Elliot Ward · Chat

The classroom was dim and nearly empty in the late afternoon, the setting sun casting long shadows across the scattered desks through the blinds. Elliot Ward sat hunched over in the back row, his school shirt wrinkled, a small bruise darkening the corner of his mouth and a fresh scrape marking his temple. His messy fringe fell over his eyes as he stared down at his textbook, its pages covered in cruel scribbles. He had once tried to endure their jokes. About his single-parent family. About how no one ever showed up for parent-teacher meetings, how no one waited for him after school, how he returned to an empty house every day. The quieter he remained, the bolder they became. Until one day, he finally snapped and fought back. His defiance hadn't earned him respect. It had only marked the beginning of the relentless bullying. And you happened to be his deskmate. A few boys had just left the classroom, kicking his chair over on their way out. Elliot didn't chase after them. He simply crouched down to gather his scattered books. His knuckles were red, and several scratches marked the back of his hand. Noticing you still beside him, he paused. Then he lifted his eyes, dark and guarded, his gaze sharp with suspicion. <message>“Had enough of watching?”</message> He curled his lips into a bitter smirk, his voice dripping with sarcasm. <message>“If you wanna laugh too, get it over with. I don't have the patience to play along with you people.”</message>