Why don't they Like Me?

The third year of middle school had barely started, yet for Akio, it already felt like a nightmare. Everywhere he went, he heard whispers, and he knew they weren't good. The first few weeks had been harmless enough, but the situation had since spiraled. Small, meaningless remarks had turned into serious accusations, spreading like a shadow over his daily life.

"Did you hear he strangled someone?" a boy whispered during lunch break.

Akio had overheard the conversation purely by chance as he tried to keep a low profile. He turned slightly as another boy responded.

"Yeah, and apparently he knocked them unconscious. Can you imagine? Who does something like that?"

"I heard he's even shoved girls," a third kid added, and the group giggled nervously.

Akio clenched his teeth. His pulse quickened, and a knot formed in his stomach. He knew exactly who they were talking about. But it wasn't true. It had never been true. What could he do, though? Any word he said would only fuel the rumors further. That was what his mother and friends had explained to him. But in that moment, logic felt hard to follow.

Akio tried to walk away from the group, but their words clung to him like shadows. It was as if he couldn't escape the whispers. His steps quickened as he searched for his friends. They would understand him—he was sure of it.

When he spotted Auron, Lirien, and Sophie near the sports field, he felt almost relieved. "Did you hear that?" he blurted out as soon as he reached them.

Lirien frowned. "Hear what?"

"They're talking about me," Akio said, his voice trembling with frustration. "They're saying I strangled someone. That I've got anger issues. They think I'm dangerous."

Sophie tilted her head. "Who's saying that?"

"Everyone," Akio said angrily. "It's getting worse. It's like they know everything about me—things I didn't even do."

"We know it's not true," Auron said calmly, placing a hand on Akio's shoulder. "Let them talk. You know how kids are. They always exaggerate."

"It's not just exaggeration!" Akio's voice rose, his breathing becoming erratic. "They're spreading lies about me. I'm not a monster!"

"You're not a monster," Lirien said firmly, looking him in the eye. "But you're acting like someone trying to prove otherwise."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Akio snapped.

"I mean," Lirien said slowly, "if you react the way they expect, you're not helping yourself. You need to stay calm."

"Stay calm?" Akio scoffed, shaking off Auron's hand. "How am I supposed to stay calm when they're making me out to be… to be…" His voice faltered, and he turned away, trying to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

Sophie stepped closer. "Akio, we know you're not like that. But Lirien's right. If you lash out, you're just giving them what they want. We're here for you, okay? We've got your back."

Her words seemed to calm him, at least for a moment. But the whispers and constant glances—they were like a noose tightening around his neck. He knew it was only a matter of time before he couldn't hold it in anymore.

---

Later that day, during the final break, it happened. Akio sat alone on a bench while the others were nearby. He overheard a group of kids talking.

"I heard he even yelled at a teacher once," a boy said.

"Really?" another kid asked.

"Yeah, and then he threw something at the board. The guy's totally unhinged."

Akio stood abruptly, his fists clenched. "That's not true!" he shouted before he could stop himself.

The kids turned, startled. "Who are you?" one of them asked.

"It's all lies!" Akio's voice shook. "You don't know me. You don't know what happened. Stop spreading this crap!"

The kids stared at him, then one began to laugh. "Why are you so mad? We weren't even talking about you."

Akio opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. In that moment, he felt smaller than ever. The kids walked away, laughing and whispering, leaving Akio standing there, his fists still clenched.

His friends came over to him. Lirien shook her head. "I told you to stay calm."

"I can't," Akio whispered, not looking at her. "I just can't."

"Then let us help," Sophie said softly. "We'll figure out who's spreading these rumors. We're a team, Akio. You're not alone."

Akio looked at her, her eyes filled with determination. For the first time that day, he felt a flicker of hope. Maybe things would get better. Maybe.

But deep down, he knew the battle was only just beginning.

---

The next day, Sophie wandered around the playground, trying to appear casual. She kept her ears open and her eyes sharp while Akio, Auron, and Lirien watched from a hidden spot in the bushes.

"This is dumb," Auron muttered. "She's going to get caught."

"Shut up," Lirien whispered. "She's doing great."

Sophie approached a group of kids whispering among themselves. She managed to catch a few fragments of their conversation:

"... totally out of control…"

"Apparently, he even went after Kevin."

Sophie frowned. Kevin? What did he have to do with this? She edged closer, but one of the kids noticed her. "Hey, what do you want?"

"Uh, nothing!" Sophie said with a nervous smile before quickly walking away. She returned to the bushes where the others were waiting.

---

"Well?" Akio asked as soon as she arrived. "What did you hear?"

"They were talking about you," Sophie said, sitting down. "But they mentioned Kevin too."

"Kevin?" Akio frowned. "What does he have to do with this?"

"I'm not sure," Sophie admitted. "But it sounded like he said something."

Akio shot to his feet. "I knew it! I knew he was behind this!"

"Calm down, Akio," Auron said quickly. "This isn't going to help."

"It will!" Akio began pacing. "I'm going to talk to him."

"No, Akio," Lirien said firmly. "That's not going to solve anything. We need to think of another way."

But Akio wasn't listening. The voices of his friends were distant echoes compared to the voice in his head: "They don't understand you, Akio. But I do. It's okay to be angry. You have every right to be."

Akio shook his head as if trying to silence the voice. But the anger burning in his chest only grew hotter. Without another word, he stormed off.

---

Kevin was standing with a group of friends at the edge of the playground. Akio marched straight toward him.

"Kevin!" he called, his voice sharp as a knife. "I need to talk to you."

Kevin turned slowly, a smug smile on his face. "Oh, the little guy has something to say? What's up, Akio?"

"Stop spreading lies about me!" Akio's fists tightened.

"Lies? You're the one who makes it so easy for people to believe them," Kevin said with a shrug. "You're practically a walking rumor."

"What?" Akio took a step closer. "What are you even talking about?"

"You're always looking for trouble," Kevin said nonchalantly. "It's no surprise everyone thinks you're bad news."

Akio's fists trembled. The voice in his head whispered: "Don't let him talk to you like that. Show him."

Auron hesitated, his eyes fixed on Akio. "I'm not getting involved in this nonsense," he muttered before turning and walking away without looking back. His footsteps echoed in Akio's mind like hammer blows, while Kevin's mocking laughter chipped away at what little restraint he had left.

"Lirien, do something!" Sophie pleaded, still hesitating to step between Akio and the escalating confrontation. Lirien gritted her teeth. "I'm getting a teacher," she said firmly and ran off, her steps quick and purposeful.

Akio was now alone in front of Kevin and his group. His hands were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, but the pain was nothing compared to the fury boiling inside him.

Kevin stepped closer, the space between them narrowing, though the smug expression on his face remained unchanged. "What now, Aggro?" he taunted, loud enough for his friends to laugh behind him. "Your so-called friends ditched you. Looks like they finally realized what a psycho you are."

Akio's breathing grew heavier. The world around him blurred, and Kevin's voice was the only thing he could hear. His shoulders shook with suppressed rage and frustration.

"No one wants you here," Kevin continued, his tone dripping with disdain. "And now you're all alone. Ready to give me more material for the next rumor?"

Akio lifted his head. His gaze was steady and fixed on Kevin. The ground beneath his feet seemed to shift, but it was only the storm of emotions threatening to consume him.

"What are you going to do now?" Kevin asked mockingly, crossing his arms. His friends crowded around him, their laughter ringing in Akio's ears.

Akio didn't respond. His friends were gone, and the last remnants of restraint holding him back began to crumble.