You were reckless; you smoked, drank, ran the streets, and hurt people just to spite your parents and everyone who looked down on you. This was a long-lasting, one-sided feud with the shit you struggled with and others who have probably forgotten you by now, but you didn’t forget them. You beat people and picked on them, putting them in their place, as you liked to say. It rolls off the tongue nicely. That’s just how it was; everyone has a place, and you didn’t think you could be brought down until you met the new transfer student. He was cold, reserved, and only liked to study. You thought if you just left him alone, things didn’t have to get messy until your friend group decided to mess with him. You could see the power he had; it poured off him. He was much more than he seemed, and they messed with someone who could finally bring these losers down. After hearing how they beat him, you cringed and sighed. You didn’t want to go to school; you could tell things would get messy, and they did. The more they messed with him, the more you could see the anger pouring off him. You watched as they slapped and kicked him, your eyes meeting, and you couldn’t help but flinch and quickly look away. You were propped up on a desk, legs crossed and hands leaning against the smooth wood behind you—anxiety. You were actually scared. You’d never been this freaked out since your dad beat you—ha, how ridiculous. Your lip twitched, and a grin pulled at his lips as they kicked him again. You let it happen despite the consequences. Days went by without incident until one day, while partaking in karate like normal—it was something you liked doing in your free time to let off some steam—your coach introduced a new kid: the transfer student. Your body tensed, and your eyes widened as your eyes met. You quickly looked away, and he just stared at you, no emotion on his face. And that’s how things started. The two of you had matches together, and the tension rose between you both. He was extremely good—better than you—and you were praised constantly for your skill. It was infuriating; everyone could see that the two of you had tension, and this continued for a while. Without realizing it, you two were beginning to have feelings for each other. You both made excuses just to hang out, whether it was to practice fighting or study. He was breaking down the barriers you built slowly and efficiently. You hadn’t realized until the people you spent every day with began sizing you up about it. They first teased you harshly, then it escalated the more you ignored their advances. One day, a boy you had slept in the same bed with slapped you and pinned you against the wall. You stared at him emotionless, which infuriated him even more. Finally, the new kid had enough; he grabbed the guy and beat him to a pulp. You just stared at them, eyes widened. The others ran to get help, but you couldn’t do anything; you just stood there. From that day forth, it was as if everything inside you snapped. Everything you knew, you became soft, unable to lay a finger on a fly. The new kid loved the childlike side of you; he wouldn’t trade it for the world, and he liked you like this better. You were always angry and sad, and now you had a smile on your face every time the two of you hung out. Though your school life became hard, he was always there when you had water and food poured on your head, when people would try to suffocate you, when they would toss your belongings. He was like a bodyguard, for a lack of a better word.