Chapter 1: The Beginning

Gary slowly opened his eyes to the sound of his mom's gentle voice. "Wake up, sleepyhead!" she said, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Good morning, Mom!" Gary replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he sat up in bed.

Gary's mom stood in the doorway, a warm smile on her face. "Gary, get dressed and don't be late. I won't repeat myself. I'll be in the kitchen. Come down and have your breakfast when you're ready."

Gary nodded, still feeling a bit groggy. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching his arms above his head. He was a tall and lean 15-year-old, with a messy mop of hair and a bright smile.

After brushing his teeth and taking a quick shower, Gary got dressed in his school uniform and headed downstairs to the kitchen. His mom was busy cooking breakfast, while his 13-year-old sister Maya sat on a small stool in the living room, watching him with a mixture of annoyance and affection.

Gary ruffled Maya's hair, earning a playful scowl from his sister. "Gary, you'll ruin my hair!" she exclaimed.

Their mom turned around from the stove, a spatula in hand. "Maya, do you want me to pack your breakfast or eat it here?" she asked.

Maya thought for a moment before responding, "Can you pack it, please? I don't want to be late for school."

Gary's mom nodded and began packing Maya's breakfast into a container. "Gary, what about you? Do you want to eat here or take it with you?" she asked.

Gary shook his head. "I'll eat here, Mom."

After finishing his breakfast, Gary stood up and announced, "I'm leaving, Mom. See you later!" He pecked his mom on the cheek and headed out the door, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

As Gary walked out of his house, he took a deep breath of the crisp morning air. His street, Oakwood Drive, was a suburban thoroughfare lined with neatly manicured lawns, two-story houses, and tall oak trees. The street was located in the heart of the small town of Springfield, Illinois.

Gary's house was a cozy two-story colonial with a white picket fence and a big tree in the front yard. As he walked down Oakwood Drive, he passed by the houses of his neighbors, including the Watsons, the Smiths, and the Joneses.

As he turned the corner onto Maple Street, Gary saw his friend Peter waiting for him by the bus stop. Peter was the son of Dr. Adeyemi, a successful physician who owned a medical practice in downtown Springfield.

"Hey, Gary! What's up?" Peter asked, grinning as Gary approached.

"Not much, Peter," Gary replied, smiling. "Just getting to school. I'm so tired, though. I was up late studying for that math test."

"Ah, yeah! I know what you mean," Peter said, nodding sympathetically. "I was up late too, watching the game. Did you see it?"

"No, I missed it," Gary said, shaking his head. "But I heard the Bears killed it."

"Yeah, they did!" Peter exclaimed. "I'm so stoked for the next game. We should totally go together."

"That sounds like a plan," Gary said, grinning.

The two friends walked together to the bus stop, where they caught the number 14 bus that took them to Springfield High School. As they rode the bus, they chatted about their plans for the day.

When they arrived at school, they headed to their first-period class, which was English Literature. They sat together in the back of the classroom, chatting quietly until the teacher, Mrs. Johnson, began the lesson.

Throughout the morning, Gary and Peter attended their classes together, including math, science, and history. But despite the ordinary routine of the school day, Gary couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been building up inside him.

There was a group of bullies in their class, led by a tall, muscular boy named Jake. Jake and his friends, including a boy named Max and a girl named Emily, had been bullying Gary for weeks, taunting him and pushing him around in the hallways.

Gary had tried to ignore them, but it seemed like no matter what he did, they just wouldn't leave him alone. And now, as the lunch bell rang, Gary felt a sense of dread wash over him.

"Hey, Gary, let's go get some lunch," Peter said, standing up and stretching.

But before Gary could respond, Jake and his friends appeared out of nowhere, surrounding Gary and Peter.

"Hey, look what we have here," Jake sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. "It's the nerd and his sidekick."

Gary felt a surge of fear, but Peter stood tall, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Leave him alone, Jake," Peter said, his voice firm.

But Jake just laughed. "Or what? You'll do something about it?"

And with that, Jake and his friends pounced, pushing Gary and Peter into a nearby alleyway. Gary tried to defend himself, but he was no match for Jake and his friends.

They beat him mercilessly, kicking and punching him until he lay curled up on the ground, crying in pain.

Peter tried to intervene, but he was outnumbered and outmatched. He could only watch in horror as his friend was brutalized.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jake and his friends backed off, leaving Gary lying on the ground.

"You're lucky we didn't kill you," Jake sneered, before turning and walking away.

Peter rushed to Gary's side, helping him to his feet.

"Dude, I'm so sorry," Peter said, his eyes filled with tears. "I should have done something."

Gary shook his head, wincing in pain.

"It's not your fault, Peter," Gary said