Corey walked home and went straight to his room AGAIN. He stayed in his room willing the pain away. At least it was only seven strikes today, it had been worse. Corey just wished for a way out but he knew there was none.

That night he went downstairs and tried to act normal. His act sufficed for everyone else except his little sister Morgan. She had become too observant and had noticed that he rarely smiled and never had any friends over and when he did he was always tense. She may be eleven but she wasn't dumb. So she watched as he shovelled meatloaf down his throat and ran back upstairs.

Corey was terrified the next morning. He had hidden all his bruises but he knew it was pointless, there would be more to decorate his body tonight. Yet he plundered on, got dressed and went to school. He saw Topanga by the water fountain and once again found himself drooling at how beautiful she was. He saw his best friend Shawn Hunter flirting with another girl and smiled to himself, this was normality.

Corey had finally made it through school and waited for the bullies to come. He hated it when they took forever it, it gave him a false sense of security.

Finally they came and began the ritual of taunts.

"Oh look it is the scrawny Matthews kid"
"awe look at how scared he looks"

"The bruises will make him look better!" yet the bruises came and the hits came with such a fury they knocked the wind out of him. When they left Corey was doubled over wheezing. He grabbed his bottle of water and sipped it. When the pain was soothed Corey eventually got back home, only to hide in his room again.

Morgan frowned. He had done it again. Hidden from the world. Every day or the past few weeks he would hide in his room and not come out until tea time. She knew deep down he was being bullied She had seen the signs.

Lack of breath

Hiding away

Scarcely eating

If she could see it why couldn't everyone else. It was then she decided that she would take a look at what her dear brother was doing. She marched into her brothers to find a sight that made her heart ache…