" My parents are making me go to this birthday party next week. "

He said with such annoyance, it was a kid he barely even knew.

A small, bitter smile tugged at the corners of his lips, though there was no joy in it. Only a cold, creeping certainty.

Then it happened, the bells of the school ringing in the distance. His meal had barely finished, and it had not felt like time had passed so quickly.

+++++

He could feel it spreading through him like a poison, and he wasn’t sure how long he could keep it contained.

“ One day ”

He muttered

“ I will make sure we are never mistreated again.”

Cringe as his phrase was, he meant every word of it.

++++

Resting his head gently on hers, he took another bite, though he barely tasted it. His mind was elsewhere, swirling with thoughts he couldn’t fully articulate. The anger was always there now, simmering just beneath the surface, waiting for the slightest provocation to boil over.

+++

He rolled his eyes, not at her, but at the world, at the unfairness of it all. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to steady his breathing. He sighed, the sound heavy with exhaustion and something darker, something he couldn’t quite name.

++

Jeffery looked at her, his chest tightening. For a moment, he forgot all about her home situation. All he could think about was her leaving him, really leaving him, for good. The thought made his stomach churn, and he quickly pushed it away, refusing to indulge in it.

+

Sitting up, he grabbed a fry from his school tray and popped it into his mouth, staring off into the distance.

worn him down, leaving him more isolated than ever. Closing his eyes, he let the sunlight filter through the gaps in the leaves, its warmth gently brushing his skin. He wasn’t one to complain about the hand he’d been dealt, though.

+++

With a heavy sigh, he nearly slammed his food onto the ground before leaning his back against the rough bark and sliding down into a seated position.

“When I graduate, I’m moving states,”

he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. Jeffery wasn’t exactly popular; years of bullying had

++

Jeffery, on the other hand, wished the earth would swallow him whole as she called him over. It wasn’t that he hated her no, he actually enjoyed her company but today just wasn’t the day. Reluctantly, he trudged toward the large tree, their usual hangout spot.

+