith grunted in acknowledgement, not really in the mood for pleasantries,
"I'm just here to drop off a few documents." He held up a manila envelope, and the blonde-haired woman nodded, "Right. I apologize, no one has really been here since summer break started. I'm practically just paid to do nothing." Brzenska sighed, then wrote his name out on a visitor's badge.
"Zackly isn't here, but you can deliver it to Pyxis." She held her hand out, and Keith grabbed the visitor's badge.
"I'd offer to give it to him for you, but I have to man the front desk while summer camp is in session." She explained, unable to help but happy she didn't have to walk across the large campus and three flights of stairs just to deliver a few pieces of paper. "Alright. Thanks," He nodded his head at her and began his journey to the assistant principal's office.
The walk to the office was strange. He had been so used to trying to make his way to his other classrooms through the crowds of teenagers during passing period, so being able to walk through an empty hallway was the same as walking through a ghost town. He enjoyed his quiet walk, thinking of his lesson plan for the next semester, until suddenly he felt a tug on his pant leg. Craning his head to look down, he saw a girl with white hair, probably no older than eight. She tried to maintain a stoic expression, but her eyes welled with tears.
"C-can you help me?" The girl's voice cracked a bit at the end
"Must be one of the summer camp kids" Keith thought, then lowered himself to her level. "I can't *hic* find my class." Her voice broke, and she sobbed. Keith sighed, "Alright, what room are you in?" The little girl's sobs had quieted. "Don't know," she tried to regain composure. Her tear-stained face turned red when she realized that she had just cried to a stranger. Keith stared at her for a bit, "There there." he had never been good with young kids; he worked with teenagers for a reason. "Listen, I'll help you find your class, okay?" The girl nodded. Keith stood up and began walking, motioning for the girl to follow him, and she caught up, practically glued to his side. Walking in silence until the girl looked up at him, "Can I hold your hand?" "..."
"Alright, I gave her counselor a call; he's on his way." Brenzska set down the landline and went back to eating her lunch. Keith stood next to the little girl, Zofia, as she sat kicking her legs while drinking a juice box from a nearby vending machine . "Do you like my little pony?" she smiled up at Keith, and he stared at her, "not in particular." He responded dryly, "Oh..ok." She went back to her juice box. "I like my little pony. I like the princesses." The girl grinned at Keith. "Are you married?" Zofia stared at him, "Uhm-" Suddenly, a man with a buzz cut, not much older than Keith, appeared, and Keith assumed it was her counselor. "Zofia! Dang it, girl, you've got to stop wandering off!" The man scolded, "I've called your parents, and they're-" He paused when he noticed Keith. "You found her, right? Sorry for the hassle, she's a wanderer." The counselor sighed before holding his hands out. "I'm Theo Magath." Keith stared at Theo with tired eyes before reaching for his hand. "Keith Shadis."