DANNY

Danny is a sixteen year old boy who lives in Japan with his mother and his abusive step father Chieko , his real father left him when he was 2. Danny hasn’t been happy and a long time he’s dealt with depression and the fights between his mom and Chieko. Danny is black and Japanese, his mom is Japanese and his real father is black. Danny and his mother Veronica have been wanting to move to America since she married Chieko, that’s when he started to take drugs and be abusive. America is the only place for them to get far away from him. They save up enough money to stay at a hotel for a couple weeks until they find an actual place to live; they pack their bags and take the flight to Chicago while Chieko is at work. After staying at a hotel for 3 and a half weeks they find a 2 bedroom apartment in the ghetto of Chicago, Veronica has a job and Danny starts his first day of his sophomore year tomorrow; he’s nervous but happy at the same time. Veronica has been working as clerk at a gas station since they moved, she’s thinking about getting a second job because it would help out more; Danny knows his mom is stressing with bills so he’s been trying to look for a job to help her. It’s 7:30 am Danny is walking to school then he hears someone yell “HEY” running towards him,Danny turns around. The kid asks him “are you new” Danny replies “yes, i just moved here not too long ago” The kid replies back “ My name is Darius, what’s your name ?” he replies with “Danny” , They walk to school together. Danny and Darius wait in the office to get there schedules, they show each other they’re schedules; they have all the same classes. They show up to their first period class which is Biology, Darius and Danny sit next to each other; Danny feels like everyone is staring because he’s different and he’s not from here. First period ends so they go to second period which is Geometry, Darius gets called up to the office; Danny is by himself. The school bully, Josh goes up to sit next Danny. Josh comes from the same struggles as Danny, no real father, depression ,abused, and single mother struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Josh looks at Danny and asks him “Are you new here ?” Danny replies and says “Yeah i just moved here 3 or 4 weeks ago” Josh asks him “Where are you originally from” Danny says “Japan, I live with my mom in the ghetto” Josh relates to him and says “me too, you want to hang out at lunch” he replies with “sure, i would like to”. Danny is surprised, he didn’t know there would be people like him from a place like Chicago, he’s happy and feels like he fits in; he never thought he would but he’s happy with life.