False Confidence (bxb) (NOW ON KINDLE VELLA)

One

It was raining. Lance couldn't help but let the chuff out through his nose as realization dawned on him—it had been sunny all week, and on the day he's to go to his new school, it's rainy and dreary.

How fitting. How obvious.

He shook his head, telling himself to not let it be a bad omen—it was just the weather and not a sign of what was to come.

"I know it's a little late, but we can still do homeschooling, baby. I can still pull you from Westwald," Jannet said, eyes worried as she glanced at him before focusing back on the road.

He looked away from the rolling raindrops on the window and gave his mom a reassuring smile even though she wasn't looking. He reached a hand outward and placed it gently on her arm as a sign that he was okay.

Jannet sighed and let herself frown for a few more moments before she decided to show her son she was confident in him and smiled. She looked at him again quickly, "Lance, I'm so proud of you. I... I know... What you went through... Just, just know that your father and I are always here, and know that we're both so, so very proud." She was getting choked up, trying not to think of what had happened so she wouldn't start crying.

He rubbed her arm, another sign that he was okay and thankful to her.

He'd had six months to let what happened to him in, and to let it become something that he'd always remember, but not let it make him into that one thing. He still had his days and knew it would probably always be that way, but he didn't want to be just that one day—just that one thing.

The car stopped and Lance looked away from his mother and towards the brick building before him. A new school, a new town, a new house... A new start. He would not screw this one up—he'd keep to himself and make it through senior year in one piece.

"Lance?"

He looked away and smiled at his mom's worried look. Leaning over, he wrapped his thin arms around her and squeezed, making a humming noise. Pulling back, he signed to her that he loved her and that he'd be okay.

Jannet nodded once and placed the palm of her right hand on her youngest sons' cheek. "You're going to do great, Honey. If you need anything, though, I'm only a text away. Okay?"

Lance rolled his eyes and nodded, a smirk on his lips.

"Lancaster Miccah Danielson, don't you roll your eyes at me young man."

He chuffed a laugh through his nose again and kissed her cheek before grabbing his bag from in front of his feet, stepping out of the car and closing the door gently. He sent a small wave towards his mom before turning and worming his way through a few students.

He'd taken a tour of the school a week ago, so knew where the basics were: the office, nurse, lunchroom, gym room, and the most important, the art room.

"Hold on dear, I'll be right with you," the woman at the office desk rushed out, rifling through papers, and huffing every few seconds. Lance grinned at her, finding the flustered woman cute. His fingers twitched, wanting to draw out the scene. He shook them out to get rid of the urge.

The woman huffed once more, slamming a stack of papers down and muttering about something too low so he couldn't hear. But she put a smile on her face and rolled her eyes slightly, "sorry about that, Hon. How can I help you?"

Lance's lips pursed to the side as dread seeped in, but he shook off the feeling. He'd been so engulfed in sign language and learning it with his family, that he'd forgotten not everyone knew it. He pulled out his phone and typed what he needed in his notes section, turning it towards her and stepping closer. He pointed towards his throat and shook his head before pointing to the phone, to tell her he could not speak.