Chapter Text
Jake sat curled up against the cold metal of the lockers, his knees drawn to his chest. The chill seeped through his clothes, but he barely noticed it. The hallway stretched endlessly in both directions, disappearing into a swirling abyss of darkness. The air felt heavy, suffocating, pressing against his chest like an invisible weight.
His breath came in short, panicked gasps as shadows loomed over him, twisting and shifting like ink spilled into water. He couldn’t make out their faces. Only hollow, white eyes that burned into him with silent judgment.
Then, the voices started.
"Freak!"
"What a freak!"
"You think you’ll actually be something?"
Each word cut through him like shattered glass, sharp and cruel. His fingers curled into his hair, gripping desperately, as if he could claw the voices out of his mind. But they only grew louder, echoing inside his skull.
"Look in the mirror! He’s such an attention seeker."
"Please, that’s pathetic!"
"Who does he think he is?"
His heartbeat pounded against his ribs, erratic and panicked. The figures pressed closer, their shadows stretching long and jagged across the floor, swallowing the dim light that flickered overhead. He tried to breathe, to steady himself, but his lungs refused to cooperate.
He wasn’t safe.
He would never be safe.
"Just give up already."
"Do you think we actually want you in our group?"
"You don’t belong here."
His chest tightened, air wheezing past his lips in ragged, uneven breaths. The words wrapped around him like chains, cold and unyielding, pulling him deeper into the abyss.
Then, a flicker of movement caught his eye.
He turned his head, his stomach twisted violently.
Hailey.
She was curled up against the lockers, her shoulders shaking as silent sobs wracked her small frame. Her arms wrapped around herself like a shield, like she was trying to disappear. But the shadows wouldn’t let her.
A familiar voice sneered down at her, taunting, cruel.
"You’re so pathetic!"
"Why are you even trying so hard, huh?"
"You’ll never amount to anything!"
"You’ll always be a freak!"
Jake’s breath hitched, his body going rigid.
No.
No, no, no.
“Hey! Leave her alone!” he shouted, scrambling forward. His voice cracked, desperation dripping from every word. “Don’t talk to her that way—”
But then he froze.
His blood ran cold.
His breath caught in his throat, choking him.
Because it was him.
His own voice, the same mocking tone, the same sneering words. He was the one towering over her.
It felt like the floor had dropped out from under him, like gravity had turned against him. He wanted to move, to scream, to do something. But all he could do was stare in horror at his own reflection, twisted and cruel, spitting venom at the only person who had truly believed in him.
Then another movement.
The Music Club.
They stepped into view, their faces etched with disappointment, betrayal, disgust.
Millie was the first to shake her head, her voice sharp with hurt. “How could you, Jake?!”
Zander’s expression was unreadable, but his voice was ice. “I should never have trusted you.”
Luke scoffed, arms crossed. “You’re awful.”
Sean’s voice was distant, quiet. But it hit the hardest. “You let us down.”
Jake staggered backward. His vision blurred, his breath coming in sharp, shallow gasps. His hands trembled at his sides, fingers twitching uselessly.
“Wait… Please! Guys! Let me explain!” His voice cracked with desperation.
But they didn’t listen.
They didn’t even hesitate.
The shadows swallowed them whole, their figures dissolving into the abyss, leaving nothing but silence.
Jake spun around frantically, searching, pleading.
“Hailey? Hailey!”
No answer.
Just darkness.
And then—
Blackness.
His eyes snapped open.
Jake jolted upright, his chest heaving, gasping for air as if he had just surfaced from drowning. His pulse pounded violently against his ribs, each beat sending a tremor through his exhausted body.
His sheets clung to his sweat-drenched skin, tangled around him like the chains in his nightmare. He could still feel the cold metal of the lockers against his back, still hear the echoes of their voices ringing in his ears.
"Freak."
"You don’t belong here."
"You let us down."
His fingers dug into the mattress, gripping it like an anchor, like it was the only thing keeping him from spiraling all over again.
It wasn’t real.
It wasn’t real.
But the weight in his chest told him otherwise.
The nightmare had ended.
But the truth of it still lingered.
He was a monster.
And nothing could change that.
The crisp morning air bit at Jake’s skin as he approached the front of the school, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie, desperately seeking some warmth that wasn’t coming. The crowd of students around him were oblivious to the storm brewing inside him, their laughter and idle chatter blending into an indistinct hum. It was all just noise to him now. Everything felt muted, like he was moving through a world that wasn’t his. The gray sky above only deepened the heaviness in his chest, a constant reminder of the weight of the betrayal that was suffocating him.
He hadn’t slept. At all. His mind had raced through the same cycle of anger, regret, and the sharp, searing sting of betrayal that gnawed at him. He hated himself for the things he’d said, for the things he’d done, but more than anything, he hated who had decided to turn his trust into ammunition. If I hadn’t been so stupid…
But who? Who had been the one to sell him out?
Henry? Jake frowned, his mind sifting through memories of their countless hangouts. Henry had always been careless, loud-mouthed. But would he really go that far? Did he even realize what he’d done if it was him?
Drew? The thought made Jake’s stomach twist with resentment. He had been pushing Jake to quit the club since the beginning. He always made it clear that he thought the Music Freaks were beneath them. Was this his way of making sure Jake wouldn’t go back? Had he gone behind his back to force his hand?
Liam? Jake considered it for a second, but Liam rarely took things that seriously. He was always along for the ride, not the one steering the wheel. Still, he wasn’t above making jokes at someone else’s expense. Maybe it was a prank that got out of hand.
Lia? Lia never gave him a reason to doubt her. But she was friends with Zoey, and if Zoey was involved…
Zoey. The mere thought of her name sent a fresh surge of bitterness through him. She was unpredictable, cunning. If anyone had a motive to stir up drama, it was her. But would she have done this just to spite him, or was she playing some bigger game?
The frustration built up inside him like a slow-burning fire. He needed answers, and he was going to get them.
“Sup, Jake!”
Henry’s voice pierced through the haze, his usual overenthusiastic greeting clashing with the quiet storm brewing in Jake’s mind.
“Mornin’, Jakey!” Henry grinned, his face lighting up, but it faltered the moment he took in Jake’s disheveled state. “Woah. You look like hell! Wait, let me guess, you were up all night thinking about Daisy rejecting you for that Sean guy? Don’t worry, bro, we’ll be there for whe— I mean— IF that happens.”
He let out a nervous laugh, but it died when Jake shot him a glare. The kind that could cut steel. His stomach tightened, a familiar mix of anger and hurt bubbling up.
“Woah, grouchy much?” Drew interjected, raising an eyebrow. “What’s up with you? And where’d you go yesterday? It’s not like you to just skip class.”
Jake clenched his jaw so hard it hurt. His fists, still hidden in his pockets, were trembling. “Who was it?”
Drew blinked, looking genuinely confused. “Was what?”
Jake took a deliberate step forward, his eyes dark, his voice low, dangerously calm. “Who recorded me the other night? Or were you all in on it?”
Liam scoffed, shoving his hands deeper into his jacket pockets, clearly uncomfortable. “Woah, what are you on about? You’re acting really weird, Jake…”
Jake’s laugh was dry, hollow, more like a bark than anything resembling humor. “You think so? Well, maybe it’s because my so-called friends decided to STAB ME IN THE BACK!”
The words hung in the air, and the sudden silence that followed felt suffocating. Drew shifted uncomfortably, the weight of Jake’s anger making him twitch. “Jake, you’re freaking us out. Can you just spit out what the problem—”
“I’VE BEEN KICKED OUT OF THE MUSIC CLUB, DREW!” Jake’s voice cracked, a mix of rage and humiliation flooding out all at once. “Someone recorded me at your house, talking behind their backs, and sent it to them! Now they won’t even look at me!”
Liam and Henry exchanged an awkward glance, clearly not expecting this. “Oooh.”
Drew sighed, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. “Well, don’t look at me!”
Jake’s eyes narrowed, his anger simmering, threatening to boil over. “Oh, I am looking at you. You’re the one who wanted me to quit in the first place! For all I know, you could’ve set me up!”
Drew’s face flushed as he took a step forward, the heat of the argument igniting his own temper. “And I’m telling you, I didn’t do jack! I don’t know anything about a recording. So what, they kicked you out of the club? Big deal. I’m sure there are other weird, creative ways to ask Daisy out.”
Jake’s lip curled in disgust, and his chest tightened. Daisy. It was always Daisy, wasn’t it? “This isn’t about Daisy!” He took a breath, the anger barely contained. “Oh, don’t give me that look. You knew I cared about this. You knew it wasn’t just for her.”
Drew scoffed, a smirk forming. “That’s not what it sounded like the other night at my place. Jeez, don’t act like we made you say all that smack. You said it yourself. And besides, I thought you figured out they were just using you for their gain anyway.”
Jake’s breath hitched. His chest felt tight with something heavy, something that wasn’t just anger. Regret? Betrayal? He wasn’t sure. But it made him want to lash out, to break everything.
“They’re not like that,” he muttered, his voice quieter now, almost lost. “If anyone was using someone, it was me. They gave me a second chance... and I—I threw it in their face.”
Drew rolled his eyes, clearly not buying it. “It’s not the end of the world, Jake. We’re your actual friends, remember? That club was a waste of time anyway. Whoever recorded you did you a favor.”
Jake’s fingers twitched, the bitter taste of his frustration settling on his tongue. He wanted to say more, much more, but something inside him snapped. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Without another word, he spun on his heel, pushing past them. His footsteps echoed in his ears, but just as he was about to disappear into the sea of students, something dark and spiteful crawled up his throat, and he couldn’t help himself.
“Oh, and I suppose I should return the favor.” His voice was eerie, unnervingly calm, as if it had all been building up to this. He turned, just enough to let his words land. “You might wanna ask your girlfriend about who she’s really spending her ‘busy weekends’ with.”
Drew’s face went pale, his expression tightening with confusion and anger. “What? What’s that supposed to mean? HEY—”
But Jake didn’t look back.
Let him figure it out.
By the time he reached the music room, exhaustion was beginning to creep in. It wasn’t just the lack of sleep, it was everything. The argument. The betrayal. The anger that had burned so fiercely was now simmering down into something heavier, something that weighed on his entire body. His steps felt sluggish, and his head pounded with the aftermath of everything that had happened.
He leaned against the door for a second, inhaling deeply. Just go in. Just get this over with.
When he finally stepped inside, the silence hit him like a wave. The room was eerily silent. The air smelled faintly of dust and sheet music, and the absence of the usual chatter and instruments tuning made the room feel… empty. It felt like something was missing. Like the space had been hollowed out. Jake stood in the doorway, his stomach twisting into knots. His breath caught in his chest. Where are they? He had expected to find the club members here, rehearsing, laughing, maybe even arguing. Anything, really, that would’ve brought the room to life. Instead, it felt like walking into a tomb. The empty silence pressed in on him, suffocating. This is it. I’ve ruined everything, he thought bitterly.
Before he could even gather his thoughts, the door suddenly swung open behind him.
“Jake!”
A firm hand grasped his wrist, yanking him inside. He barely had time to register the rush of white curls before Daisy shoved the door shut behind her. Her face was flushed with anger, blue eyes burning as they locked onto him. Jake swallowed hard, his throat dry, his heart pounding so loudly it nearly drowned out the words she was speaking.
“What happened?” she demanded, crossing her arms. “Why were you kicked out of The Music Club?!”
Jake let out a dry chuckle, though it was laced with nervousness and self-loathing. “Word spreads fast.”
“Of course it does!” she shot back, stepping closer. Her voice had a sharp edge now, a mix of confusion and frustration. “I don’t understand. You were all working so hard together! Everyone’s been so excited for the performance. I thought this meant something to you?”
Jake’s smirk faltered, his confidence draining away. He lowered his gaze to the scuffed floor, avoiding her piercing stare. His hands were shaking at his sides, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to steady his breath. He opened his mouth, but the words felt foreign, stuck in his throat. Why did I do this? The anger, the frustration, it was all swirling inside him, but now it was giving way to something darker: regret.
“It does,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. His chest tightened. He exhaled shakily, dragging a hand down his face in a futile attempt to steady himself. “I… I’m sorry, Daisy. I messed up. I said a lot of stupid things about the club that I didn’t mean. I deserved it.” His voice cracked, the raw emotion making him want to crumble into himself. “I let you down. I let everyone down.”
Daisy’s expression softened for a moment, but there was something else there. Something that told him she wasn’t about to let him off that easy. She stepped closer, her voice unyielding.
“That can’t be the end of it,” she insisted, her eyes locking onto him with a fierce determination. “Have they even heard you out?”
“They won’t talk to me,” he muttered, the words feeling like stones in his mouth. His gaze dropped, the weight of his own failure pressing on him. “There’s nothing I can do.”
Daisy’s face contorted with frustration, and she began pacing in front of him. “So that’s it? You’re just going to give up? After everything you’ve been through with them? All the hard work you’ve put in together?” She turned back to him, her voice shaking with something close to desperation. “Jake, they need you for the competition. And you—” she hesitated, her voice softening for just a moment, “you need them.”
Jake opened his mouth, but no words came out. His heart pounded in his chest, the weight of the situation crashing down on him like a wave. He wanted to apologize, to make things right, but the fear of being rejected, of being laughed off again, paralyzed him. What if they don’t want me back? What if it’s too late?
A knock at the door interrupted them. Jake jumped onto Daisy in fear of the tension in his body snapping as he turned toward the sound. They both looked up, and Cadey stepped inside, holding a stack of papers in her hands.
“Daisy? I don’t mean to intrude on… whatever this is,” she said, her raised eyebrow clearly noticing the weird atmosphere. “But Miss Jones needs those papers for the fundraiser.”
“Oh, right.” Daisy quickly replied, brushing her hair out of her face with a quick motion. She turned back to Jake, her expression unreadable now, her anger replaced by something else. “Sorry. We’ll talk later, okay?”
And just like that, she was gone, leaving Jake standing alone in the empty room. The silence that followed was suffocating, and Jake couldn’t shake the feeling of being completely alone, lost in the consequences of his own mistakes. What have I done? His thoughts spiraled. He’s such an idiot.
The longer he stood there, the more the nerves gnawed at him. His palms were sweaty. He was starting to feel sick. What if they don’t even care? What if it’s too late? The uncertainty ate away at him, and the possibility of facing the club members, of apologizing, felt like it would crush him.
Jake spotted Zander by his locker, the metal door swinging open as he rummaged through his books. Luke stood nearby, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed as he scrolled through his phone.
Jake’s stomach twisted violently. This is a mistake. A terrible, humiliating mistake. Every part of him screamed at him to turn back, to disappear before they could reject him outright. But if he ran now, wouldn’t that just prove them right? That he didn’t care?
He sucked in a shaky breath, his pulse thudding in his ears. His palms were clammy, and his throat felt tight as he forced himself forward.
“H-hey, guys! Um… Can we talk?” His voice cracked, and he immediately regretted how weak he sounded.
Zander barely spared him a glance before slamming his locker shut with a sharp bang. Luke sighed, already turning away.
“W-wait!” Jake blurted, stepping forward desperately. His heart pounded so hard it hurt.
Zander stopped in his tracks, his shoulders stiff as he turned to glare at Jake, his expression cold and unwavering. “When I told you to leave us the hell alone, Jake, I meant it.”
Jake flinched, but the fear of walking away without trying was worse than the fear of facing them now. His voice wavered, thick with nerves. “I—I know. But please, just let me say something. I messed up. I really, really messed up, and I hate myself for it. I swear, I never meant—”
“You’ve already explained enough.” Zander’s voice was sharp, cutting through Jake like glass. “We know exactly how you feel. We’re the freaks that you’re too ashamed to be friends with, right?”
“No—! That’s not—” Jake’s breath hitched, panic clawing at his chest. His hands shook as he held them up in a weak attempt to plead. “Zander, I swear I never meant it like that. I was scared, okay? Not of you—of myself. Of what it meant. I didn’t know how to handle it, and I lashed out like a coward.”
Zander let out a dry, bitter laugh. “Yeah? Well, congrats. You handled it like an absolute pro.” His expression darkened as he took a step closer. “So run back to those douche friends of yours and never bother us again. YOU GOT IT!?”
Jake stood frozen, the words cutting deeper than he thought possible.
His gaze darted to Luke, desperation clawing at his throat. “Luke, please—just… just tell me where Hailey is. I need to—”
Luke sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s not coming to school today, Jake.”
“Oh…” Jake muttered, his chest tightening.
“But when she does come back,” Luke continued, leveling him with a serious stare, “I suggest you give her some space. You’ve caused enough hurt already, and I’d rather you didn’t make it worse.”
Jake opened his mouth, but no words came out. No second chances. No more explanations. Just the weight of his own mistakes suffocating him.
He stood there as they walked away, leaving him alone in the crowded hallway. Voices buzzed around him, but they all blurred into nothing.
His hands clenched at his sides, his stomach twisted into knots. His legs felt weak, his heart heavy.
He felt hopeless.
—----------
Hailey lay sprawled on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, her fingers idly tracing patterns on the fabric of her blanket. A dull ache throbbed at the back of her head, the weight of the whole mess with the club pressing down on her like a heavy fog. She had tried to push it aside, tried to distract herself, but no matter what, the unease settled deep in her bones. Every time she thought about it, the anxiety crept back, and she couldn't seem to shake it off.
Then came a knock at her door sharp, but not impatient. Before she could answer, it creaked open, and Zander stepped inside, his expression already set in concern.
"Don't tell me he's still messaging you," he said, his tone edged with irritation.
Hailey sighed, rolling onto her side and gripping her phone tightly. "Yeah." She glanced away, her throat tightening. The unread messages on her screen felt like a weight she couldn't shake off. The thought of dealing with them, of confronting him, made her stomach twist painfully. What if it makes things worse? What if he gets more persistent?
Zander ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "When is he going to take a hint?" His jaw tensed, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with frustration. "This is ridiculous."
She shrugged, unsure of what to say. It wasn’t just the messages, it was the anxiety that came with each notification, the way her stomach twisted every time his name popped up. Maybe if I just ignore him, he’ll stop. But... what if he doesn't? What if I make it worse?
Zander sat on the edge of her bed, his presence almost overwhelming in the quiet room. She looked at him, uncertainty written on her face. "I don’t know what to do," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Zander’s expression softened, but there was a firmness in his eyes that made her hesitate. He reached out, taking her phone from her hand before she could protest.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice laced with hesitation as she watched him swipe across the screen.
"Blocking him," he said simply, his fingers moving swiftly. "He should stop harassing you."
Hailey bit her lip, her heart pounding. She wasn’t sure. Is this the right choice? Her fingers trembled slightly.
She hesitated for only a second before nodding, her voice small. "Okay."
The screen went quiet, and for the first time in days, a small sense of relief settled over her. It didn’t fix everything. She still felt unsettled, still unsure of what the next step was but at least, for now, one problem was being dealt with. And that, in this moment, was enough.
—----------
Today wasn’t the best day for Jake. In fact, it was one of the worst.
The argument with Drew and his friends still played on a loop in his mind, each harsh word echoing like a bad song he couldn’t turn off. And now, The Music Club, the one place that used to feel like home, wanted nothing to do with him. The cold, judgmental silence from them had been worse than any insult.
Hailey hadn’t come to school either. He’d caught himself glancing at the empty seat where she usually sat, a gnawing sense of guilt twisting in his gut. And then there was Daisy. Her usual warmth was replaced with quiet disappointment.
He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face. What the hell was he supposed to do?
Talk to Daisy? No. She was already buried in her own responsibilities, and dumping his problems on her felt wrong. The thought alone made his stomach churn.
Talk to Drew? Yeah. That was an automatic hell no.
What about Hailey?
A lump formed in his throat at the thought. He knew she probably never wanted to see or hear from him again. And honestly, he couldn’t blame her. But if he didn’t at least try… what else did he have? Nothing.
His fingers curled around his phone, his breath unsteady as he pulled up Hailey’s contact. His hands felt clammy as he typed, the words forming in a shaky, desperate attempt to reach her. Just one message. Just one chance.
He hit send.
Message failed to send.
Jake froze, staring at the screen. The words blurred for a second before sharp clarity sank in.
His heart pounded, a cold weight settling in his chest.
She had blocked him.
A slow, sinking feeling washed over him.
—----------
“Jake’s not come to class again… How long d’you think he’s gonna avoid us?” Henry asked, leaning back in his chair and spinning his pen between his fingers. His voice carried an edge of impatience, but there was something else underneath it. Curiosity, maybe even a bit of concern.
“Beats me,” Drew muttered, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. His tone was flat, like he was trying not to care too much.
Liam, however, was anything but indifferent. He smirked, leaning forward on his desk. “Eh… He’s probably busy writing some dramatic ‘please forgive me’ song for the club. ‘Is it too late to say sorry? ‘Cause I’m simping for more than just Daisy!’”
Henry burst out laughing, nearly dropping his pen. Drew, on the other hand, just scoffed, shaking his head. His fingers tapped impatiently against his desk before he exhaled sharply. “He should be writing that for us,” he muttered, his jaw tightening.
The humor in the air faded slightly, a lingering bitterness settling between them.
And that’s when the door creaked open.
Jake stepped into the classroom.
The chatter that had filled the room only moments ago seemed to dip for a brief second, a barely perceptible shift in the air. He hesitated at the threshold, scanning the room, his expression unreadable though the tension in his shoulders was impossible to miss.
Drew’s eyes locked onto him immediately, his grip on his arm tightening. Henry stopped spinning his pen. Liam, still mid-smirk, raised an eyebrow as if Jake had walked straight into a trap.
Jake swallowed hard. He knew he couldn’t keep avoiding them forever. But as he moved toward his seat, he could feel the weight of their stares pressing down on him like a storm cloud ready to break.
No one said a word. Not yet. But the unspoken words in the air were loud enough.
“Jake.” The teacher’s voice cut through the heavy silence.
Jake flinched slightly before turning toward the front of the class, already knowing what was coming.
“You’re late,” the teacher said, adjusting his glasses as he leveled Jake with a disapproving stare. “Again.”
Jake clenched his jaw and nodded.
“I don’t want to see this become a habit,” the teacher continued, his voice firm. “One more time, and you’ll be staying after school for detention. Understood?”
Another nod. That was all Jake could manage. His throat felt tight, and the last thing he wanted was to draw this out any longer.
“Good. Take your seat.”
Jake exhaled through his nose and forced his feet to move. His usual seat wasn’t an option. The only empty spot left was right next to Drew.
Perfect.
He sat down stiffly, feeling the heat of Drew’s presence beside him, but he didn’t dare look his way. The tension was suffocating, but Jake refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he hunched over his desk, burying his head into his arms, his forehead pressing against the cool surface.
His entire body ached from exhaustion. He hadn’t slept, his mind wouldn’t let him. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was the mess he’d made, the way everything had spiraled out of control. The club. Drew. Daisy. Hailey.
How was he supposed to fix any of this? Was there even a way out?
His thoughts spun in circles, a constant, unbearable loop of regret and self-loathing.
He’s so stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Class dragged on at an agonizing pace. Every second stretched unbearably long, each tick of the clock hammering against Jake’s skull.
He kept his eyes trained on the desk, pretending to focus on the notes in front of him. But no matter how hard he tried, he could still feel them. Henry, Liam, and Drew.
None of them spoke to him. None of them even acknowledged his presence.
Fine. That was fine.
He didn’t need them to talk. He didn’t want them to.
Even without words, the tension between them crackled like an unspoken storm. Henry tapped his pen against the desk in a steady, aggravating rhythm. Liam sat slouched in his chair, arms crossed, shooting occasional glances at Jake that he ignored. Drew… he wasn’t moving much at all, just sitting stiffly, his hands clenched into fists against his lap.
Jake exhaled slowly, forcing himself to focus on the lesson.
Numbers blurred together. Words meant nothing.
It was too quiet, yet somehow too loud. His thoughts screamed over everything, drilling into his skull: You deserve this. You ruined everything. This is what you get.
The bell rang.
Jake shot up immediately.
Liam and Henry were already talking about something as they got up, but it wasn’t directed at him. Drew left without so much as a glance in his direction.
That was fine. That was good.
Jake slung his bag over his shoulder and hurried out the door, desperate to breathe.
And then he heard it.
At first, it was faint. Just a voice in the background noise of the hallway. But as he stepped further into the crowd, the words hit him like a freight train.
“Whatever they’re using me for, I’m not letting them get in my way.”
Jake’s breath caught.
No—no, that wasn’t—
Laughter rippled through the hallway. Someone turned up the volume.
“---her stupid stage fright… They should be grateful that I joined them in the first place!”
His own voice echoed back at him.
Twisted. Betraying.
Jake’s vision blurred as realization crashed over him.
It hadn’t just been leaked to the club. Everyone had heard it.
His heart dropped like a stone. The hall felt too loud, too crowded, too much. A rising tide of snickers and side-eyes confirmed the truth he didn’t want to face.
This was just like middle school.
The isolation. The mockery. The slow, crushing weight of being the punchline. It was happening again.
He remembered the way people used to look at him. Pitiful, condescending, cruel. The way whispers had followed him from classroom to cafeteria like a shadow he couldn’t shake. How no matter what he did, it had never been enough to make them stop.
And now he was right back there. He had climbed so far out of that hole, and now just like that he was falling again.
His chest tightened, breath coming in short, shallow gasps. His heartbeat roared in his ears, drowning out the voices, the laughter, the whispers. His body felt weightless and heavy all at once, like he was sinking into the floor but floating out of his own skin.
His hands clenched into fists.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe—
He couldn’t.
His legs moved before his mind could catch up. He shoved past the stares, the murmurs, bolting down the hallway with only one thought in his head. Get away, get away, get away—
The bathroom door slammed shut behind him.
Jake stumbled into the stall, locking it with trembling hands. His breathing was erratic, his vision swaying as he pressed himself against the cold metal wall.
It wasn’t stopping. The noise. The voices. The weight crushing his chest.
He wanted to disappear. He wanted out of his own head.
His nails dug into his arm. A sharp, stinging pain.
Jake sucked in a breath. The thoughts stopping for a second.
He did it again. Scraping, scratching, anything to pull himself out of the spiral. His heartbeat pounded, his skin burned, but at least it made sense. At least it was real.
At least it was something he could control.
Slowly, the panic dulled. The world stopped spinning so fast. The sounds outside the stall faded into a distant hum.
Jake let his head rest against the wall, eyes shut. His arms stung, and his breathing was still a little uneven, but it was starting to settle.
Not great.
But manageable.
For now, that was enough.