Wind blows through his sickly grey hair blowing it backwards as blood rolls out of his nose, drips onto his lips and down his chin before cascading onto the floor splattering onto the concrete, he looks up, a tear rolling down his face making eye contact with the boy standing over him, the boy grins and joins his group of friends before leaving him on the floor. He stands wiping the blood off his face with his sleeve staining it red, he stumbles home clutching his bruised stomach, he opens the door stumbling in almost tripping over himself before continuing through the house and up the stairs to his room where he collapses on the bed clutching his stomach and sniffling through the dried blood in his nose, his eyes grow heavier and heavier and the pain lessens as he falls to sleep still clothed, he slowly opens his eyes and looks up to his mother shaking his arm with a smile "Nick dinners ready" her warm voice washes over him waking him up from his sleep, his mother holds his cheek with her hand and inspects his face "oh my god Nick, again!" she holds him and he stares blankly at the floor, the world blurs around and time flies by, his hair grows a few inches and he is given a new school uniform, he steps out of the car and is greeted with a large crowd of people funnelling through the gates of his new school.

His slowly walks into the building still lowering his gaze staring into the cold hard wood floor, he is greeted by a teacher in the halls and is taken to a classroom and placed in front of the class "This is Nick please treat him well" the teacher looks into the indifferent crowd of children all staring at Nick. "You can sit there" he points to a free space next to someone, however, Nick keeps his eyes fixed on the floor, he mindlessly twirls a pen in his hands until the lesson ends, the second the teacher leaves three people walk up to his desk "Hey you into any sports?" one of them pulls a seat over to his desk and sits looking at Nick, "uh no not really" he meekly replies lightly tapping the pen on his desk, "why don't you treat us to lunch and well help you out yeah" the tallest one smirks and the group walks to the door, "no thank you" he stutters out as they walk away, the tallest one turns "suit yourself pussy" the other two laugh and the group leaves, the girl sat next to him inhales and lets out a deep sigh "they are going to find you after school" Nicks hands start to shake but he calms himself down and sits in class staring into his desk occasionally catching glimpses of pages from the girls book being flipped.

He walks back from school managing to look up slightly he sees a small building sandwiched between two shops, old and dirty the sign reads ___ combat gym, Nick stares at it for a second before laughing to himself and walking off, he gradually stops hearing the noises of the busy city and walks towards his house, the occasional street light illuminating his way home, once again he walks inside to an empty house, the dishes from last night still soaking in the sink, a small black cat purrs and rubs against his leg as he takes off his shoes, he sits down on the sofa holding the cat. "Nick" his shaken awake by his mother again, she smiles warmly and offers him some food before going to bed, Nick quietly eats in the dark, surrounded by silence, he walks upstairs the stairs creaking as he puts pressure on them, he grips the door handle and pushes it open before falling into his tiny bed and falls asleep. He wakes up to his alarm blaring and his cat sat on his chest, he rubs his eyes and gets up heading out the door, he walks through town and stops at the gym again, trying to peek in through the glass door "excuse me" a woman's voice from behind him, "oh sorry" Nick's eyes meet the floor once again, the woman looks down at him and sighs slightly "are you here to sign up?" Nicks heart beats a little faster as he speaks "Uh... yeah" he stutters out before looking up slightly catching a glimpse of her face, he pauses with his mouth open slightly, she stares back at him "come on ill show you" Nicks face darts back down to the floor in an attempt to hide his beet red face. The bell on the door jingles as she opens it letting him in, a middle aged man sits behind a small desk at the entrance snoring slightly, they both walk past him and go through a pair of doors into the main gym area, a handful of bags hang from metal beams going across the ceiling, a single ring sits in the corner along with a few jumping ropes and a collection of pads, "it isn't much and neither is the membership." She looks at Nick "so?" she smiles slightly. Nick pauses for a while before stammering "how much" as he looks up at her once more, it feels like time freezes as he gazes into her hazel eyes, Nick looks back down and they walk to the desk, fill out a sheet and hand over some money, before he realises Nick is being handed gloves and shin pads by the woman who leads him back into the room which is now filled with men.