16 Years ago, the city of Vdivostok, a coastal town of Russia:

  "Please mum, I don't want to go. They will tease me, call me fatty." A tearful boy of 10 refused to leave. Every m, he hated and wished there would be no more school. His dark hair spiked forward, trying, and failing to hide his round face. The oversized bck jumper hung like a tent, another futile attempt to ceal what the other children mocked.

  "My dear Danya, they are jealous of you. Their own mothers would not love them the way I love you. Cherish yourself, let their words bounce off you." Valeriya, Danya's mother, smiled at her young son. Knowing her sweet, wonderful child; was like her, far too kind, in a cruel cold world.

  "Mom? What's the holdup is Danya g again?" Danya's older sister Katya ran up the stairs. A taller girl of 15 and blonde like her mother.

  "No! I don't want to go to school, again."

  Katya sat beside her younger brother. Rubbing his shoulders to calm him. "Little brother. Stand up to them. Are you going to allow yourself to be walked on for your whole life?"

  "...N-no."

  "...Will you stand up to them?"

  "Maybe?" Shy and nervous oside; within that mountain of fat was cowardice. He wished for fidence like his sister and mother had. Strength to rival their ability to scare off all boys. Katya gave o squeeze to the cheeks before departing for school.

  "This is your choiake. Fear or ce."

  Rubbing the blushing pain away, Danya clutched at his school bag, swinging it over his shoulder and over the thick winter jacket. Heading out with a final farewell to his mother. Before heading down the windy and snowed in path, 30-minute walk.

  *Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

  Students filled out in mass. Spping on winter gear like gloves, hats, and jackets. The brown brick exterior quickly filled with chatter. To Danya, a daunting experience. Keeping quiet, slowly sitting in a er, away from the other students.

  His lunchbox brimming with food; sandwiches of all varieties, chi wings and his favourite. Chocote. His mother was without a doubt the best cook in the schourly providing food to school events and her children's css.

  And didn't the kids know it.

  "Oi zhirtres." (Fatass) Three boys approached.

  "Zhirtres share your food. You don't need all that." The lead boy; Boris, demahe food. Short hair slicked back.

  "Fatty has a buffet today." Mog tones from the sed boy. Oleg, same slick back hair cut as Boris. The third boy Anton, just stood at the back, eyes flickering over the tents.

  "...N-No..."

  "N-N-n-no." Boris mocked. Pulling at Danya's lunch box. Danya wouldn't allow his mother’s hard-work to be stolen away. Gently yanking ba retaliation. This aggression shocked the three boys.

  "Zhirtres thinks he is tough. What a weak and snivelling pig." Boris pulled hard. Jerking the lunch box out of Danya's hand. Flying across the wind, box top popping off and revealing its treasure sprawled all over the cold yard.

  With gusto the three boys made a bee lio the lunch, g it out in glee.

  "No! Stop. T-this is my food." Danya fell into the snow, only to watch his food vanish into impudent

  "Rex zhirtres, we are doing you a favo sit in your er, cry if you must." All three tinued like vultures over a kill.

  'Are you going to allow yourself to be walked on for your whole life?' Katya's words, those few words rang in Danya's ears. Fury and rage welled up in his soul. Pushing to his feet, hands hard in a tight fist, rage swelling inside. Rag as fast as his rotund frame allowed. Ramming himself into Boris, pushing him far past his lunch.

  *Sm*

  "I said stop!" His tone caught the trio off guard; never had he shown such defiance.

  *Sp*

  Oleg was struext. Food stuffed mouth spat out ks. A power within rose. Fire crag within his heart, burning through his body.

  "придурок!" ("Idiot!") Anton charged from behind. g hands as the pair struggled in the snow.

  There it happened, Danya's frame his downfall; losing band falling backwards.

  *ch*

  "ARGGGHHH!" Bones crag under fat, Danya felt a snap beh. Boris rolled over, hands clutg around his fractured arm. Shod then terror overtook Anton and Oleg.

  "Go get the teacher!" Anton ordered. Oleg did so; rag away like a whipped dog.

  Danya looked down at the screaming Boris, clutg his broken limb. Then his ruined lunch, tears welling up in his eyes, his mother's love wasted.

  An isoted kept Danya.

  News of what happeo Boris spread like wildfire. First physical altercation Danya had ever gotten into, resulted in a broken arm. Cssmates flocked to the otion and Anton who spread word with embellishment.

  'A thug. Fatty lost his cool.'

  'Did you see his rage. Barbaric.'

  'Let’s go before he cracks someone else's arm.'

  In this empty room, Danya tried to prepare a speech, an expnation to why and how he did it.

  *Click*

  "Get up." Principal Ivan, with his snow-white hair and long beard.

  "e with me, my office." There was no anger, no expression. Walking to his office down a wooden hall of windows overlooking snow and gardens.

  Папа and мама, awaited inside.

  "Thank you, principal Ivan. What did fatty do?" His farther; a man of broad stature. Deep set dark eyes, a gre that always scared him. Even now he wao hide away and hopefully take his mind off this entire ordeal.

  "He has attacked three other students. Broken a boy’s arm. Thankfully the nurse says it is only a minor fracture."

  "Danya! Expin!" Papa's voied.

  "...They came up to me. Demanding that I give them Mama's food. I said no and they threw her hard work on the ground. They would not listen." Tears fell like a gushing river, it all just happeoo fast. Mama pced her hand oeary-eyed boy.

  "So, you break a boy’s arm over food?" Papa stood up; hands pounding on the wooden desk, paper and pencil flung off the edge.

  "You are better than that!"

  "P-Papa It was-"

  "I've heard enough." Ivan interrupted.

  "Your son's behaviour is uable. You are lucky that I vihe family to not press charges." Valeriya sighed a slight sign of relief.

  "One-month suspension as a punishment. Hopefully he refle this better. Unless you want a wsuit on your hands." Ivan tinued. Even Danya knew a wsuit would be a costly affair.

  Despite a sizeable pay check from both parents, wsuits could cripple many.

  Later that afternoon, after returning home:

  "You. Piggy. To your room, no dinner for you. No dinner until you reflect properly on your as!"

  "I-It-was an-act." Danya pleaded through tears. Fear crushed any earned ce.

  "on't a-anyone believe m-me?" Looking for his mother’s support, only to see she wouldn't interve hurt so much.

  *Smack*

  Danya felt the force, rattling his brain. Spinning from the blow. Hands grasping at the swelling mark on his cheek. Falling on his fat; he only saa's face. Angry and disappointed.

  "Your lies are a disgrace. You. Fat. Pig. Disgusting." Tears flooded as Danya ran upstairs to his room. Closing himself away in shame. Burying his head beh a pillow to stop the flow of tears.

  g himself to sleep; thoughts pgued of loneliness and guilt. 'It was an act.'

  Awakenihat, the dark sky provided no fort. Eyes still stinging red. However, a small pte of food y beside his bed. Despite papa's words, mama had not forsaken her precious son. Leaving a note by his bedside.

  'Your mother knows you didn't mean it Danya. Papa will five you one day. Things like this just take time. Stay strong. Have ce.