The next morning, Xavier woke up to the harsh reality of his new life. He got dressed, his body still sore from the previous day's beating. As he entered the academy, he felt a sense of dread. He knew what awaited him, but he had no choice but to face it.
Lucas and his friends seemed to be everywhere Xavier went, their presence a constant, ominous shadow. The hallways, once bustling with the chatter of students, fell silent as Xavier walked through, the weight of unspoken threats hanging heavy in the air.
In the morning, as Xavier made his way to his first class, he felt a sharp shove from behind. He stumbled forward, catching himself just before he hit the ground. Turning around, he saw Lucas and the others smirking, their eyes cold and unyielding.
"Watch where you're going, village rat," Lucas sneered, pushing past him.
Xavier's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and anger coursing through him. He quickly made his way to class, hoping to find some respite, but the torment followed him even there.
During the lecture, Xavier tried to focus on the professor's words, but his mind was a whirlwind of anxiety. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his back as something hard and pointed jabbed into him. He winced, turning to see Ethan sitting behind him, a malicious grin on his face, holding a sharpened pencil.
"Oops, my hand slipped," Ethan said, feigning innocence.
The professor glanced up briefly but said nothing, turning back to the lecture as if nothing had happened. Xavier gritted his teeth, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over.
At lunch, Xavier tried to find a quiet corner to eat alone, but Lucas and the others found him quickly. They surrounded him, their voices low and threatening.
"You think you can hide from us?"
Before Xavier could react, Ethan grabbed his tray and dumped the food onto Xavier's lap. The hot liquid scalded his skin, and he let out a cry of pain. The cafeteria fell silent for a moment, but no one intervened.
"Clean it up, village rat," Maximilian sneered, kicking Xavier's chair and sending him crashing to the floor.
Xavier lay there, humiliated and in pain, as the others laughed and walked away. He struggled to his feet, his body shaking with the effort. He cleaned up the mess, his eyes filled with tears of frustration and anger.
Xavier limped into his next class, his body throbbing with pain. He tried to focus on the lecture, but the whispers and stares from his classmates made it impossible. Halfway through the class, Lucas and his friends entered the room, their eyes locked on Xavier.
"Professor, we need to borrow Xavier for a moment," Lucas said, his voice smooth and confident. The professor glanced at Xavier, then nodded, turning back to the board as if nothing was amiss.
Xavier was dragged out of the classroom, his pleas for help falling on deaf ears. They took him to a secluded hallway, where Ethan pinned him against the wall, his forearm pressed against Xavier's throat.
"You think you're better than us, don't you?" Ethan hissed, his face contorted with rage. "You think you can just waltz in here and take what's ours?"
Xavier tried to speak, but Ethan's grip tightened, cutting off his air supply. He struggled to breathe, his vision swimming as darkness threatened to consume him. Just as he was about to pass out, Ethan released him, and he crumpled to the floor, gasping for air.
Leonardo and Maximilian took over, their fists raining down on Xavier's body with brutal force. They kicked him, punched him, and spat on him, their laughter echoing through the hallway. Xavier curled up, trying to protect himself, but the blows kept coming, relentless and unyielding.
When they finally stopped, Xavier lay on the floor, his body a mess of bruises and blood. He could barely move, his breath coming in shallow, painful gasps. Lucas leaned down, his voice cold and cruel.
"Remember this, village rat. You're nothing here. You're less than nothing."
Xavier staggered into the locker room, his body aching and bruised. He needed to clean up, to wash away the blood and dirt from the day's beatings. As he stripped down to his underwear, he heard the door slam shut behind him. He turned to see Lucas and his friends, their eyes gleaming with malice.
"Looks like the village rat needs a bath," Lucas sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. Before Xavier could react, they grabbed him, dragging him to the showers. They turned on the cold water, the icy spray hitting Xavier like a thousand needles. He gasped, his body shaking with shock and pain.
Ethan and Leonardo held him down, their grips like vice, while Maximilian grabbed a bar of soap. He forced it into Xavier's mouth, pushing it deep into his throat, making him gag and choke. Xavier struggled to breathe, his body convulsing as he fought for air.
"Swallow it, you fucking rat," Maximilian spat, his voice filled with hatred. Xavier gagged, his eyes watering as he tried to spit out the soap, but Maximilian's grip was unyielding. He felt his consciousness slipping away, the world fading to black as he choked on the soap.
Finally, they released him, and he fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for air. He lay there, his body shaking with cold and pain, as they laughed and jeered, their voices echoing through the locker room.
"Pathetic," Lucas sneered, kicking Xavier one last time before they left, the door slamming shut behind them.
And his day ended just like that, passing out after every bullying session and waking up in an unfamiliar place.
Xavier woke up the next morning, his body aching and bruised. He forced himself to get ready, his movements slow and painful. As he made his way to the academy, he tried to blend in, to avoid drawing any attention to himself. But as he climbed the stairs to his first class, he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his back.
He turned to see Lucas and his friends, their faces twisted in cruel grins. Before he could react, they grabbed him, dragging him into a secluded stairwell. They threw him down the stairs, his body tumbling and crashing against the hard concrete. He landed at the bottom, his body a mess of pain and bruises.
Ethan and Leonardo were on him in an instant, their fists and feet raining down on him with brutal force. They kicked him, punched him, and stomped on him, their laughter echoing through the stairwell. Xavier curled up, trying to protect himself, but the blows kept coming relentlessly
Maximilian grabbed a nearby mop, the handle splintered and sharp. He raised it high, then brought it crashing down on Xavier's back, the wood shattering with a sickening crack. Xavier screamed in pain, his vision swimming as darkness threatened to consume him.
Later during the break, Xavier walked into the cafeteria. He tried to blend in, hoping to avoid any attention. As he stood in line to get his food, he felt a sudden push in his back. Someone had shoved him hard, sending him crashing into the person in front of him.
"Watch where you're going, freak!" Lucas sneered, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. The cafeteria fell silent, all eyes turning to Xavier.
Xavier stumbled to his feet, his face flushed with embarrassment and pain. Before he could react, another shove sent him sprawling onto the floor. This time, it was Ethan, his face twisted in a cruel grin.
"Get up, you pathetic piece of shit," Ethan spat, kicking Xavier in the ribs. Xavier curled up, trying to protect himself, but the kicks kept coming. Leonardo and Maximilian joined in, their boots connecting with Xavier's body with sickening thuds.
The cafeteria staff and students watched in silence, none daring to intervene. Xavier's cries of pain echoed through the room, but no one moved to help him.
Lucas leaned down, his face inches from Xavier's. "This is just the beginning, village rat. You're going to regret ever setting foot in this academy."
Once the academy hours had ended, Xavier staggered out of the academy. He tried to make his way home, but as he walked through the crowded streets, he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his back. He turned to see Lucas and his friends.
Before he could react, they grabbed him, dragging him to a busy intersection. They stripped him down to his underwear, their laughter echoing through the crowd. Xavier stood there, his body shaking with cold and pain, as people pointed and jeered, their voices filled with mockery and contempt.
He felt a profound sense of humiliation and despair, the world crashing down around him as he realized the true extent of their cruelty.
Xavier stood there as Lucas drove away with his friends. He was at his limit, unable to endure any more. Just as he was about to collapse, a luxurious van pulled up in front of him, and the door slid open. Two men in suits stepped out, their movements efficient and professional. They gathered all of Xavier's belongings scattered on the street and placed them carefully in the van.
The back door of the van slid open, revealing a chubby boy with glasses sitting alone. He was wearing the same academy uniform as Xavier. Although Xavier didn't recall seeing him, he realized this boy must be from one of his classes.
When Lucas and his friends began to bully Xavier, others did too. And the never ending cycle of bullying had begun. Xavier's instincts screamed at him to run. After the never-ending cycle of bullying, he couldn't trust anyone. He prepared to escape, his body tensing.
But the chubby boy called out to him, "Xavier, wait! I want to help you."
Xavier hesitated, his eyes darting between the boy and the open van door. The boy's expression was sincere, his eyes kind behind his glasses.
"Please, get in," the boy urged, his voice gentle.
Reluctantly, Xavier climbed into the van, his body aching with every movement. The door slid shut behind him, and the van drove off smoothly. The ride was silent, the air thick with tension as Xavier and the chubby boy glanced at each other, neither sure what to say.
The van came to a stop, and the men in suits got out, but Xavier remained seated, still in his underwear, unwilling to face further humiliation. The man in the suit handed Xavier his uniform, freshly pressed and folded neatly.
The chubby boy turned to Xavier. "Put on your uniform and come out when you're ready." He then closed the van door, giving Xavier some privacy.
Xavier quickly dressed, his movements slow and painful. When he was ready, he stepped out of the van, his eyes meeting the chubby boy's. The boy smiled warmly and gestured towards a nearby restaurant. The men in suits waited outside as Xavier and the chubby boy entered.
They sat at a table, and the chubby boy ordered food for both of them. He then turned to Xavier. "What would you like to order?"
Xavier hesitated, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't have any money."
The chubby boy waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about that. Order whatever you like." He then introduced himself, "I'm Oliver Thorne. And I know what you're going through. I want to help."
Xavier looked at Oliver, his eyes wide with surprise and a glimmer of hope. "Why are you helping me?"
Oliver leaned back in his chair, his expression serious. "Because I've been where you are. I know what it's like to be bullied, to feel alone and helpless. But you're not alone, Xavier. You have me now."
Xavier felt a lump form in his throat, tears threatening to spill over. He had never expected kindness in this cruel world, but here it was, in the form of a chubby boy with glasses and a warm smile.
"Thank you, Oliver," Xavier said, his voice filled with gratitude.
Oliver smiled back at him. "Don't mention it. Now, let's eat. You look like you could use a good meal."
After they finished eating, Oliver leaned forward, his expression serious. "Xavier, do you remember the professor who suddenly took a leave because he was ill?"
Xavier nodded, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Yeah, I do."
Oliver pulled out his device and showed Xavier a news article. The headline read, "Man Found Dead in Apartment, Cause of Death: Suicide." Below the headline was a photo of the professor.
Xavier's eyes widened in shock. "That's the same professor."
Oliver nodded grimly. "It wasn't a suicide, Xavier. It was murder."
Xavier's heart pounded in his chest. "What? Why? Who would do something like that?"
Oliver looked Xavier straight in the eyes. "You really don't realize it, or are you just being stupid?"
Xavier hesitated, his mind racing. In truth, he had already realized. He had suspicions when the professor and the passerby student who had helped him didn't come to the academy the next day. "I... I had a feeling something was wrong."
Oliver nodded, a grim expression on his face. "The student who helped you is in the hospital. A car ran him over. He's wrapped in bandages, barely alive. His life is practically over."
Xavier felt a chill run down his spine. "Why isn't anyone saying anything? Why isn't anyone standing up against this?"
"Lucas's grandfather is the dean of the academy. So Lucas is the most powerful and influential person among the students. You have the worst luck that you caught his attention. I went to the same school as him and let me tell you… he has gotten many students, their parents and teachers, killed."
"What about the police and laws?"
Oliver rubbed his thumb against his fingers. "Money is everything, Xavier. Those who have money can do anything and get away with it."
"Money is everything..." Xavier muttered. It was as if a light had been turned on, illuminating the dark corners of his understanding.
Oliver leaned back in his chair, his voice soft but firm. "You won't escape the bullying, Xavier. You have no background, no connections. The best option for you is to return to your village."
Xavier shook his head, his voice filled with determination. "I won't leave. I'll teach them a lesson."
Oliver glanced around, then leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I can help you. I can record the bullying and have a hacker post it anonymously. It probably won't stop the bullying completely, but it will decrease."
Xavier's eyes lit up with hope. "Do it. Record it."
Oliver nodded, but his expression turned serious. "I can record it, but we'll need to pay the hacker and others to make sure the video isn't traced back to us. We need to prove it's real, not fake."
Xavier looked at Oliver, his brow furrowing. "You ride in a van and have bodyguards. You must have money too."
Oliver shook his head. "All that belongs to my father. He hired the bodyguards for me. I have a bit of pocket money left for the month, but it's not enough."
Xavier's heart sank. "How much money do we need?"
Oliver thought for a moment. "I need to confirm the exact amount, but we'll need at least $10,000 as an advance to start the process."
Xavier's eyes widened. "$10,000? That's a lot of money."
Oliver nodded. "I can help with $1,000. That's all I have left for the rest of the month."
Xavier felt a pang of guilt. "I can't ask you to do that, Oliver."
Oliver waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I want to help you, Xavier. You deserve better than this."
After they finished their conversation, Oliver and Xavier left the restaurant. The men in suits waited outside, their expressions stoic as they escorted them back to the van. The ride back to the Nexus Tower was silent, both boys lost in their thoughts.
As Xavier stepped out of the van, he turned to Oliver, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Oliver. For everything."
Oliver smiled warmly. "Don't mention it, Xavier. That's what friends are for."
As the van drove away, Xavier stood there, a sense of hope and determination filling him. Today, instead of feeling sad and depressed, he felt happy. Someone was standing up for him, someone was willing to help him when no one else would. He had made a true friend, and that meant more to him than anything else.
—
Next chapter- Goddess Astrea