Josh wakes up for school. His cold is gone, he doesn't have a reason to hide anymore. His walk to school is sad and pathetic; it's quiet and sometimes quiet is violent. When he reaches the doors of his school, he imagines for a second that someone will care, someone will notice that he hasn't been there. But, obviously, no one does. Josh is standing in front of his locker when he hears the voices that haunt him day and night.
"Where've you been, faggot?"
Connor is standing in front of him followed by Mark, James and that skinny boy. Mark pushes Josh up against the locker and Connor snatches his bag. He dumps it's contents on the floor again and he's kneeling down along with the skinny boy. Connor is ripping up papers and the skinny kid is picking up a handful of papers in his hands and sorting through them.
Mark holds Josh and James throws a few punches in his gut which makes him wince. The skinny boy slips a paper in the pocket of his hoodie and stands up, Connor following him. James throws one more punch in Josh's face and a tear trickles down his cheek.
"Fucking pussy."
They let him go and he falls forward on the ground, tilting his head up a little to catch them laughing and walking away. Josh wipes the blood that leaks from his swollen lips and he gathers up his ripped papers, stuffing them in his bag. He heads to his next class, and he fails his science paper. Apparently handing in a ripped piece of paper with drops of blood along the sides doesn't exactly count as appropriate.
Josh heads home, he knows what's to happen. His parents are walking towards him, his father gripping his arms tight and he's leaving bruises. He pulls him into the other room and shuts the door.
"I got a call from your science teacher today. You think this is a fucking joke? What the hell are you doing, handing in ripped excuses for homework. You're a fucking joke, Josh."
His father takes his hand and grips Josh's wrist, twisting it violently.
"Answer me for fuck's sake!"
Josh screams and tears stain his cheeks.
"I-I"
"I what, huh?"
"I-I don't know!"
"Fucking worthless."
His father takes his free hand to throw his fist in Josh's eye, bruising it a deep shade of purple for tomorrow. He finally lets go of his wrist and leaves him there, shaking violently.