With a painful thud, Gavin was shoved to the ground and skidded across the gritty, granite tile of the school. The way he landed not only would leave a nasty bruise to deal with later, but it also tore open a hole on the inside seam of his new uniform jacket. He tilted his head back up to the three bullies who were unzipping the backpack that they stole from him just before.

“For crying out loud, this bag is a piece of sh*t! How can your family be this poor if you’re going to this school?” The largest bully snickered while dangling Gavin’s backpack by a strap and twisting it around, inspecting it from all angles. It was very noticeable that the backpack once had holes but were sew hastily back together. Some patches were already tearing and loose threads stuck out every which way “Looks more like a bird’s nest than something you’d parade around with in public,” The bully then threw the backpack strap around his shoulder over his own backpack “How about I throw this out for you, new kid? It’s a little favor from me to you, but you’re going to have to owe me something later,” the boy winked while his two friends cackled at his remark.

A began to fall from the corner of Gavin’s eye as he tried to make his choking sobs quiet in front of the bullies. The three boys began to walk away from their victim just as he was getting himself up off the ground. Gavin’s voice cracked when he called out to them “You’d b-better give me my bag back!” Legs shaking, he looked up, and when he saw the three bullies turn back in his direction his throat tightened, he felt the urge to take a step back, but he stood his ground.

The bully with his backpack chuckled, shaking his head “How sad, the new kid feels like he needs to fight over trash”.

Gavin made long strides to the bullies, not even looking them in the eyes.

“What the hell are you doing, new kid? You think you can take this from me? Look at you, there is no way the three of us are going to”–

Gavin managed to get two steps in front of them when he raised his head, showing them his face. His eyes were juicy and red, but the snarling look on his face made them do a double take. In an instant, Gavin took a step forward putting all his momentum in his arm for a solid left hook to land right into the bully’s nose. The impact made Gavin’s hand hurt like hell, but from the loud cracking sound that came from the bully’s nose, he thought that maybe he didn’t get the short end of the stick this time.

The other two bullies froze in place, reacting to the events occurring before them, all while Gavin made haste, snatching his backpack from them and shoving one of the other bullies out of his way, making his escape down the empty hall.

The third bully came to his senses and started going after Gavin.

“Hold on,” The largest bully stopped him in his tracks, placing one hand on the other’s shoulder while his other hand held his bloody nose “There’s a better way to deal with a new kid like that”.

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The front door swung open with force, only to be shut just as fast. The fresh, white walls rattled from the door’s impact with its frame. Gavin sighed as he slowly slipped his navy blue, tattered backpack off his shoulders, letting it scrape the front door behind him as it hit the floor.

“Gavin?” A soft, feminine voice called from the kitchen in the back of the small, suburban house “Gavin? Are you home”?

Without a word, Gavin nudged his backpack out of the doorway and into a tower of four large, empty cardboard boxes, which slowly began to topple over. Acting quickly, the boy lurched forward with his right arm, stretching out in attempts to catch at least the top box. Still sore from the fall earlier, he winced and instinctively retracted it back to his side.

As this was happening a tall, slender woman approached the scene from the archway into the dining room. She slid away her short, wavy blond hair from blocking her vision. Her light blue eyes grew wide, seeing her own son’s sudden pain. She took a few steps forward, arms out, in attempts to help in the debacle happening at the front door, but she stopped short, seeing that there was nothing she could do.

The four boxes lied there, creating a jumbled barrier between the two of them. Gavin lowered his head, hoping to hide the giant tears that started to well up in his tired, amber eyes with his unkempt, charcoal hair.

“Gavin?” The woman leaned forward, tilting her head, trying to see her son’s face “Don’t be sad, it’s alright. A few boxes on the floor is no big deal. It can easily be”–

“I’m not upset about the boxes, Mom!” Gavin’s voice cracked. He looked up with red, watery eyes. Gavin’s mother stood quietly wringing her pale hands. Her mouth was agape while her gaze faltered elsewhere.

“Th-then what is upsetting you?” Her shoulders lowered so her aged pink sweater began to droop off her left shoulder “And, your arm-”.

Gavin kept his mouth shut and loosened his expression “It’s nothing,” He tried to shake off the sorrow and anger in his demeanour, but his eyes still looked the same “I’m fine,” Gavin took a few steps forward towards the staircase in front of him “I’ll be in my room if you need me,” He firmly grabbed the handrail on the steps, just before stopping in his tracks. He turned his head back to his backpack on the floor. Sharply, he walked back and reached to retrieve it. As he grabbed it and returned to proceed to his room, he looked to his mother and gave a small smile “I’ll be down in a few minutes,” Quickly looked away, lowering his head, he swung a backpack strap over his shoulder and lumbered up the stairs. His mother watched him while leaning against the railing until he got to the top of the steps and disappeared around the corner.

In his room, Gavin threw his backpack on to his twin bed, soon following suit, hitting his back on his freshly laundered, white and blue striped sheets. He loosened the tie around his neck from his school uniform, as he shut his eyes. His heart pounded against his chest and he tried easing it by taking long, deep breaths. Gavin rolled over to his left side, clutching his backpack next to him. Staring at the sliding closet doors which were left open, he noticed all of his unopened boxes stacked inside it, which made him think about all the other boxes that were lying about the rest of the house at this very moment. That only reminded him more of all the other houses he has lived in during his twelve years of life that were also decorated with boxes according to his memory. Eleven houses to be exact. He could only clearly remember seven of them, but he could only imagine that the first four looked exactly the same as the rest. It would fit the current pattern at least.

It was now 5:42 pm, Adaya and Gavin Stone were sitting across from each other at the family dinner table that seated exactly two. Gavin poked his instant mashed potatoes with his fork, burying his canned peas that were rolling about his paper plate. Adaya, his mother, had her hands in her lap, quietly looking at him with a gentle, yet concerned, face.

“Gavin,” Adaya spoke.

“Hm?” Gavin groaned, continuing to play with his food, eyes on his plate.

Adaya paused, looking at her son’s slouched posture in his loose fit pajama t-shirt “I got a call from the school”.

“Hm?” Is all the Gavin could say to comment.

“They said you started a fight.”

“I didn’t start it,” Gavin mumbled.

“Okay,” Adaya kept her voice at a quiet level, keeping the feeling in the room calm “Then could you please explain to me what exactly happened instead”?

Gavin flopped his head to the side, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“There–” Gavin scrunched his brow, stopping his breathing short. His eyes began to get all watery again “There was no fight…,” he managed to let out “This kid shoved me onto the floor and took my backpack”.

Adaya sat still, not making any slight change of expression while listening to her son.

“As he was walking away,” Gavin continued, sniffling “I got up and punched him in the face, then I got my bag back,” Letting out a tense sigh, Gavin looked down and began to pick at his fingernails, shaking ever so slightly “He must have told a teacher or something because I ran away after that and he didn't come after me. It happened right after school so I just hurried home afterward”.

When Gavin was done telling his mom what happened, he looked up with his juicy eyes. Adaya had the same blank expression she always did when listening to her son, no matter what situation. If it was something positive, she always had at least a small smile. But if it was anything else, you would have no idea what she was actually thinking.

Staring into her emotionless eyes, Gavin winced. Tears began to roll down his cheeks once again, but he quickly brought up his hands to hide his face.

“Why do you always look at me like a robot!?” Gavin shouted.

Adaya stayed still with the exception of lowering her brow slightly.

“What am I supposed to think? All you ever do is listen, and stare blankly at things”! Gavin choked “You never get mad, even when I do something wrong”!

Adaya leaned back in her chair, face in a neutral position once again.

Gavin stood up from the folding chair under him, causing it to slide back on the light brown wood flooring. Throwing his hands down on the card table that they were eating on, Gavin said in a quieter tone “I hurt somebody, Mom,” He paused, waiting for her response.

Adaya chuckled. She leaned back in her chair with her eyes shut, slightly covering her mouth with her left hand “Oh Gavin…,” She said in a quiet tone.

“Stop that! This isn’t funny!” Gavin raised his voice to an ungodly level.

“Please Gav, use your inside voice,” Adaya opened her eyes. Her eyes sparkled like diamonds. Looking at them, Gavin could always tell that she was an honest person. There was nothing fake about the way she ever looked at someone, anyone.

Gavin breathed heavily in the silence. Sensing he wasn’t fully calmed down, Adaya simply said: “I’m proud of you”.

“Proud of–?” Gavin started but was cut off.

“You didn’t intend on hurting that boy.”

“Um… y-yes, I kind of did. I wanted to punch him in the face after what he did,” Gavin lowered both his arms to his sides and corrected his posture.

“But that was because there was oppression standing in your way, so you didn’t stand for it. You did something about it. You only hit him because you felt like it was the only option”.

“I-I guess you’re right?”

“So then it’s not something to get so sad about. What you did was correct. When you get knocked down, come back stronger, if you are able.”

Gavin stayed silent and lowered himself back onto his chair.

“That being said,” Adaya continued “It’s very unlike you to solve your problems with physical violence,” She blinked, but when she opened her eyes, her expression was blank again “Can you explain that to me”?

“But you just said it was okay.”

“In the matter of self-defense, yes. But I also don’t want you to lose who you are.” Hands crossed in her lap, Adaya straightened her posture, ready to listen to what Gavin had to say.

Gavin looked away, lost in thought after hearing what his mother had said.

‘I don’t want you to lose who you are?’ What could she be talking about? Gavin thought. Have I changed? What even–

Gavin turned his head up “Lose myself?” His eyes grew serious “You’re afraid I’m changing who I am”?

Adaya sat still, never losing eye contact.

“If you think my personality is changing, Mom, did you ever try thinking of the reason?”

His mom lifted an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly.

Gavin leaned his head forward to make a point “It’s you! This is all your fault”!

“Me?” Adaya shifted in her chair.

“Yes!” Gavin shouted “You always make us move, all the time! I’ve never stayed in one state, one house, one school! It has always been short notice so I can’t even tell the friends that I had made ‘Goodbye’! Do you know how frustrating that is?” Gavin’s eyes were wide, taking heavy breaths.

Adaya’s kept staring, tilting her head slightly.

“You never ask me! You never say anything! You never tell me why! You never tell me anything!” Gavin screamed at the top of his lungs. He shot up from his chair once again and started stepping out of the dining room.

“You’re just like him.” His mother said in a calm voice.

Caught off guard, Gavin turned his head around “Who”?

Gavin stopped short in the archway on the way out of the kitchen. He wasn’t expecting her to ever tell him why she did the things she did. Every time he asked her when he was younger, her responses were either really vague, or she dodged the question altogether. So, hearing a response like this was very unexpected to him. Another thing that he had always asked about, but never got a complete answer for was the topic of–

“Your father,” Adaya finished.

Gavin’s face went pale, he slowly turned his body around to face her.

“He was the strongest person I’ve ever known. He always tried to solve his problems with peace, but when that didn’t work, he’d strike, and showed that he was not a force to be messed with.”

Adaya was saying all of this, but she refrained herself from looking at Gavin at all. Instead, she looked at the blank, dining room wall in front of her. Her eyes seemed to be lost in its pink and yellow floral design, but there had to be another reason why she wouldn’t look at him.

“He never broke my heart. He was always there. He always protected me. Protected everyone,” Her breathing was steady and calm, but her eyes slowly became watery. “Sometimes I can’t believe that you look exactly like him. And now–” Adaya looked down at her hands in her lap, shutting her eyes, her breathing began to falter, and she began sniffling.

Gavin leaned against the dining room archway, carefully taking a step forward. But suddenly, he halted, just as his mother’s head shot up to look straight at him.

“And now I see that you really act like him too”.

Gavin froze. The look on his mother’s face was one he had never seen her make before. It was drenched with tears that fell silently from her eyes, which were now bloodshot.

“And–” Adaya stopped, beginning to break down even more. “It really scares me…,” She looked forward again plopping her head down into her arms that were now crossed on the table. Gavin could hear her muffled sobs from the other side of the dining room. Gavin had never seen his mother so weak, so broken. The one time that she ever opened up about Gavin’s father he thought he would be excited. Instead, a frog was caught in his throat. Gavin stammered, taking a step back. Tears began to roll from his eyes as well. With slight hesitation, Gavin spun around, then bolted up the stairs. He ran into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.