The prank had gone perfectly—at least, that’s what everyone kept saying. Jake and Mason were still talking about it days later, their voices filled with amusement every time Daniel’s name came up. They laughed about the way he had frozen on stage, about the look of shock on his face when the recording had played.

The school was buzzing with rumours. Daniel had stopped showing up to class after the prank. First, it was just one day, then another. Soon, people started whispering that he wasn’t coming back at all—that his parents had pulled him out because of what happened.

Damien heard the rumors as he passed by groups of students in the halls, their voices hushed but eager to spread the news. Some of them sounded concerned, but others seemed to revel in the drama.

"He totally freaked out," one girl said to her friend. "I heard he’s transferring schools."

"Good riddance," a boy muttered under his breath. "The guy was way too perfect."

Sitting at lunch with Jake, Mason, and Ethan, Damien found himself barely paying attention to their conversation. His thoughts kept drifting back to Daniel—to the way he had stood there, humiliated, with no way to defend himself.

Ethan was the one doing most of the talking, as usual. He was recounting some other story from his past, something about how he’d dealt with a "problem" back in his old school. Jake and Mason laughed at all the right moments, but Damien barely heard any of it.

"You good, Damien?" Ethan asked, his voice cutting through Damien’s thoughts.

Damien blinked, looking up at him. "Yeah… I’m fine."

Ethan studied him for a moment, then smirked. "You should be. You’ve got nothing to worry about."

But Damien wasn’t so sure.

When Damien arrived at school the next day, the rumors had only grown worse. People were now saying that Daniel had had a complete breakdown—that he wasn’t just leaving the school, but that he might not be coming back at all.

During class, Damien caught himself glancing at the empty seat where Daniel used to sit.

It was at lunch time.
Damien was walking through the hallway when he heard someone call his name. He turned to see a girl storming toward him. Her face was flushed with anger, her eyes blazing.

"You did this!" she accused, pointing a finger at him. "You and your friends! You’re the reason Daniel’s gone!"

Damien’s heart raced. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Isn't she Sarah from grade 10th"
"Yeah, she is quite popular among freshers!"

"Don’t lie to me!" her voice was loud enough to draw a few curious looks from the other students passing by. "Everyone knows it was you. You’re a bully, Damien. That’s all you are."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. Damien opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. What could he say? She wasn’t wrong.

Her eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t let them fall. "One day, people are going to see you for what you really are," she said quietly. "And when that happens, I hope you’re ready."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Damien standing there, the weight of her words pressing down on him like a lead blanket.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Damien went through the motions, but his mind was somewhere else. Her words kept playing in his head, over and over.

Was that all he was? A bully? He had never thought of himself that way before. To him, bullying had always just been something they did for their fun.

The next day after school, Damien found himself walking alone. The air was cool, and the sky was starting to darken as he made his way down the familiar streets. His feet carried him to a bridge near the school.

He stopped at the edge, staring down at the water below. The river was rushing faster than usual, dark and churning.

For a moment, Damien considered what it would feel like to just… let go. But he shook the thought away, stepping back from the edge.