He slammed the door shut behind him and froze when he heard her voice.

  "Hey, hun'- Oh!" She stroked her hand across the mark across his face. "What happened?" Quinn winced slightly and swiped her hand away.

  "Fell," He tried to walk forwards, but his guardian stopped him.

  "Did you have your cane with you?"

  "Yeah, I just.... It's nothing, Nana." Frowning, he pushed through and marched upstairs before any more questions could be asked.

  Obviously, he wasn't going to tell Nana about the boys in his class who found his glasses hilarious and chucked them mercilessly around themselves.

  He also wasn't going to tell her about the constant questioning he received and how everyone crowding around him made him feel so...tired.

  Quinn only knew something was wrong when he paused in his steps and heard Nana calling his name before everything went silent.

~~~

  "You don't want them anymore?" He shook his head, pulling his bag over his shoulder. His glasses remained on top of the mantelpiece.

  "They're silly and, besides, it's not like they make a difference," Quinn moved his hand across the wall before finally picking up his cane. "This actually helps."

  "Alright..." Nana sounded hesitant and Quinn's heart immediately crashed to the ground

  "Nana, Nana, it's OK! I'm getting bigger and stronger and soon I might even be able to go around without asking for help so much, won't I?" She stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head.

  "Of course, my big, strong star. Hey, if you're feeling better, after school, why don't we get some more records and bake a little, hmm?" All of his worries ceased and he jumped happily, taking her hand as they strolled out the door and beaming in excitement.

  "Yeah, yeah! I can't wait!"

~~~

  It took two years before Quinn finally managed to speak up again.

  "The cane?" Nana gave out a sigh and moved towards him. "Oh, Quinn..."

  "You were fine with the glasses!"

  "The glasses are different, dear," Nana ruffled his hair sympathetically. "That cane of yours really helps you to get around and know what's in front of you."

  "I-I can learn to go around without it!"

  "Quinn-"

  "I'll get used to it, p-promise! O-over time, I-I'll..." His voice wavered incredibly as he thought back to the dreadful clank his cane had made when one of the boys had whacked it against a tree. It had become fairly dented now, and Nana could only believe he had fallen so many times...

  "Hey, Quinn! You're all pale- sit down, love. It's OK, it's OK," Nana hugged him tight as his breathing hitched, yet no tears fell. In silence, he embraced the hug, trying desperately to slow down his breathing. "That's right. You're alright...Maybe- and maybe- we can try for a little while and see what happens."

  He exhaled calmly.

~~~

  It hadn't worked.

  All this time, Quinn had thought that the others teased him because of his abnormal glasses and cane.

  Now he realised that it was not his objects that they disliked, but he himself.

  They hated his shyness, his voice, his strange imagination and his eyes above all things.

  He'd tried shutting them, but every time he did, that little voice would whisper, "Open them and you'll be able to see."

  And it fooled him every time.

  "Sweetheart?" Nana knocked on the door gently.

  "Yes?" He heard her footsteps and hugged his bedsheets closer towards him.

  "You haven't eaten all day, dear. Are you feeling alright?" He opened his mouth to point out that he had eaten a little in the afternoon, but then a different response came out immediately.

  "Anytime I think about it, I feel so awful," He wrapped his arms around himself as a wave of dread came over him. Nana sat next to him and rubbed his back until it passed. Her voice was calm and reassuring as always.

  "Think about what?"

  "School," At long last, he shed the tears he'd been holding in for so long. "Everywhere is so c-crowded and sometimes I feel really s-sick and tired and painful a-and I was trying to h-hold it out until s-secondary school but I'm e-eight and I don't know how much more I can take, Nana!" He clutched onto her and sobbed bitterly. "I-I'm sorry I've been s-so annoying and I've thrown away everything I've been given, b-but..." Quinn broke down once again, feeling worse and worse with each word.

  "Oh, sweetheart, it's alright, really," She ceremonially kissed the top of his head and ruffled his hair. "If you really can't go, you don't have to go."

  "B-but-"

  "Ssh... You can be homeschooled by a tutor. I'll try and stay closer to you in town, too, if that helps any. But, promise me you'll at least use your cane around the house and outside, hmm?"

  "O-ok, Nana. Th-thank you, Nana." She sighed in relief and stood up.

  "I'll start looking for that tutor... and that new cane."

~~~

  Why on earth were the memories only coming back now?

  He couldn't take it.

  "Ugh," He sat up in bed and groaned, his head ringing as the clank repeated itself in his head. "Think I'm gonna be sick."

  "Quinn, dear, what's wrong?"

  "I just..." He put his head in his hands for a while before lifting it back up. "It's nothing."

  "Where are your headphones?" He heard rapid shuffling and got up, stopping her quickly in her tracks.

  "I've tried already. Doesn't work."

  "Do you want to move to the guest room and stay there for the night?"

  "It's nothing, Nana," He hissed the words unintentionally and fell back onto his bed. "It's stupid, having this thing at seventeen."

  "It's not," She guided him back under the bed covers, kissing his forehead. "Call if you need anything."

  "Mm..."

  Quinn dozed off within seconds.

<><>

Sorry if that didn't make a lot of sense, I got really excited about this idea and then I guess I got a bit too excited.

...

Hope you enjoyed it, anyway

Goodnight!