Daily Life

Holo sat in the corner of the schoolyard, his back against the cold brick wall, trying to make himself as small as possible. His arms were wrapped around his knees, his head buried to hide the tears threatening to spill. His body ached, not just from the beating he'd endured that morning, but from the emotional weight that had been crushing him for weeks. He could still feel the sting of their kicks and hear their cruel laughter.

It had always been this way for Holo. The teasing had started when he was younger—innocent jokes about his shy nature and awkward demeanor. But as the years passed, those jokes had evolved into something much darker. Now, he was the target of every cruel prank and insult. He had no friends, no allies. He was completely alone.

The worst part of it all was that she had been there. Alyssa. The girl he had admired from afar for so long. She had watched as it all happened, and she hadn't said a word to stop it.

Holo's crush on Alyssa wasn't something he had planned. It had crept up on him slowly, like the warmth of the sun on a cold day. She was everything he wasn't—confident, charismatic, and effortlessly kind to everyone. Or at least, that's what he had thought. Over the years, he had built her up in his mind as this perfect, untouchable figure. He had convinced himself that she was different, that she would see him for who he really was.

But that illusion had shattered today.

It had taken every ounce of courage he had to approach her. He had spent weeks rehearsing what he would say, writing and rewriting the words in his head. He had even spent an extra twenty minutes in front of the mirror that morning, trying to smooth down his unruly hair and make himself look presentable. He knew he wasn't much to look at—tall and lanky with a perpetually tired expression—but he had hoped that maybe, just maybe, she would see past that.

When the lunch bell rang, Holo had made his way to the courtyard where Alyssa usually sat with her friends. His hands were clammy, and his heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst. She was sitting on the bench, laughing with a group of students, her golden hair shining in the sunlight. For a moment, he hesitated. What if she said no? What if she laughed at him? But then he shook his head, forcing himself to move forward. He couldn't let fear hold him back any longer.

"Uh, Alyssa?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

She looked up at him, her bright blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Holo, right? What's up?"

Her voice was sweet, almost musical. It gave him the slightest glimmer of hope. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"I, um, I wanted to talk to you," he stammered, his cheeks flushing. "Alone."

Her friends exchanged amused glances, and one of them snickered, but Alyssa shrugged and stood up. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

Holo led her a few steps away from the group, his hands shaking as he tried to find the right words. "I just… I wanted to tell you that I really like you. I have for a long time. And I was wondering if… if you'd go out with me?"

For a moment, there was silence. Holo's heart felt like it had stopped. He could see her friends watching from the bench, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement. Alyssa stared at him, her lips twitching as if she were trying to hold something back.

And then she laughed.

It wasn't a small, nervous laugh. It was loud and full of disbelief, echoing across the courtyard. Her friends joined in, their laughter blending together into a cacophony of humiliation. Holo felt his stomach drop, his face burning with shame.

"Are you serious?" Alyssa said, her voice dripping with mockery. "You actually thought I would go out with you? Oh my god, this is too funny."

"I… I thought…" Holo tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of her.

Alyssa smirked, crossing her arms. "Look, Holo, you're… nice, I guess. But come on. You and me? That's never going to happen. Maybe try someone more… your level."

Her friends howled with laughter, and one of them shouted, "Better luck next time, loser!"

Holo turned and ran, their laughter following him like a shadow. He didn't stop until he reached the bathroom, where he locked himself in a stall and sank to the floor. The tears came then, hot and uncontrollable. He felt like his heart had been ripped out and stomped on.

For the rest of the day, he avoided everyone, keeping his head down and his hood up. But the whispers followed him wherever he went. By the time the final bell rang, he was a wreck. He wanted nothing more than to disappear.

When he got home, things didn't get any better. His mother was waiting for him in the kitchen, her arms crossed and her expression sour. "What took you so long? Do you think you can just come and go as you please?"

"I… I had a rough day," Holo mumbled, not meeting her gaze.

"Rough day?" she scoffed. "Every day is a rough day with you. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have a son like you? You're a failure, Holo. A complete waste of space."

Her words cut deeper than any punch or kick ever could. Holo clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to hold back the tears. His father's voice rang out from the living room, adding to the barrage.

"She's right, you know," he said. "You're useless. Why don't you do something productive for once? Or better yet, why don't you just leave? This family would be better off without you."

Holo didn't respond. He couldn't. The weight of their words pressed down on him, suffocating him. He retreated to his room, shutting the door behind him and leaning against it as if it could somehow block out the world.

His room was small and cluttered, the walls covered in peeling paint. The only light came from a dim desk lamp, casting long shadows across the floor. Holo sank onto his bed, his head in his hands. He felt like he was drowning, the darkness pulling him under.

His gaze fell on the small knife sitting on his desk. It was a simple thing, with a dull blade and a wooden handle. He had found it in the garage months ago and had brought it to his room on a whim. He didn't know why he had kept it, but now, as he stared at it, he felt a strange sense of calm.

Maybe this was the answer. Maybe this was the only way to escape the pain. No more bullying, no more humiliation, no more hurtful words. Just silence.

But even as the thought crossed his mind, he hesitated. There was a small, stubborn part of him that didn't want to give up. A part of him that still clung to the hope that things could get better. He didn't know how or when, but he wanted to believe that there was something worth holding on to.

For now, though, all he could do was sit in the silence of his room, the weight of the day pressing down on him. He felt like he was trapped in a never-ending cycle of pain and despair, with no way out.

And yet, somewhere deep inside, that small ember of hope refused to be extinguished.

The next morning, Holo dragged himself to school, his mind weighed down by the memories of the previous day. His bruises still ached, and his heart felt like it had been hollowed out. He walked with his head down, avoiding eye contact with everyone, wishing he could just vanish into thin air.

But something unexpected happened during lunch. While he sat alone in his usual corner of the cafeteria, picking at the stale sandwich his parents had begrudgingly packed, a girl approached him.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft and filled with genuine concern.

Holo looked up, startled. He recognized her immediately—Mia, one of the quieter girls in his grade. She was known for keeping to herself, rarely interacting with anyone unless she had to. Her dark hair framed her face, and her brown eyes were warm and inviting. She looked out of place in the noisy cafeteria, like she didn't belong in the chaos around her.

"I…" Holo hesitated, unsure of how to respond. No one ever asked if he was okay. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Mia frowned, not buying his answer. She sat down across from him, ignoring the stares and whispers from other students. "You don't look fine. I saw what happened yesterday."

Holo's face flushed with embarrassment. "You did?"

"Yeah," she said, her tone gentle. "What they did to you was awful. You don't deserve that."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Holo felt a small flicker of hope. Someone had noticed him—someone cared. He didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded, his throat tight with emotion.

From that day on, Mia became a constant presence in Holo's life. She would walk with him between classes, sit with him at lunch, and even step in when the bullies tried to corner him. Her kindness was a shield that seemed to keep them at bay. For the first time in years, Holo felt like he had someone in his corner.

Over the next few weeks, his feelings for Mia began to grow. She was everything he had always hoped for in a friend—and more. She was kind, funny, and always knew how to make him smile, even on his darkest days. Holo found himself looking forward to school, just to see her.

One afternoon, as they sat together under a tree in the schoolyard, Holo decided to tell her how he felt. His heart pounded in his chest as he gathered the courage to speak.

"Mia," he began, his voice trembling. "I just… I wanted to say thank you. For everything you've done for me. You've been there for me when no one else was, and I… I think I'm falling for you."

For a moment, Mia didn't respond. She tilted her head, her expression unreadable. Then, to Holo's shock, she began to laugh. It wasn't a warm, gentle laugh—it was cold and mocking, sending chills down his spine.

"Oh, Holo," she said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "You really thought I liked you? That's adorable."

Holo's heart sank, his chest tightening as her words hit him like a punch to the gut. "What… What do you mean?"

Mia smirked, leaning in closer. "I've been playing you, Holo. Do you really think I'd waste my time on someone like you? I was bored, and you were an easy target. Watching you get all hopeful and clingy was the best entertainment I've had in years."

"No," Holo whispered, his voice barely audible. "That's not true. You… You cared about me."

"Did I?" Mia said, her tone dripping with mockery. She pulled out her phone and held it up, showing a recording of their conversation. "Oh, and don't worry—I already sent this to the group chat. The bullies are going to love this."

Holo stared at her in disbelief, his world crumbling around him. His vision blurred as tears filled his eyes. "Why… Why would you do this?"

"Because it's fun," Mia said with a shrug. She stood up, brushing off her skirt. "You should've known better, Holo. No one likes you. No one ever will."

With that, she walked away, leaving him alone under the tree. Holo sat frozen, his mind reeling. He felt like he couldn't breathe, like the weight of her betrayal was crushing him.

That night, as he sat in his room staring at the knife on his desk, the pain was almost too much to bear. But deep down, that stubborn ember of hope still flickered, refusing to be snuffed out.