(Connor's PoV - 10 years old)

Late summer could get boring at times. Football season wasn't for another couple of months, baseball season had just ended, and basketball didn't start up again until winter. The past week had been especially boring since Aaron had been on a family vacation. Well, I guess it wasn't quite a "family vacation" since his parents went to Costa Rica and left him at his grandparents' house in Kansas, but still he wasn't here and that was enough to have made the past seven days feel like years.

My mom, on the other hand, had the "fun idea" of having her kids go to the gym while she went out to run errands. Normally, the gym was fun, but I wasn't exactly thrilled about going with Jordan. I don't think he liked the idea of me, or even Jenny, but more so me, tagging along either.

"I wanna go swimming!" Jenny stated outside of the locker rooms.

"All right, you do that," Jordan allowed. "Just be back here in two hours."

Our seven-year-old sister skipped right into the girl's locker room alone, even though the rules were clearly against anyone under the age of twelve being unaccompanied.

I followed Jordan into the boys locker room.

"I'm gonna be in the gym shooting hoops," he told me, setting his gym bag down on a bench.

"That's where I'm going too," I replied, setting down my own bag.

He grabbed my shoulder. "No, you're not."

"I'm not gonna bother you in there," I tried to argue.

Jordan pushed me backwards. "I don't want you anywhere near me."

Despite his pushing, I had managed to stay upright. "It's a big gym, I won't be anywhere near you, but I'm going too."

But he seemed to take that statement as a challenge since he picked me up. A task that was unfortunately way too easy for him. I tried to squirm my way out, but there was no use. He was so much bigger and stronger than me.

Jordan quickly surveyed the room, then opened one of the tall, thin locker doors, and shoved me inside. Before I had any time to react, he slammed the door shut.

I heard some rustling sounds and then a click. It was probably the padlock since I couldn't push the door open.

I pounded on the door. "Let me out!"

"Sorry, Connor," Jordan mocked. "But I'm going to the gym."

I continued to slam my fists on the door until I heard a group of people come in. Based on their voices, they sounded like a group of boys who were maybe a little older than I was.

I didn't dare make a sound. I couldn't let anyone find me like this. If people thought I did this to myself, I looked like an idiot, but if people thought someone else did this to me, then I looked like a wimp. It was a no win situation.

The only light and air coming in was from three thin slits near the top of the locker. It was so dark, I could barely make out the outline of my hand in front of me.

While there were many conversations going on, I could hardly pay any attention to them. My mind kept going back to Jordan's gym bag. He only had one padlock. His bag had his spare clothes and phone in it. He cared more about trapping me than protecting his own stuff.

I stayed stuck on that realization until I heard something slam on the door.

"Connor!"

I recognized Jordan's voice right away, but that wasn't exactly comforting.

"Jordan, let me out," I pleaded.

"Hmmm..." he drew his voice out. "I'm not sure if I want to. I want you to start crying first."

I groaned. "That's not fair."

"I'm only gonna let you out when you start bawling," he told me from the other side of the door.

I felt my fists clenching up and my throat go tight.

"I'll leave you here," he continued.

"You wouldn't," I challenged, but I bit my tongue immediately after. I knew my words weren't true the second they left my mouth.

"You know Mom and Dad only care that I bring Jenny back," he whispered through the air slits. "They don't care about you. Nobody does."

I couldn't ignore him. I couldn't ever get away from him. I couldn't fight back. Maybe if I was bigger. Maybe if I was tougher. Maybe one day I would be the strong one.

But until then, all I could do was fulfill his demand.

Jordan opened the locker door with a smile and pulled me out.

Avoiding eye contact, I reluctantly grabbed my own bag and followed him out of the locker room where Jenny was already waiting for us.

I tried to discreetly wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, but Jenny noticed.

"What's wrong with Connor?"

"Nothing." Despite answering her, Jordan looked at me the whole time. "He's just not very strong."