TRIGGER WARNING
Oliver dragged himself out of bed, feeling his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. He hadn't slept well, plagued by nightmares and uneasy thoughts that lingered in his mind. He knew he had to get ready for school, but something inside him urged him to stay in bed, just for a little while longer.
Finally, he pushed himself up, swinging his feet over the edge of his bed. He reached for his clothes, but almost as an afterthought, he stopped to examine the fresh scars etched into his arms. Quickly, he grabbed a roll of bandages and wrapped it around his arms
As he did so, he thought of the teasing he might face at school, the cruel words that his classmates would hurl at him. But he knew he had to face it, so with a deep breath, he lifted himself up and started getting ready.
He put on a clean shirt and pants, brushed his hair and teeth, and headed out of his house, ready to face the day. As usual, he walked to school, keeping his head down and trying to deflect any attention. But as he neared the school gates, he saw a group of bullies approaching. They were led by Kyle, the biggest and meanest of the lot. Oliver's heart sank, knowing what was potentially waiting for him. As they got closer, he braced himself for the usual insults about his scars or his father. But to his surprise, someone stepped forward to defend him.
As Kyle and his group approached, Anna stepped in front of Oliver, holding up her hands. "Hey, back off, guys. What's the problem here?"
Kyle sneered. "What's it to you, copy cat? This isn't your problem."
Anna stood her ground. "I don't like bullies, and it looks like you're trying to bully Oliver here. So yeah, it is my problem."
The other bullies snickered, but Kyle's expression darkened. "You wanna fight, albino girl?"
Oliver was about to intervene, but Anna held up a hand to stop him. "I can handle this," she murmured, before turning back to Kyle. "Why don't we just talk this out like rational human beings?"
Kyle laughed mockingly. "Talk? What's there to talk about? You're just a freak who needs to be put in her place."
Anna's eyes flashed with anger. "I'm not a freak. I'm a person, just like you.."
The other bullies formed a circle around Anna and Kyle, cheering them on. Anna raised her fists in a defensive stance, but Kyle charged forward, swinging wildly. He was bigger and stronger than Anna, but she was quick and agile, ducking and weaving out of his way.
As the fight went on, the other kids grew more and more excited, shouting and egging them on. But as the adrenaline surged through her veins, Anna's mind began to race. She realized that this was not the way to solve things. She knew that violence would only lead to more violence, and that there had to be a better way to deal with bullies. So she took a step back, allowed Kyle to lunge at her, and sidestepped out of his way, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground.
Anna extended a hand to help him up, but he sneered and pushed her hand away. "What are you doing?" he spat.
Anna shrugged. "I don't see the point in fighting," she said. "It's not going to solve anything."
The other bullies started to disperse, disappointed that the fight had ended so abruptly. Anna turned to Oliver, who was staring at her in awe. "What just happened?" he asked.
Anna smiled at him. "I realized that fighting wasn't the answer," she said. "It just makes things worse. We need to find a better way to deal with bullies."
Together, they walked to class, deep in conversation about how they could make a difference in their school.
