When I was younger, I tried to go get the ball from the neighbours porch. But my mother got me just in time before i grasped it. I cried my entire heart out to her, begging her to let me get it but she just shoved me into my bedroom and left me upset.

The next morning, the same ball was in my garden. I knew it was the little boy by the window, he helped me get it. For some reason, I felt bad. What if he had gotten caught or gotten in trouble? What if he had gotten hurt? So, I decided to go out into the garden at night. I made sure to be as silent as I could. I rushed towards the slide, climbed up It's stairs and settled at the top.

The little boy was there, standing by the same window. I gave him a little wave, and when he returned it- I remember seeing blood leaking down his hands. Oh god the fear that it caused me, I knew his parents did that because of the ball. I see the kitchen lights switch on in my house, and as much as I wanted to stay with him. I couldn't.

I had to run off before my mum would see me, and then...I never saw him again.

It felt as if I was being suffocated, I sat up immediately and pushed the covers away from my body. It was only five in the morning, but it felt as if I have been asleep for a century. Sweat is being formed on my forehead, I rip the covers from my legs and slide of my bed. My fingers push through my hair, the little boy is still in my mind after nine years.

"I helped you...I helped you get the ball, and you never helped me." My head snatched to the corner of the room, and the scream that I muffled down with my hand etched. I see the little boy standing in the corner, his hands leaking with blood. "You never helped me."

"I-I'm sorry..."I whisper out. "I am so sorry, I tried to help-"

"No, you didn't..."

He disappeared, tears were leaking from my eyes, and I have yet to notice them. I grab a pair of training clothes, slipped on my trainers and went to brush my teeth and wash my face. Once I was ready, I needed nothing more than to leave this apartment.

I tried locking the door with my trembling arms, but the keys kept dropping on the floor. "Stop. He's not real. He's not fucking real." I whisper, my forehead pressing against my door. I try to stop my shaking hands, "it's not your fault."

What could I have done? What really could I have done? I have school in two hours, my car felt like it was a mile away, my arms were trembling from yesterday's workout.

I park in my usual spot and walk the rest to campus. A lot more people were here since it was exam week. I haven't revised as much but I don't need to seeing as I already have high grades. I push open the door and walk-through security as usual.

I only had maths as a lesson which took two or three hours. It was my favourite lesson though, I love maths. Equations all sorts. I reach my locker, unlocking it with my keys. The moment it opens, a load of books fall onto my feet. Papers flying out everywhere as I step back and then I only notice the fake blood leaking down my locker. Fear ignites my heart as I look around to see people laughing, or some gasping in shock.

Then...i see a ball. The same exact ball that-the little boy gave me.

I slam my locker shut, turn my head and lock eyes with a pair of brown ones. And just by the way he stood so carelessly i knew he did this. I knew he knew about my mums book. I knew he knows something that I don't. He slides on his leather jacket and walks away into the darkness of the hallway.

"Leo did this? What? Why though?"

"That was his stepbrother...her mum wrote a book about their family..."

Oh...oh my...the little boy was his stepbrother...

Entering the classroom, all eyes were on me. I was scanning the room for a certain pair of brown eyes, and once I caught them...all he did was give me a deathly stare. Leo faced his paper again, and I sat onto my usual seat.

"Good morning, I see you all revised last night. This is exam week, meaning everything you do now will affect your future exams. Take out the things you need. Oh, wait a moment-" Mr Harold announced, I take out my clear pencil case and settle it down onto the table. I take out my sharpened pencil.

"Your mum ruined our lives, you know that?" My head snaps to the side, and Leo was closer than ever.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I whisper, he grabs onto my wrist and takes the pencil out of my hand.

"His hands were ruined because of you and yours are so soft and clean...all because he gave you that fucking ball back." Tears are pushing onto the lids of my eyes, threatening to fall down. "He heard you crying all night about it."

"I tried to help."

"Really? You tried by what? What the fuck did you do to help?" Nothing...I did nothing. His grip around my wrist tightened, and the pain shoots through my body. He finally releases me and stands to go back to his seat; I glance down at my already bruised skin.

"Class! I have news! You will be sitting all your exams in one week! Three hours and five exams, I suggest you start revising from now. Thank you. You may leave the classroom, there will be no lectures until the end of exams." How was I meant to fit five exams in three hours? That is just impossible. I make my way to my car, driving it back to the apartment. As I do, I park it in Its place and walk on inside.

◤◥◤◥◤◥

I needed assistance, and if I wanted to fit all of my exams into one, I had to ask a guy I knew would help. I muster the courage to stand in front of this man's door because he is a math genius. Then, walking back into my apartment with fear coursing through my veins, I rub the yellow bruise caused by Leo.

Oh, he is not even that scary.

I walk back out of my apartment and stand in front of his door; I raise my knuckles and pound the door with it. I wait for any type of response, but nothing came through, I knock again and suddenly the door is creaked open. He left his own door unlocked.

I might as well go in; I pushed the door wider with one finger.

I step inside, holding the door as cover and only my head sticking out. "Alexander!" I yell his name, but not a single response. I walk inside, and I am introduced to a bland hallway. Not a single picture on the walls, the painting was fully grey all over the apartment. I grab onto my throat and rub it, no mirrors? Nothing.

It felt like a prison more than a home, as I sunk deeper inside, I notice the Chinese take out all over the place. My eyes widen when I see wraps, boxing wraps full of blood. Alcohol, tissue. Needles and pins. What the actual fuck?

I gulp, feeling fear arise me.

I turn only to hear the door slam close. I see the back of Alexander; I look around and jump onto my feet and turn for somewhere to hide. I pull myself into the bathroom, hopping inside the bathtub before drawing the curtain. I press my back against the wall and close my eyes.

"I need the deposit before I complete anything, you know how I work." I slap my hand against my mouth, I hear the door close on the bathroom. "Fifty-seven grand that's his final offer? I'm-one second." His footsteps near me.

In that moment I see his arms reach in as he switches in the shower. The water shoots right at me, I close my eyes and try to get out of the angle it is spraying at.

"He wants the fight, so he can take my offer of one hundred thousand." I was deeply drained with water, and my clothes clung onto my skin like another layer. My head presses against the wall, I hear something drop onto the floor and see his shadow bending down to pick it up.

Then the shower curtain was pulled, a body- naked body steps in. With his back facing me, I watch the blood dribble down his body and onto the floor of the tub. It swirls into the drain; my eyes widen in complete shock. The water no longer its plain transparent colour but now, a crimson colour.

But my eyes never left the Tattoos, muscles that tended as his hands rush into his curls pushing it back. His biceps becoming bigger, the veins all over his forearms. He was beautiful. I use this as my opportunity to step out of the shower, but before I could muster a single movement. He turns around.

I try my hardest not to look down-there.

He just stared at me, not a single reaction of shock. He just stood there, naked. We had a staring contest, his blue eyes right into my own. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I-I-needed shampoo," I stutter as I pull myself towards him to grab his shampoo.

Then his hands grab onto my wrist. I glance up at him before he pushes me against the wall suddenly away from the water. The water was trembling on his back instead of me, he shadowed over me. I gulp, looking up.

"What are you doing here?"

"Shampoo?" He didn't buy it. "I need your help." I huffed out, he raises an eyebrow, and I forgot that this man is fully naked.

"Need my help on what?"

"They changed the exam date; I need to do five exams in three hours. You got me an A*! Maybe you could tutor me." I whisper out.

"Tutor you?"

"You're smart, I know you are. Please."

"What do I get in return?" His deep voice croaks, I smudge my lips together and shrug my shoulders.

"Whatever you want?" I whisper.

My heart beats a few times as his wet hair dangles onto my forehead.

Drops of water from the split ends of his hair collide on my chest as they fall inside my shirt, one of his arms resting above my head. The way he would casually try to step forward revealed the intensity of our connection. Oh, those blue eyes of his. They did something to me, something to my body.

This man is huge in comparison to my small stature, and his thumb suddenly drags down my lips. Butterflies swarm my stomach; will he kiss me? Our noses brush against each other as he leans in. Our lips were hovering, as if they had hands and wanted to grab each other for a quick kiss.

"Get the fuck out."