Niccolo Govender ⁵

From a young age, Nico lived in a world of violence and pain; his family was poor, barely able to feed themselves. Their house was small and neglected, like the others in their dangerous neighborhood. Both his parents were alcoholics, with no concern for him whatsoever, only contempt, all because he was born when they were very young and irresponsible, always seeing him as a mistake. His father spent his nights out without work, squandering the money his mother earned working at a market. Every night Nico hid from the fights or risked being injured by his father's fists, and with each blow, he became more withdrawn and violent. That's why he looked for and found a job at only twelve years old: a mechanic at a shop. His boss was an old man who took him on as an apprentice.
However, Nico always felt empty, and one night with his friends he met a group of older boys who introduced him to addiction: drugs. At first, it was just experimenting, but then it became an almost irresistible urge. At school, he was always irresponsible, never caring about his grades, especially since his short temper often led to fights. He had nowhere to feel fulfilled. Until that changed when he was sixteen. He met a girl. An incredible girl. He met her in the cafeteria and was instantly captivated by her beauty and kindness. From that moment on, Niccolo wouldn't let her go, spending every possible moment with her. She cared for his well-being, and after a few months, Niccolo couldn't help but start dating her. He had never felt more alive and loved. Their relationship was affectionate and stable, filled with pampering and never lies. She knew what was happening at Nico's house, and he sought refuge there whenever there were threats. She became the person he loved most. Now, at eighteen, he decided to leave fighting and drugs behind, and although it was difficult and tempting, he did it all for her, for his whole life.