Chapter 6

114 3 0
                                    

As the day dragged on, Kozio was making his way down the hall, clutching his books close, hoping to blend in and avoid attention. He kept his eyes low, wanting to get to his next class without incident. But before he could reach the door, he heard familiar voices too familiar.

"Well, if it isn’t Kozio," sneered Zip, stepping into his path with a smirk. Her gaze was sharp, cutting, and Kozio could feel the tension coil in his chest. Oliver and Edward followed close behind, forming a wall around him. Kozio instinctively tightened his grip on his books, feeling his pulse quicken.

"Lost again, Kozio?" Oliver taunted, leaning in. "Or just daydreaming like usual?"

Kozio forced himself to look away, swallowing back the instinct to respond. He knew from experience that saying anything would only make things worse.

Edward chuckled, nudging Zip. "Bet he’s just got his head in the clouds. Or maybe he’s writing poetry for his ‘imaginary friends.’ Isn’t that right, Kozio?"

Kozio’s face remains almost emotionless, and he kept his gaze down. They didn’t know about the weight he carried or the loneliness that seemed to press on him every day. To them, he was just an easy target.

Zip leaned closer, her voice taking on a mocking tone. "What’s wrong? Can’t speak for yourself? Or are you too ‘special’ for us?"

Kozio’s chest tightened, and the urge to speak up flickered, but he forced it down, feeling cornered. He scanned the hallway, hoping someone would intervene, but as usual, the other students avoided eye contact, not wanting to get involved. He was alone.

Oliver finally stepped aside, but not without a final jab. "Don’t take it personally, Kozio. We’re just giving you the attention you clearly crave."

They laughed, their voices echoing down the hallway as they walked away, leaving him standing there, feeling exposed and humiliated. His shoulders sagged as he clutched his books, the empty hallway now feeling even colder.

After they left, Kozio took a shaky breath. He was used to their cruelty, but each encounter took something out of him, leaving him feeling smaller. Resigned, he continued down the hall, trying to ignore the heaviness in his chest and steady his mind.

Just as Kozio started to walk away, something shot past his face a crumpled paper ball hurled with a surprising amount of force. It flew just inches from his cheek, and on instinct, he tilted his head, narrowly dodging it. He could hear the snickering behind him as the paper bounced off the wall.

"Nice reflexes, Kozio!" Edward laughed, mocking him. "Maybe next time I’ll actually aim at you."

Kozio gritted his teeth, feeling a mix of anger and frustration. He could feel their eyes on him, waiting to see if he’d react. He forced himself to remain calm, knowing that any response would just give them more ammunition.

But the close call left him rattled, his heart pounding as he tried to ignore the echoing laughter. With every step he took away from them, he could feel the humiliation sink deeper, the isolation and anger blending into a heavy knot in his stomach.

It was just another reminder no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, they always found a way to tear him down.

Edward, clearly amused by Kozio’s reaction, didn’t stop at just one. One by one, he kept crumpling sheets of paper and throwing them, aiming for Kozio with an exaggerated precision. Each one smacked against Kozio's shoulder, his back, sometimes even grazing his head. Zip and Oliver joined in with snide comments, laughing each time a paper landed close to him.

“Come on, Kozio!” Edward taunted, smirking. “Thought you were quick on your feet. You’re usually so good at dodging real life, why not this?”

Kozio clenched his fists at his sides, feeling each hit reverberate through him. His mind raced with things he wanted to say, each word sharp and cutting, but he bit down on them, knowing it would only make things worse. He focused on the ground, forcing himself to just walk, his pace a little faster, a little more tense, trying to get away from their relentless barrage.

Resonance of Ruin - FPE OCWhere stories live. Discover now