CHAPTER 9: BETRAYAL AND RESOLUTION

As I strolled through the hallways the next day, I couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was staring and whispering about me.

Whenever I caught someone's eye, they'd pretend like nothing was going on.

With no friends to turn to, I just decided to brush it off and head to class, hoping to find Cedric.

But when I entered the room, it was like all attention turned to me, and not in a good way.

I made my way towards Cedric, but two guys blocked my path, refusing to let me through.

"What's your deal? I just need to talk to Cedric," I snapped, frustration building.

Before they could respond, Cedric intervened, telling them to let me pass.

Relieved, I approached Cedric, noticing his uneasy demeanor.

"I need to talk to you privately," I said, trying to keep a serious tone.

"Not now, Edward. Let's meet at the auditorium after school," he suggested.

"Sure," I agreed before walking away, the tension in the air palpable.

The rest of the day was a nightmare. Everywhere I went, I felt the weight of their stares and heard the whispers of disdain.

Unable to bear it any longer, I retreated to the storage room for lunch, hoping for some peace.

But even there, the harassment followed. Paper balls with cruel messages were thrown at me, each one cutting deeper than the last.

"Don't they realize I have feelings too? That their words hurt?" I thought, feeling the weight of their cruelty.

When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, I rushed to the auditorium to meet Cedric.

But as I waited, dread crept in when I saw him enter with four other guys, his usual crew.

"What are they doing here?" I muttered, fear gnawing at me.

Before I could react, they lunged towards me, trapping me as two of them held me down.

Confusion and pain overwhelmed me as they began to beat me, Cedric's betrayal burning like acid.

"What's happening?" I managed to choke out, the blows raining down on me.

Finally, Cedric called them off, but the damage was done. I lay there, broken and defeated.

With every ounce of strength I could muster, I picked myself up and left the auditorium.

Outside, I found Williams talking to a security guard, concern etched on his face as he rushed to my side.

"Where were you? I've been looking everywhere for you," he exclaimed, worry evident in his voice.

"I'll explain later. Let's just go home," I replied, exhaustion washing over me.

As we drove home, I made a decision. Enough was enough. It was time to tell my parents everything.

When we arrived, they were waiting for me, concern written all over their faces.

"Something happened at school, didn't it?" my dad asked, his voice tight with worry.

Sitting down with them, I recounted the horrors I'd endured, the tears flowing freely from my mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry we didn't know," my dad said, anger simmering beneath his words.

Showing them my bruises, their shock was evident, and they wasted no time in calling the doctor and the principal.

As my mom hugged me tightly, apologizing over and over, I finally felt a sense of relief.

Tomorrow, we would confront the school, and then I would start anew somewhere else.

It felt good to finally let it all out, to know that I wasn't alone in this battle.