Let's Do This Differently.

This is hell.

A loud BANG! Could be heard, as a boy in a gray sweater was shoved against a metal locker. Across from him, a crowd of other kids were laughing, chanting, throwing things in his face, and so on.

Every. Single. Day, something like this just had to happen.

The boy that had been shoved against the locker, curled up into a ball, blocking everything and everyone out. He left. He was still there on the floor, but he was somewhere else. It was a calm and happy feeling, for him to just zone out. According to his therapist, he wasn't supposed to be doing this. It wasn't healthy.

But he didn't want to deal with reality. He'd rather hide inside his clouded mind somewhere.

A hand that gripped his shoulder shook him back to reality, unfortunately.

"Listen here," a blonde-haired boy laughed out, gripping up the boy on the ground by his hair, forcing him to look up, "Jake. You are nothing. You will forever be nothing, you're not some fucking big-shot. Don't act like you're so high and mighty, you aren't."

Oh, right. His name was Jake, how'd he forget that?

"Honestly, you're so lucky I don't actually hurt you."

But you are. My head stings from you pulling my hair, and my back is bruised.

"You're just a big baby who cries at words. How on earth is that even possible?"

You tell me I'm worthless. Who wouldn't cry?

"Tch. Fucking say something, damnit."

Jake just stared up at him, the fog entering his eyes once again. He drifted off to somewhere else. Where? He didn't know. He wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Fucking- forget it, he's-"

Did he tie his shoes today?

"Doing the freaky weird shit-"

Huh, wait- did he brush his teeth?

"Like zoning out again, fucking freak-"

When Jake blinked, he was back. He was actually there. He glanced around. No one was in the hallway besides him. When did that happen? Actually, when did he get on the floor? Wasn't he pushed or something?

Eh, who cares. Just your average Tuesday afternoon, Jake thought to himself, slightly laughing at his own joke.

He picked up his blue notebook whilst propping his back to the locker, and just stared at the big white music symbol that was engraved on the cover. His eyes trailed off to all of the smaller ones that danced around it, and he couldn't even bring himself to feel anything.

Did he do something to deserve this? What was so wrong with singing that it prompted this reaction? Is it just.. Bad?

..

What a dumb question.

Singing is for people who have a future and are actually talented. God, why does he have to keep reminding himself that? Is he just that stupid that it goes in through one ear and out the other?

He'll never be anything. He'll just be nothing. The kids are right. If they were wrong, then why was everyone saying it? For the past 10 years, all he's ever heard was that he was a freak who needs to spend his time doing something actually good that could contribute to the future he'll lack.

He hasn't ever met anyone else doing the same thing as him. Never met anyone with similar interests, or anyone who even wanted to hold just a single conversation with him.