When class was over and the kids poured out for their next class, James checked his schedule. He had a support session next with Alexander Nichols. The boy would be a bit of a complicated case since it wasn’t educational assistance he needed; but James had done some research and had figured out the best way forward was to try to bond with the boy first.

Alexander was right on time. He came in with his bag slung over his shoulder, wary eyes, and an almost blank expression. “I was told to come see you,” was his greeting, blunt and straight to the point.

“Do you know why you’re here?” James asked curiously, cocking his head to the side as he studied the boy.

“Because I’m different from the other kids,” Alexander said bitterly. “They said you’d help me.” He shook his head. “But you can’t. I can’t be like them. I’ve tried. You can’t fix me, Mr. Curtis.”

Another broken heart, James thought to himself. Another shattered soul who just needs to be accepted for who he is.

“I’m not here to fix you,” James said. “You’re right. I can’t fix you. You’re not broken to be fixed. There’s nothing wrong with being different. You are exactly as God meant you to be.”

Alexander stared at him. “Then what are you here for?”

“To help you in whatever way you need or want me to,” James offered. “I can’t promise I’ll be great help, but I can try.”

The boy slowly relaxed and smiled. “You’re different than them. You’re like Uncle José. He said I didn’t need to be fixed, too.”

Uncle José, huh? James knew José well enough to know this boy wasn’t blood related to his friend; but then he recalled those pictures he’d seen of the young Caucasian boy in José’s house. He was a few years older and he wore glasses now, but he had a feeling that boy had been Alexander. They must be pretty close.

“He was right,” James said, instead of asking any of the questions whirling through his mind. He gestured to the closest desk. “Why don’t you bring a chair up here and sit down?”

Alexander nodded and turned. He dragged a chair up to the teacher’s desk and sat.

“May I call you Alexander?” James asked.

The boy froze and then vigorously shook his head. “No!” Then in a lower, calmer tone, he said, “Xander. My name is Xander.”

Though wondering what would cause such an adverse reaction to his full name, James nodded. “Xander then. What do you like to do, Xander?”

The boy was silent for several moments. “Read,” he finally said.

“Anything else?” James asked him.

“Games. I like games.”

James glanced at his watch. There was still about thirty-five minutes left. He felt he could connect with Xander better by meeting him on his level. “Would you like to go to the library then?”

Xander’s eyes widened and he brightened. “Really? Can we? You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” James stood. “Let’s go. Maybe you can tell about the books you like to read.”

Nodding his head jerkily, Xander jumped up and headed for the door without even waiting for James.

James smiled and followed.

For the remaining time James was with Xander, he observed him. As had already been pointed out to him by Principal Brooks, he wasn’t particularly talkative or social. He stopped talking almost completely once he’d picked out a book from a bookshelf and sat down to read. But he responded when he was addressed well enough.

“Do you have any friends?” James asked him.

“Nate.”

His cousin, James thought.

“Jâsim.” Xander added in an uncertain tone, “Maybe. I don’t know. Are we friends? I thought me and Dave were friends, but he called me creepy and to leave him alone.”

James felt pained by the words. Xander was obviously someone who wanted friends but didn’t know exactly how to make them.

James didn’t know how Jâsim might feel about Xander and their relationship, but he didn’t think the other boy thought of Xander as creepy. He’d seen the way Jâsim interacted with Xander. If anything, he at least appreciated Xander’s company.

“I’m sure Jâsim doesn’t think you’re creepy at all,” he said honestly.

“How would you know?” Xander asked.

“I’ve seen you together,” James admitted. “I can tell by watching.”

Hope lit in Xander’s blue eyes.

James smiled. “You said you like games, right? What kind of games do you like?”

By the end of the time he’d spent with Xander, James thought he’d come to understand Xander a bit better. The boy was most comfortable with his cousin Nathan who didn’t think he was weird or strange for being different. He’d been sitting with Nathan and his friends since school had started, but he hadn’t been able to make friends with any of the other boys. Jâsim was a newly acquired acquaintance though they’d been going to school together since fourth grade. Xander had no other friends and wasn’t sure how to socialize with most of his classmates.

James still wasn’t certain how much help he could provide Xander with, but talking with him and learning about him was a good start.