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Chapter 1: Setting the Stage
Nick sat at the back of the classroom, his eyes flickering between the pages of his textbook and the hum of conversation around him. The noise of his classmates—laughter, gossip, whispers—felt like a distant buzz in the back of his mind. His mind, like usual, was elsewhere. He was never the center of attention. And he liked it that way.
He wasn't a bully, nor the kind of guy who could be bullied. Until today, he had always been the observer. Quiet, unnoticed, just another face in the crowd. But today, something felt different.
"Hey, Nick!" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see his best friend, Jain, leaning over the desk, grinning mischievously. "You planning on studying that book for the rest of your life, or are you actually going to talk to the rest of us today?"
Nick sighed, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm not much of a talker, you know that."
"Yeah, but you can at least spare me a minute." Jain flicked a stray lock of Nick's black hair. "Man, you're always in your head. What's going on in there?"
"Nothing much," Nick muttered, flicking a glance at the clock. "Just trying to get through the day, I guess."
Jain let out a dramatic groan, leaning back in his chair. "You need to live a little, my friend. Come on, we're in high school, not a library."
Nick shrugged, flipping the page in his book. "I'll live when I'm not drowning in homework."
"That's the spirit," Jain chuckled before turning his attention to the front of the room, his focus now on the teacher walking in.
Nick's gaze wandered back to the front of the room. As usual, the teacher began speaking about some irrelevant topic that Nick wasn't invested in. He let the words wash over him as his mind drifted once again.
Then, something caught his eye—a familiar sight, one that he had witnessed countless times but never truly took to heart until now. The bullies.
The group was sitting near the back of the class, their usual clique of jocks and troublemakers. They were laughing about something, no doubt at someone else's expense. Nick didn't have to guess who the target was this time. The Outcast, a quiet kid named Evan, was sitting by the window, trying to shrink into his seat. His eyes were focused on his desk, but it was obvious he was trying to avoid attention.
And yet, the bullies seemed determined to make him the center of their cruel jokes. Nick watched as one of them, Jason, leaned in toward Evan, a sly grin on his face. Jason flicked Evan's notebook off the desk, sending it sprawling across the floor. A couple of the others snickered as Evan slowly bent down to pick it up.
"Look at this loser," Jason sneered. "Bet you couldn't even get that paper to stand up straight, huh?"
The laughter from the other bullies echoed in Nick's ears. His fists clenched involuntarily, his gaze hardening. He had seen this before, over and over again, but today something felt different.
It wasn't like he hadn't noticed the bullying before. He just hadn't gotten involved. But today, seeing Evan—who didn't deserve any of this—struggling to pick up his notebook on the floor, he couldn't stand it anymore.
"You know, that's getting old," Nick muttered under his breath, barely loud enough for Jain to hear.
Jain looked over at the scene, raising an eyebrow. "You thinking of doing something about it?"
Nick glanced at his friend, his expression unreadable. "What are they going to do? They're just bullies, nothing more."
Jain leaned in with a teasing grin. "Nick, come on, man. You're telling me you're just going to sit there and watch them do this?"
Nick sighed, his eyes flickering back to the group of bullies. He hated confrontation, hated getting involved in things like this. But seeing Evan—who didn't deserve any of this—struggling to pick up his notebook on the floor, he couldn't stand it anymore.
"Fine," Nick muttered, getting up from his seat. "I'll handle it."
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The air in the classroom seemed to hold its breath as Nick walked toward the bullies. His heart was racing, but there was no turning back now. As he approached, Jason turned around with that same smirk, as if expecting Nick to back down.
"What's up, loser?" Jason said, standing up and blocking Nick's path. "You gonna cry too, or are you here to join the fun?"
Nick's eyes narrowed, his voice steady despite the rush of anger in his chest. "Leave Evan alone."
Jason chuckled darkly, turning to his friends. "What's this? A hero? How cute."
The others laughed, clearly amused by the idea of Nick standing up to them. They didn't see him as a threat. They saw him as just another student who wouldn't dare stand up to them.
But Nick wasn't backing down. He had already taken the first step.
"I said, leave him alone," Nick repeated, his voice stronger this time.
There was a tense moment of silence before Jason's smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating look. "You really think you can stop me?" He pushed past Nick, knocking him roughly to the side, before stepping over to Evan.
Nick gritted his teeth and stepped forward, blocking Jason's path. "I'm not letting you do this. Not anymore."
The room grew still. It was clear that Jason hadn't expected anyone to stand up to him like this. The other students watched in silent anticipation. Jain, sitting off to the side, couldn't help but smile to himself, knowing this wouldn't end well.
"You're asking for it," Jason sneered, shoving Nick harder. "Get out of my way."
But this time, Nick didn't budge.
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The tension was palpable, and just as Jason made a move to shove him again, the door to the classroom swung open. Their teacher, Mrs. Richards, walked in, interrupting the confrontation.
"What's going on here?" she demanded, her stern gaze sweeping over the class.
Nick stepped back, his heart still pounding in his chest. Jason gritted his teeth but didn't push further, the last of his bravado slipping away.
"This isn't over," Jason muttered under his breath, before returning to his seat.
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After the class ended, Nick found himself walking down the hallway, lost in thought. He had stood up for someone for the first time, and it felt... weird. But right.
"Hey," Jain called out as he caught up to Nick. "I gotta say, man, I didn't think you had it in you."
Nick gave him a sidelong glance. "I didn't think I had it in me either."
Jain chuckled. "You're going to be their new target, you know that, right?"
Nick sighed. "Yeah, but maybe it's time someone put a stop to this. Besides, it wasn't about them. It was about Evan."
Jain's grin widened. "Well, whatever happens, you've got a new reputation now, my friend."
Nick wasn't so sure about that. But one thi
ng was clear: he had made a choice. And now, there was no going back.
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End of Chapter 1.
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