The Forgotten Child

2

"Happy 12th birthday Superman!" the birthday card read. Zayn scoffed and threw it in the trash. His birthday wasn't for another couple months and he was going to be 11, not 12. His own father could not even remember what year/ day he was born or even bother to put a note in the card. It was like this every year.

"Asshole." Zayn muttered as he picked up the now full trash can and threw it over his shoulder before heading down to the large trash bins.

"Afternoon Zayn." his downstairs neighbor said as he sat outside on his small back porch drinking a beer, which is pretty much all he does Zayn has figured out.

"Afternoon Mr. Johnny." Zayn mutters, continuing his walk to the garbage bin in the cold weather. Usually Zayn's mothers poor excuse of a boyfriend, Yasser, would take care of this but Zayn has not seen him or his mother since the night before. It has happened many times before, and Zayn was sure this would not be the last time. His mum and Yasser would go out and party so hard and get so drunk and high that they would not wake for hours. They once threw a party at their small apartment and when six year old Zayn found his mother passed out, he cried and cried, because he thought the woman had died, to the point Trisha vowed never to let her son see her like that again. She may be tough on the boy, but that night was to much for his sensitive self to handle. Anyways, he headed back to his apartment where he flipped on the TV, something he was never allowed to do because Yasser thought that since he pid the cable bill, he was the only one allowed to use the TV. Zayn put it on some superhero cartoon, and watched the screen intently as he didn't know when he would be able to do this again.

However, because he was so into his show he didn't even realize Yasser and Trisha walking in. "Zayn!" Yasser boomed and Zayn jumped up, fear basically radiating off of him.

"What the hell? You know you're not allowed to watch the telly!" Trisha screamed slapping the boys cheek, but shooting the boy a sympathetic look that let Zayn know she didn't mean it.

"M' so sorry mum. I-I." he stuttered as he held his cheek. Yasser stormed over to the boy before he could finish his sentence and slapped him right across the face, a lot harder than Trisha did. So hard that Zayn fell to the floor with a whimper escaping his lips. Yasser gave Zayn a single, but harsh kick to the stomach, before falling on to the couch with a thud and content sigh.

"Pathetic, good for nothing brat, go and get me a beer." Yasser said and Zayn just stared up at him as he clutched his aching stomach. "NOW!" Yasser boomed and Zayn scrambled to his feet and scurried off to grab and open the beer bottle for him.

"Here." Zayn mutters, shoving the open bottle towards Yasser the bottle before walking off to his own room.

"Lose the attitude boy or I will make you!" Yasser hollered and Zayn huffed in annoyance, but didn't dare say anything as he knew Yasser would stick to his word if he did. He closed his door and locked it before falling on to his bed and staring out the big window. He watched all the cars and people passing by, occasionally watching a few obvious drug deals occur. Both him and his mum wanted to get out of this part of town where everything bad happens and police seem to never get a break, but Yasser insisted on them living here as it was the only place they could afford despite the fact of Trisha working in retail and Yasser working on selling drugs. And don't get Trisha wrong, she was a hard working, independent woman who got with the wrong crowd after her and Harry's nasty divorce. She loved Zayn with all her heart and Zayn loved her so much too. He knew the slaps she gave him are so she doesn't look weak in front of Yasser, and sometimes Trisha will wake the boy up in the middle of the night so they can have their snuggle time. So she still loves her son even though she may not be able to show it all the time.

-

"Come on Liam! Pick it up! You got it buddy!" Louis yelled from the sidelines as Liam dribbled the ball down field. He swiftly kicked the ball as hard as he could into the net and he scored! Louis yelled and screamed, "That's my boy!"