"Stop the ball!"

Kiel turned his head around and saw a ball running in his direction, a bunch of kids was running after the ball. He instinctively stopped the ball with his feet and picked it up, the kids stopped in front of him. "Here you go kids" he gave the ball to them with a smile, the kids smiled back, "Thanks Kiel!" then they all rushed back to the playground.

He continued walking towards their gate, to go to school. "Kiel wait up!"

He looked back again and saw his friend Troy running in school uniform as well. As soon as Troy was able to catch up, he held on to Kiel's shoulder and they continued walking. "Have you heard? There's another couple going on a visit soon here in the orphanage. Maybe we'll get adopted."

"Seriously, don't get your hopes too high, all they want are kids and babies, not teenagers like us. " Kiel groaned.

"Aww don't think like that Kiel, we'll find our families one day"

"We should not even be here anymore since we are eighteen, if we are going to be adopted, it should have happened a long time ago," he replied as they continued walking in silence.

Troy has been very hopeful about getting a family ever since they met in the orphanage. Kiel had been there every time Troy would get disappointed for not being chosen by couples and families. However, he never saw a single hint of discouragement to Troy whenever another opportunity opens. Kiel was the complete opposite of his friend.

When he first came to the orphanage, he thought he will get a good family because of Troy's influence on him, but it became clear to him that as years pass by, the chances become lower. He had seen orphans go and live on their own as soon as they are old enough, for him, that time is just around the corner. Kiel and Troy were able to go to high school because they were given scholarships in the orphanage. This is because they were seen to have potential, and they are hard-working kids. They study well because Troy believes that it will attract families to adopt him, while for Kiel, he does it to prepare to live by himself.

He also tries to earn money for as much as he can, he had been doing cleaning jobs and other sidelines after classes. They finally arrived at the school. They were both in the same class so Troy and Kiel have been together most of the time. In fact, they do not hang with anyone else.

As soon as they sat down in their respective seats, Kiel got hit by a crumpled paper ball.

He looked in the direction where it came from and saw a familiar face approaching, he rolled his eyes but he acted indifferently,

"Sorry I thought it's a trash can." their male classmate named Kai says, he was smirking and Kiel could tell that he did it on purpose. He chose to ignore him but Kai would not simply let it go. He came towards Kiel, "Did you do your homework? I forgot mine..." Kiel rested his head on the table and covered his face to ignore Kai, but he was caught off guard when Kai kicked his chair and he fell to the ground. He heard some of the students in their room laughing.

He sighed, this is getting on my nerves again...

"Just who do you think you are to ignore me?" Kai arrogantly exclaimed in a bit louder voice than earlier, "I was being considerate to check if you have homework since mommy or daddy won't be there to--"

He was not able to finish because he got hit by a book in the head out of nowhere. "Why don't you just go fuck yourself, Kai, you have a parent but you don't seem to be getting enough attention," Troy told him in a calm tone, but his eyes seem to initiate a fight as he clasps hard on the book he was holding.

Kai furiously faced Troy with his eyes almost getting red with anger, there was also some visible nerve in his forehead now,

"Ah, how could I forget another orphan here! Seems like you'll be more fun than your friend right here." he looked down to Kiel who was still sitting on the floor with his head down low. Kiel does not seem flustered or defeated, he just seemed to be controlled and does not want to be bothered by Kai.

Troy scoffed, "You talk too much." that's the last thing he said before he punched Kai's face. The latter immediately fell on the floor, other students were just watching and does not dare to meddle, some called for a teacher. Kai stood up and got back at Troy, the two got into a messy fight that messed the entire classroom.

The fight did not last long because the teachers and other older students came to step in. The three of them were brought to the office of the principal.

"Okay, why am I even in here?" Kiel complained.

"The students who witnessed says that you were involved in this." the principal replied. "Now can any of you explain to me what happened?"

"They started it!" Kai immediately shouted, his face was swollen due to Troy's punches. Before Troy and Kiel could even utter a word, a grown-up couple came, who seemed to be Kai's parents rushed to his side, "What happened to our son?" the woman frantically says as soon as she sees her son's face. "Was it these children who did it?" the father pointed out at them as he looks at their principal.

Troy grumpily sat up straight to argue even more to Kai's parents but Kiel held his shoulders to stop him. He decided to speak instead, "Yes, it's all our fault, we're sorry. Can we leave now?"

=================

"What were you thinking?" Troy groaned at Kiel as they walk together out of school. He still can't believe that they had to take all the blame.

"Trust me, this is the easiest and fastest way to get out of that mess, you shouldn't have fought with him, to begin with."

Troy irritatingly scratched his head and stopped Kiel from walking, "I really don't understand you. You let yourself get bullied when we both know you completely have the ability to defend yourself." he paused for a bit and whispered, "Remember I saw you fight once, you're like a monst--"

"What's the point? Do you think the orphanage will defend us? It will be more likely that they will just stop sending us to school because that's the quicker fix. That is why we should always keep a low profile."

"Sucks that everyone in that school knows we are from the orphanage." They were introduced as the scholars of their school, because of their partnership with the orphanage. The "lucky" out-of-school youths are given a chance to finish until college. Every day they can see everyone looking at them as if they were on the bottom of the food chain.

Sometimes, it's not just the student's stares...

But in the end, what choice do they have?

They are indeed lucky from other perspectives.

"I have to go to the marketplace. You head back at the orphanage first." Kiel brushed their topic and ran in a different direction from where Troy was walking.

"It's been a week, aren't you done at that yet? What am I even supposed to reason for you again?"

Kiel turned around and walked backward, "You'll figure out like you always do." then he turned back again and ran away completely. He always does some quick work in the marketplace, most of the time as a carrier, but just last week he got a part-time job in a small shop, the payment they agreed on is good enough and so he took it and he'd been staying out past their curfew, with Troy to cover up for him.

"I'm here boss." He immediately greeted as he enters the shop. The grumpy-looking man just nodded to pointed him to a pile of boxes in the corner,

"Good that you're here, I need these boxes put into the basement downstairs." Kiel looked at the pile of boxes once more and raises one of his eyebrows, "All of it? Just me?"

"Well, who else do you expect to help you? I'm just standing right now and my back already hurts," he complained.

"Fine fine, I'm just asking." he laughed a bit to ease the mood.

The owner sighed heavily as he picks up his tobacco pipe and gears up to leave, "And watch over the shop." he says as he leaves the place.

Kiel just sighed, he walked towards the direction of the boxes and starts carrying that downstairs. But every now and then, he had to pause and assist incoming customers.

It was very tiresome, even for him who is used to be active and doing hard work, they are obliged to help clean in the orphanage every now and then. Few hours passed and he was able to finish carrying all the boxes. He finally sat down to rest and wait for customers. It's afternoon and almost sunset so, many people come around this time because it is when classes or some workplaces finish the day. He scanned his eyes around the shop, the walls and even the paint of the building are obviously old, and there were cracks on every post. He figured he can offer the owner a repainting for the establishment, but of course, it will be another project with a bigger payment. He was in the midst of daydreaming when the owner came angrier than he usually is.

"Some money has been missing in my shop! Did you honestly think you can get away with it?"

Kiel was far more than shocked by his accusations, it never came to him to ever steal. "Boss I would never steal from you" he replied in a nervous manner, although he knew in his mind he shouldn't be worried about anything.

"Then who else would it be? It's just the two of us here! Go and leave now, you're fired!" The man shouted as he went out of the shop again. Kiel followed him outside, "Boss!" He held into the man's hand, "Please don't fire me I swear I did not do anything wrong."

He was stunned when the hand he was holding suddenly slapped his face hard.

Hard enough that they were able to get the attention of people around them.

"Get your filthy hands off me. Haven't you heard enough? I said get out of my shop! And you're fired without pay!"

Kiel clenched his jaw, what did I do to deserve this? Did I not have any choice again?

"Without pay? I worked a whole week at your shop! I deserve to get paid at the days I worked for!" He clapped back. He held. his chin high and now he is talking straight to the older man's face. He was taller so he's looking down. The older man gritted his teeth, "Pay? You stole money and now you're asking for freaking pay? Be thankful I'm just firing you and not bringing you to the police! "

This time he finally snapped, "Bullshit! I did not steal anything and you know that!" He suddenly remembered how old people schemes you workers in their town, "This is just your scheme because you don't want to pay me you--"

"Enough! Just get out of my face and don't ever come here!" The big old man didn't let him finish anymore and shouted at his face one more time. Kiel discreetly looked at the crowd gathered around them, he was worried that someone might recognize him and report him to the orphanage so he has to go now. He clenched his fist hard, then he let go. He looked straight at the old man once more before he left, he did not give him the satisfaction of him looking defeated.

He looked back at him once more, "Your store is a goner."

He scoffed, he doesn't even know what he meant by that, all he knows is that he is fiery angry. He kicked one corner of the shop before he blended in the crowd. He ran as fast as he can again to go back to the orphanage. He had to be careful not to be seen by the staff so he had to jump through the back of the establishment. He ran through the corridors fast but discreet until he reached his room that he shares with Troy and two younger boys. Troy was peacefully lying down at the top of the bunk bed when he came.

"Did anyone saw you?" Troy asked He climbed up to the other bunk bed and shook his head, "Nope. What did you tell them?"

"Uuhhh... Diarrhea. You missed the dinner though, here I saved you some energy bar. I hope you're not so hungry" he threw the snack to Kiel.

"Thanks, and yeah, I already ate at work I'm still a bit full" he lied.

"How long will you keep on doing that job, Kiel? I mean, you might get caught one of these days."

" Don't worry about it, I already quit today. "

"Oh that's nice, I feel like my lunch tomorrow at school will be for free, right Kiel?" Kiel scoffed, "You wish, I'm not going to spend my money."

He heard Troy murmur a complaint jokingly, he chuckled at it. He discreetly held his empty stomach as he reaches for the snack bar to eat it. It would have been bearable, if only he's paid.