Next Day at School
Eric scanned the classroom, his eyes landing on Justin.
Eric (angrily thinking): "Where is he? Where is the boy… the one my mother said…?" 😡
Justin walked in, sensing Eric's piercing gaze. He instinctively kept his distance, trying to act normal.
Justin: (quietly, to himself) "Stay calm… don't provoke him…" 😨
Eric noticed immediately. His brows furrowed.
Eric (confused, internally): "He… he's avoiding me? But I'm supposed to be 'beautiful' in his eyes. Why is he running away… is it because I'm a boy? What… what do I do now?" 😶
As he was lost in thought, a hand lightly touched his shoulder.
Eric: (sudden panic) "Ahhh!" 😱
In a flash of fear and clumsiness, he lost his balance and fell—landing right onto Justin's desk, pressing against him.
The classroom froze.
Everyone: 😶
Lussy: 😶
Emily: 😶
Thomas: 😶
Teacher: 😶
Justin: 😶
Justin's breath caught—not from fear, but from the overwhelming surge of an inexplicable emotion. His chest tightened as a strange urge to protect and comfort the boy surged up.
Eric, meanwhile, felt a horrifying echo of his past. The way Justin's shoulder met his—light, hesitant—reminded him of his mother's touch from long ago. A shiver ran through his body. 😨
Justin could feel the tension radiating from Eric, a mixture of fear, panic, and vulnerability.
Teacher: "Lussy! Step back! Give him space!" 😤
Lussy, concerned, leaned forward slightly, wanting to see if Eric was okay—but paused. The intensity of the moment stopped her. She realized sitting neighbors could make situations explode in unexpected ways.
For Eric, the classroom wasn't just a room anymore—it was a trigger, a flood of memories, and a confusing storm of emotions he didn't yet understand.
Justin stayed still, unsure whether to comfort him or maintain distance. His heart, however, told him one thing: this boy needed protection, even if he couldn't yet understand why.
The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, as everyone watched the tense tableau, unaware of the storm brewing between the two.
---continue