Alexander Grey's eyes cast downward as he knelt on the cold floor, the sound of laughter and jeers echoing through the school hallway. "Get up, tramp," Charles sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Why do you think you're worthy of standing?"
Alexander hesitated, his gaze fixed on the floor. He knew what was coming – another beating, another humiliation. But he had no choice. He slowly rose to his feet, his eyes locked on Charles and Ryder, who stood before him, their faces twisted in cruel smiles.
"You didn't do the job I asked you to do," Charles spat, his voice venomous. "I paid you to do my homework, but you failed. You're useless."
Alexander's eyes welled up with tears as he protested, "I did do it, Charles! I gave it to you this morning."
Charles's laughter was like a slap in the face. "The teacher failed me, and you expect me to believe you did the work? You're a failure, Alexander."
As the verbal abuse continued, Alexander's body began to tremble. He was hungry, and the prospect of food was all that kept him going. "Please, Charles... I didn't eat yesterday... I'll do anything..."
Ryder chuckled, his eyes glinting with sadistic pleasure. "Oh, look at him beg. I thought he was too proud for that."
Charles tossed a packet of cookies on the floor. "Here, dog. Eat."
Alexander's eyes lit up with desperation as he reached for the cookies, but Ryder crushed them beneath his foot. "Eat it off the floor, dog."
The humiliation was suffocating. Alexander's eyes stung as he dragged himself to pick up the crumbs, his body aching with every movement. Ryder's foot pressed down on his back, making him cry out in pain.
The hallway erupted in whispers and laughter. "He's such a wimp... He doesn't belong here... He's pathetic."
Crystal, one of the top students, walked by and witnessed the scene. Her expression darkened as she approached Charles and Ryder. "What are you doing?"
The bullies quickly dispersed, leaving Alexander battered and broken. Crystal offered him a hand, and he took it, his body trembling.
As she handed him a flask containing food, Alexander's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, Crystal."
But Crystal's expression remained cold, her eyes devoid of warmth. "Don't thank me," she said, her voice detached. "I just didn't want to waste good food on a dog."
She turned to leave, but Alexander stopped her. "Ummm... I want to talk to you."
Alexander continued, "I was thinking maybe we could hang out... you know, as friends."
Crystal's expression turned icy. "Who do you think you are talking to? As far as I know, there is no 'we'."
Crystal's face darkened further. "You want us to be friends? Why?" Alexander thought maybe she misunderstood him. "You seem so nice to me, so I thought..." Crystal cut him off.
She took the flask back, emptied its contents into the trash, and threw the flask in
Alexander's heart sank as he asked to talk to her, hoping to find a glimmer of kindness. But Crystal's response was icy. "Who do you think you are talking to? There's no 'we'."
The hallway erupted in laughter and jeers as Crystal rejected him, emptying the flask into the trash. Alexander's hopes were crushed, and he realized that even kindness can be a facade.
As the Bell Rang
Alexander couldn't help but laugh at his own foolishness. What had he been thinking? Why had he expected anything different? The bitter taste of disappointment lingered as he jolted out of the school, the bell's ring a welcome escape from the unbearable day.