Before Furry

Chapter 8

Warning: This chapter contains potentially triggering themes such as psychotic episodes and suicide. Read at your own risk.

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The next morning, the sky was cloudy and dark, perfectly mirroring my mood right now. Now that my suspension was over, I needed to go to school, even if I didn't want to.

There was still no sign of my parents at home. At this rate, I couldn't guess if they would come back or not. It was kinda frightening how calm I was about this matter now. I guessed I already couldn't less care about them.

Maybe I already regard them as different people now.

I walked to school through the windy weather. I would've put a jacket on if I knew it would be this windy. And perhaps I would've also brought a raincoat. The sky didn't look very friendly now. It somehow gave me a bad premonition.

What am I saying? Every day is a bad day.

Nobody took a glance at me when I arrived in the classroom. Well, what did I expect? Being absent for a day was not something worth paying attention to. Besides, there was nobody in the class that I was close with, except maybe Rannier.

The person himself looked like he was having a fun chat while shrouded by his friends.

Maybe I was getting ahead of myself.

He is always friendly with everyone. We just interacted with each other for a few days, so how could I say that we were close friends?

I walked to my desk where permanent marker scribbles with unpleasant words decorated the surface. Didn't know who did it, but it has been there ever since I was here.

I sat and took out my childhood diary. I decided to bring it with me to school because I couldn't keep calm without it. It somehow gave me the courage to go through the day.

I had read every page of it. It was impressive how my younger self could fill the entire book. It seemed I already had liked writing since I was young.

But even though the book was full, for some reason there were missing pages at the end. There was a mark where they were torn apart from the book. I wondered what I did to it.

The first period of the class has started, but I didn't pay attention. Nor for my second, third, etc. I spent my time daydreaming while turning the pages.

The break time had started. I was still indulging myself with my diary until someone snatched it from my sight.

"You have been smiling like an idiot all day. Just what are you reading?" Bronte stood beside my desk as he opened my diary curiously.

"Hey! G-give it back!" In a panic, I tried to take it back, but he evaded me.

"Hah, look at your face. Why are you so worked up? Is this thing something important to you?" He said as he hung the book in his hand above my head.

"J-just give it back." I continued to reach for it, but before I could reach it somebody stopped me.

"Wow-wow-wow, not so easy dude." One of his lackeys, the hyena, locked up my upper arms. I tried to struggle, but he was much stronger than me.

"Please... Don't..." I nearly cried as he skimmed the book. The commotion quickly took everyone's attention.

"What is it, boss? Is it porn?" Another lackey, the raccoon, asking curiously beside him as he tried to take a peek at the book.

"Wow, look at this! A diary!" Bronte sneered. "How can a man like you write a diary like a girl? Hah, pathetic!"

"Boss, can you really read that handwriting? It was so terrible, even an elementary schooler can write better than this."