Somewhere in the early 2000's a child was born into the world, named Eric. Eric was a baby boy, just like every other. but at the start something was already noticeable. Eric's father was nowhere to be seen.
While in the maternity ward, Eric's mother was too worried about her boyfriend, who had left her after childbirth, and after some months taking care of Eric, she began putting some of her precious time in finding and chasing after Eric's father, who had cut contact with everyone.
Exausted by everything, Eric's mom began to neglect Eric more and more, not giving him the necessary guidance throughout childhood, by chasing after what could not be chased.
As time flew and Eric grew, he was in school, the kid had some genius on him, but he was too bothered with being on his own world instead of listening to the teachers, which made him fall off gradewise.
Luckily (or not) his mother was too busy with whatever to take much time correcting Eric, Therefore none paid much mind.
During lunchtime, Eric found himself staring at a group of adolescents whilst daydreaming at the school's yard. The group came to him and said that eric was being creepy by staring at them like that. To which Eric responded:
"Uh... sorry, i was just uh... thinking about something"
Curious, one of the adolescents in the group questioned him about what was he thinking, Eric simply said that he was thinking about what he's going to make for lunch after school. Surprised, they questioned him about why was he making his own food at such a young age, Eric said:
"My mom has been busy and i dont want to bother her more than she already is"
After looking at eachother, one of the group members asked if the kid would like to lunch at their place after school. Eric, eagerly, accepted and said that he's never had a friend to go lunch at his house, the adolescent said:
"Okay, meet us at the entrance after school."
Eric went rushing to class after break, flourishing with happiness at the though of making his first friends.
After classes Eric went to the schools entrance and as planned, found the group there. the adolescents questioned him about telling his mother about this, to which he told them not to worry, as she probably wouldn't even be home to notice.
Eric and the group have reached one of the group member's house, which had no one else besides them.
A while has passed after making and eating lunch, and Eric decided it was time to leave. Eric told the adolescents but the group surrounded him and one of them strangely said:
"Wait up kid... we ain't even had time to play..." the group started laughing and Eric, confused, stayed quiet, but noticed the strangeness of these actions. The group started pushing Eric around enough to cuase him to stumble and harm a little. Eric responded:
"ouch... guys this is not fun!"
to which the group answered with:
"oh but it for us..."
After a while, Eric was hurt, visibly. But he managed to leave their house and was now dragging himself back home.
After coming home, with his mom home, who asked him what took him so long, in a warming tone, which made Eric silently cry and make his way into the bedroom without saying a word. since the house was all dark his mom couldnt see that he was crying, therefore leaving him alone.
Eric cried himself to sleep, wondering about what could've possibly been the reason for them to do those things to him, he never did anything wrong to them. Also questioning himself about why he decided to leave the comfort of his own home to do that.
Eric eventually fell asleep...
Next moring he woke up, kind of sore so he decided to ask his mom if he could skip school as he wasn't feeling so well.
Eric's mom always had some obession with him never skipping school, so she told him he couldn't. Eric couldn't come back to school after what that group had done to him, he was too scared.
So when he left home to "go to school" he sat on a bench next to his house in order not to go to school. He stayed there the whole 8 hours. Until school had ended and his entry home was at a valid time, so his mom wouldn't suspect nothing.
Eric repeated this process 3 more days, eating nothing but a small breakfast and dinner.
After some rough 3 days on undeservingly lying low Eric decided to finally go back to school. But he thought to himself that he needed to chill out and not worry about the kids who had bullied him.
So he decided to start doing something to keep him distracted, and that thing was football. he brought a cheap ball he had in his house to school and he'd pass the ball to the wall alone the whole school break.
Without having his mind on the adolescents for some time he was finally able to live his normal life once again after that disaster.
He began to care less about that moment and once he decided to join a group of kids around his age in school who were also playing football. Eric wasn't that good, but he had fun and that's what mattered to him, after playing a bit with the kids Eric asked when could they play together again, to which some kids responded "tomorrow".
Eric was finally pleased again after finally finding some people to play with. all he's ever wanted.
Eric, excitedly went home and rambled to his mother about the new friends he made whilst playing football with them. To which his mother responded well, telling him that that was good, but he still had to get his act together when it came to grades.Which quickly turned a praising into a scolding in Eric's mind, which demoralized him a little, but he slept it off. Most of his mother's words didn't mean nor affect much anyway.