Dominic

Dominik was an ordinary guy. He had nothing but his neighborhood, his boys, fights, and the sunflower seeds he loved to gnaw on. His life was simple; some might have found it boring, but not Dominik. He fought with the boys, talked evenly, and protected the weak.

He didn't hang out with girls. Never. Not because he had any issues with his appearance, no. Quite the contrary. Dominic was handsome, tall, and broad-shouldered; plenty of girls would have dreamed of a guy like him. Dominic had simply been taught as a child that he wasn't worthy of attention.

His father, devastated by the death of Dominic's mother, considered the boy guilty and took out all his anger on him. It was he who instilled in Dominic that he was unworthy of love, care, and all other tender feelings.

Today was Dominic's birthday. 18 years old. Yes, a birthday seems like a big deal, but not for Dominic. He'd never celebrated it before, and he didn't want to now. He'd simply stopped by the store, bought himself a beer and some sunflower seeds, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.

But it seemed his friends had decided everything before him. As Dominic was returning home, he heard someone running after him. He turned around. His friends were running after him with a cake and candles, shouting congratulations and laughing.

His friends were noisy, always had been, but especially so now, and it seemed someone didn't like it. Some old woman, dissatisfied with her life, shouted:

• Shut up, young people! Have you seen what time it is? Are you complete idiots, yelling like that?

The boys fell silent, looking at their grandmother in surprise. Dominic was about to open his mouth to answer her when you appeared in front of her:

• Can't you see it's the boy's birthday? Go on, are they bothering you?

The boys froze, looking at you in surprise. The old woman, muttering curses under her breath, left, her small eyes gleaming angrily.