VALERIE

Fifteen

Falling back onto the hard concrete floor, his opponents fist came crashing down onto Nick's face, lifting up his arm he managed to hit his opponent in the rib cage causing the larger man to tumble over beside Nick and try to catch his breath.

Grabbing a hold of his opponents Neck Nick squeezed it roughly, the chants of his name and the heavy lights blazing around him made him feel invincible with adrenaline.

"Alright kid, you won, let the man go." The street ref said then blew on his whistle, reluctantly letting go Nick threw his arms up in the air causing the crowd to roar even louder.

It was moments like this that Nick truly liked.

It was probably the only time he didn't want to die.

Because he felt somewhat important.

//

"Nick your home." Lily appeared in the hallway as Nick closed the door behind him, turning around a small gasp escaped her lips and she shook her head, "You'll never learn your lesson will you."

Nick smirked and approached Lily, placing his hand on the top of her head lightly he kissed her on the forehead before proceeding into the living room where his father sat with a old white puffy book in his hands.

A huge cardboard box sat in the middle of the living room with a white gown sprawled across it.

"What's this?" Nick questioned as he felt Lily's hands lightly touch his arm,

"Well your dad said I could use your mom's old wedding dress for our wedding." Lily clapped her hands in excitement, rushing over towards the dress she held it up in front of her own body.

"No." Nick said sternly.

"No?" Lily repeated in confusion,

"No way you're wearing my mom's old dress."

"But Nick, it's beau-"

"No Lily, I said no." Nick felt himself becoming hot, he didn't want to yell at her but he couldn't control his temper.

He liked Lily but no way would she ever wear something that was his mother's, his father might try to replace her but Nick would never even if that meant hurting Lily.

"Al?" Lily turned towards her fiancé for support, but Al was too consumed in the white puffy book.

Snatching the dress away from Lily, Nick caught a glimpse of what was in the box.

He felt his heart break as he stared down at things that once belonged to his mother.

"No." He whispered, facing his father he grabbed the white book from his hands and read the cover, Al stayed silent for he knew he couldn't stop his son.

It was titled, "Letters"

Sighing Al shook his head as he watched his compulsive son pile everything back up into the box.

"Son, don't, don't go through that box."

"Why not? Huh? You want to keep me from remembering my mom?"

Al shook his head, "Nick, it'll just hurt your feelings."

Nick chuckled as he adjusted the box firmly in his arms to take upstairs, "I don't have feelings."

//

With the door to his bedroom locked, he sprawled across his bed with the box right beside him.

He opened the box, readying himself for what was inside.

Opening it the first thing he pulled out was the wedding dress he had thrown in earlier followed by the book of letters.

Opening the book he skimmed to the end to see how long it was. It was just 4 pages.

"Alan, I met you when I was 21 years old, I thought you were the love of my life, we had our son Nicholas a year after and I swear I never loved anything more than I loved Nick. We were perfect, we struggled at first but we overcame it and ended up living in a nice neighborhood. Then after Nick turned 5 I realized how much I didn't love you, but how much I loved our son that I even convinced myself that I did love you. It was Nick that kept us together. He just turned eight a few days ago and he's at your sisters house at the moment. I'm leaving you once I finish this letter but I need you to tell Nick that I left you not him. Believe me it hurts leaving him behind but without any money, I wouldn't be able to raise him on the streets, so I'd rather leave him with you. But I will be back to get him once I get my shit together. Thank you Al, for giving me my precious Nick. I love him but I never loved you. Yours truly, Petunia."

Nick bunched his fists up, he punched the floor repeatedly in desperation.

His mom was the main reason for his abandonment issues. Not to mention his first real girlfriend who also abandoned him when he needed her.

His eyes peeled towards the photo of his mother on his nightstand, and his heart once again crumpled in a fit of rage he smacked the frame causing it to hit the wall roughly and shatter onto the carpet.

"Mom I'm sorry." He whimpered lunging off the bed and onto the floor, shards of glass stabbing his knees as he recovered the photo, tightly pushing it against his chest he whimpered in pure terror.