Chapter 1

I’m in the classroom, my head resting on the desk, headphones snug in my ears, listening to the quietest song I know. Silence has always been my refuge. Music, my solace. It calms me in ways nothing else can, filling the void with a peace I desperately crave. I’m trying to sleep, though I know it’s a losing battle—I didn’t get a single moment of rest last night. My muscles ache like hell.

Earlier, I took some painkillers from the school nurse, but the throbbing hasn’t stopped. I didn’t dare show her my wounds. If I had, she might have asked questions I’m not ready to answer. Worse, she might have figured out something I’ve been trying so hard to keep hidden. Not now. Not yet.

Through the hum of my headphones, I faintly hear someone yelling my name. The sound grows louder, sharper, and then— thud! A hard blow to the back of my head. Pain flashes, dizzying and blinding, before everything fades to black.

“Norman Jackson Cooper, can you hear me?”

My eyelids flutter open to the sight of Ms. Allison, the school nurse, leaning over me. Her voice is soft but firm, pulling me back to consciousness.

“Yes, Ms. Allison, I can hear you. No need to yell,” I reply, managing a weak chuckle.

“Why do you always end up getting hurt, little kid?” she asks, her voice laced with concern.

“I’m not a kid, Ms. Allison,” I say, pouting slightly.

“And now the kid is sulking,” she teases, her lips curving into a faint smile.

“Can I leave now, Ms. Allison?” I ask, attempting to sit up.

“No, you can’t,” she replies, her tone turning more serious.

“Why not?”

Her expression shifts, and for the first time, her voice carries a weight that makes my chest tighten. “Who hurt you, Norman?”

I shake my head, avoiding her eyes. “I really don’t know, Ms. Allison.”

She gives me her signature “Don’t lie to me” look. “Norman,” she presses gently, “you can tell me.”

“Ms. Allison,” I reply, my voice quieter now, “I honestly don’t know who it was. And even if I did, I wouldn’t report it.” My words are heavy, filled with a pain I can’t explain.

She studies me for a long moment, her sharp eyes searching for something, but eventually, she lets out a resigned sigh. “Just rest here for a while,” she says softly. “You can leave when you’re ready.”

I nod and lie back down on the small infirmary bed. She watches me with concern etched on her face, but I muster a weak smile—a silent reassurance that I’m okay, even though we both know I’m far from it. She nods back, understanding the unspoken words, and leaves the room.

Ms. Allison is the only person who’s ever patted my head and told me, “Everything will be all right.” For most people, those words might seem ordinary, even trivial. But to me, they mean everything.

She’s in her mid-fifties, with mostly black hair streaked with a touch of gray, always tied neatly in a bun. Her round face and warm brown skin radiate kindness, and her smile could melt even the coldest of hearts.

I’ve heard rumors about her ex-husband—how he supposedly left her for another woman. I’ve never believed them, but sometimes I wonder. Could it be true? Or is it just idle gossip? The world is full of “maybes,” spinning endless questions without answers.

She’s the oldest nurse at our school, and without a doubt, the sweetest person I’ve ever met. Sometimes, when I’m lost in my thoughts, I wonder what it would feel like to have a mother like Ms. Allison. I know it’s selfish to think that way, but I can’t help it. “What if...?”

The school bell rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. I sit up and swing my legs off the bed, feeling the ache in my body as I stand. I need to freshen up.

Walking through the passage, my gaze drifts to the playground. A group of students is laughing, playing games, their carefree joy filling the air. For a moment, something stirs inside me—a strange, unfamiliar feeling. Is it envy? Jealousy? Or something deeper, something I don’t want to admit?

I shake off the thought and keep walking, unwilling to dwell on emotions that might tear me apart.

Before I know it, I’m standing in front of the boys’ washroom. I push the door open and step inside, relieved to find it empty. Moving to the sink, I splash cold water on my face, letting the icy droplets calm my nerves.

For a fleeting moment, the water feels like it’s washing away more than just the grime of the day. It feels like it’s carrying away my pain, my fear—everything I can’t put into words.

But as I lift my head and look at my reflection in the mirror, I realize the weight hasn’t left me. It never does.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***