“Was that Eric Pender I just saw running off?” The grey haired secretary asked with a smirk that said she already knew the answer. 

Taylor nodded. “Its chemistry time, he’s probably gone to the second floor boys to smoke.” 

“I’ll let the custodians know.” She smiled, typing a note into her computer before picking up a round blue and grey tin and setting it on the counter in front of her. “Chocolate chip.” She said with a smile, opening the lid and shaking the tin. “Take two.”

Smiling, Taylor moved forward and juggling his books to one arm, plucked two side plate sized cookies. They were still soft and chewy and slightly warm from having been resting on top of the computer tower. “Thank you.” He said before taking a large bite. 

He loved coming to the office because he was one of the few students that the old secretary liked well enough to slip her homemade cookies to. 

“Principal Harmond is on a phone call, so he said to have you take a seat and wait. He should be out in a minute.” 

Taylor nodded, finishing his cookie. The tin was pushed towards him again and he grinned, grabbing two more. 

Shuffling over to the well worn orange polyester chairs, Taylor took a seat and dropped his books on the little table beside him. 

Mrs. Baxter turned back to her work, typing something into her computer with the rapid speed of someone who had practiced typing for decades. She wouldn’t bother Taylor like many of his past secretaries would have, knowing that he wouldn’t really have anything he wanted to say. 

So Taylor let his head fall back, neck resting on the hard top of his seat. He closed his eyes to the florescent lighting and allowed his mind to drift. 

Where were they going to send him this time? He didn’t really have an deep connections to the State he was currently in and honestly his only real friend was a bit of a jerk. Making friends as the constantly new kid at school wasn’t easy, and to top it all off he was two grades ahead of his peers since he had a teacher who had realized that he had potential. 

It was nearly Christmas and had he made it to January, it would have been the first time he didn’t change schools for an entire semester. That didn’t look likely though, and Taylor would once again be preparing to be the new kid after break.

He wondered if he had time to quit his job or if he would simply disappear again, they owed him his last paycheque and regardless of where he was going to end up, money was always a necessity. Finding a new job would be a priority, hopefully he’d get good references and be able to pick something up quickly. He hated being at the total mercy of the foster family he lived with. 

Before his mind could delve into darker thoughts, the inner door to the principal’s office opened and a paunchy, slightly balding grey haired man walked out. He spoke a few hushed words to the secretary before turning on a smile and looking at Taylor. “Come in son, we need to have a chat.”

Taylor nodded, gulping hard as the bite of cookie he had just taken lodged in his throat. He coughed and thumped his chest as he followed the principal into his office. Sitting on the guest’s side of the large light wood desk was a can of Coke. The perspiration on the hand was slippery as Taylor picked up the can. 

“There isn’t an easy way to say this Taylor,” Mr. Harmond began gesturing for the boy to drink. Not many students received the preferential treatment but with the little bit of understanding of what Taylor had been through in his school career alone, the least Harmond could do was give the boy one comforting place. 

“I’ve been given up by my current foster family and will be replaced in another home, likely in another town or city.” He cracked the cold can and took a sip. He hummed in delight at the bubbly fizz of the carbonated drink. Pop was almost a luxury drink in the foster system and the handful of times he had enjoyed the drink were worth savouring. 

“I should have guessed that you would be a pro at this. I’m sorry to say.”

Taylor shrugged. “It happens, I’ve been told that I’m almost getting ready to age out of the system anyways. A couple more years and I’ll be on my own and not too many people want to adopt a teenage.” 

“I don’t really know what to say to that.” Mr. Harmond admitted ruefully, “I wish there was something that I could say or do.”

“Its okay. Honestly.” Taylor took another drink. “I assume that I’m leaving today.”

“Your social worker is on the way here. Traffic.” Harmond moved to gather some files together. “These are the forms you will need to take with you, most of your paperwork is electronic though so it won’t be took much to worry about.” He handed Taylor the pile. 

Taking it, Taylor gave a small smile. “I’ve had a good time here. The school is much nicer than some of the ones I’ve been too and the teachers are good?” He trailed off, not wanting to say the teachers were at least pretty okay at keeping the racist comments to a small minimum. 

“Well I’m glad that you enjoyed your time here, or as much as you can enjoy school.” He tried for a joke but it fell flat. 

They sat in silence for a moment and Taylor sipped his drink before Mr. Harmond cleared his throat. “I’m not sure that I’m exactly the person to tell you this but I don’t want to be blind-sided.” Taylor nodded, waiting. “The agency that you were placed with when you arrived here from Korea is revoking your Visa, they have decided that 13 years is long enough and you’re going to be sent back to Seoul.”

Secretly thrilled at the idea of going back to his home country, Taylor tried to keep the excitement off his face. Over the years he had learned that if something seemed too good to be true it usually was and even if it wasn’t if he was excited about it then something always happened to make it ‘fall through.’

“It has been decided that you will be attending a boarding school on a government scholarship.” He pulled out a pamphlet from his desk and slid it to Taylor. “It appears to be a top school and with your grades its unsurprising that you have a place there.”

“Hard work pays off?” Taylor teased, smiling a real smile this time as he looked at the large building on the front with a smiling male student on the front. He was going home.

“We always say that and you students don’t believe us until you get the proof right in front of you.” He paused. “There is one other thing.” He waited until Taylor set down his drink. 

“Your name isn’t Taylor Kim.”