Chapter55: Chapter 55

Chapter 55 SLOANE The bass from Tommy's headphones vibrated through the car seat as I navigated the morning traffic toward Kingston Industries. In my peripheral vision, I could see him bobbing his head to whatever music was pumping through the expensive headset I'd bought him yesterday, one hand holding his burger while the other clutched his phone like a lifeline. At fifteen, Tommy looked like any other teenager, this period where they think everything is not cool, acting grumpy and having various mood swings in a way that would test the patience of a single mum working five jobs, wearing the new clothes we'd picked up from the mall. But the dark circles under his eyes and the way he startled at sudden movements reminded me that this kid had been through hell before ending up in our makeshift care. He pulled off the headphones and turned to me with that sullen expression teenagers had perfected across generations. "Do I really have to go to school?" I kept my eyes on the road, navigat