Damen was lying on the couch with Tom by his feet when his mom walked in. It had been two days since he had asked Nick for the money. He didn't know if Nick would give it to him or not.

            He looked up at his mom and saw that she had came in alone. She had left to get his grandparents from the airport. They were supposed to come back with her.

"Where's grandma and grandpa?" He asked.

            Before his mom could answer his phone rang. He picked it up. It was a text from Nick.

It said:

Where's ur house?

            He texted back his address and looked back at his mom.

"Grandpa had a heart attack. They're in the hospital."

            Damen dropped his phone and looked at her shocked. He got up and walked away from her and Tom, not saying anything. He went out to the street and sat down on the curb.

Flash back

            Damen walked into the house after school. He was greeted by his mom and some dude smoking a bong. He walked past them and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie off the counter.  Then he went back and sat in front of them eating his cookie.

"What the hell are you doing?" The guy asked him.

"Eating a cookie and staring at you."

"Why not give this a try?" He pointed to the bong.

Damen looked at him, "I'm only 9 and I don't want to lose my brains stupid."

            The guy growled and stood up. He picked Damen up by the hair and threw him against the wall.

"Don't call me stupid."

            He punched Damen in the face and stomach before throwing him outside. Damen got up and walked to the curb and sat down. He cried and bled there until he couldn't cry anymore. Then he got up and walked to his grandparent's house.

End of flash back

            Damen sat there thinking about all the times he had bled and cried on that curb. He didn't hear when a car pulled up and someone got out. He also didn't hear when his mom and Tom came out of the house. He turned around lost in thought. He finally looked up when Tom touched his shoulder. He saw his mom staring at Nick in disbelief. Also he saw Nick standing by his car uncomfortably. Damen sighed and walked to them with Tom behind him.

"Mom you remember Nick right? You're old boyfriend and my dad?" He asked his mom.

            She turned to glare at him.

"Good you do."

            He ran off to hide behind the house knowing she was going to explode. Tom followed not wanting to see Damen's mom get mad.