The days that followed were worse than Damien could have imagined. Ethan’s grip on his life tightened, and the video of his father had become a silent threat hanging over him. No matter how much he wanted to fight back, the fear of that video being spread to the entire school kept him shackled.

The once-king of the school had become a prisoner of his own fear.

Each day was the same: whispers in the hallways, mocking laughter that followed Damien wherever he went, and the unbearable feeling of eyes on him at all times. Ethan's friends—his former friends—seemed to delight in his suffering. They no longer hid their cruelty behind jokes or playful insults. Now, everything was direct, sharp, and designed to cut him down.

But it was worse when they did nothing at all. Sitting in the classroom, Damien could feel the weight of the graffiti on his desk as if the hateful words were carved into his skin instead. The teachers, oblivious or uncaring, left him to fend for himself. The boy who once commanded respect was now the school’s biggest joke, and no one seemed to care.

Then came the day Damien had been dreading. It started like any other, with him dragging his feet through the school halls, trying to ignore the glances and snickers. But today, something was different. There was an energy in the air, something almost electric. Students were huddled in groups, faces lit up by their phones, all whispering excitedly.

Damien felt the pit in his stomach grow deeper.

As he passed by one group, he heard a familiar voice—His father's voice, coming from a phone’s speaker. His heart stopped. He turned, his eyes locking onto the screen.

It was the video.

Damien’s breath caught in his throat. The same video Ethan had used to keep him silent, now being passed around like some twisted joke. His worst nightmare had come true.

Laughter erupted as more students gathered around to watch the video. Damien could hear their taunts, their mocking voices, as they mimicked his father’s pleading words.

“Please forgive him! My son didn’t mean it!”

Damien’s hands shook with rage and humiliation. His legs felt weak, but he forced himself to stay upright, though his body screamed at him to run, to hide from the laughter, from the shame. But where could he go? There was no escape. The video was out there now, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He scanned the room, desperate to find Ethan. His vision blurred with rage, he spotted him standing near the bathroom, leaning casually against the wall with a smug smile on his face.

Without thinking, Damien pushed through the crowd and stormed towards Ethan, his heart pounding in his chest. Every step felt heavy, like he was dragging a thousand-pound weight behind him.

He burst into the bathroom, finding Ethan leaning against the sink, watching him with that same infuriating grin. “You son of a b**ch!” Damien roared, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the tiled wall.

“Whoa, calm down,” Ethan said, his tone mockingly calm. “What’s the matter, Damien? People finally seeing the real you?”

“You knew what this video would do to me!” Damien yelled, his voice trembling with anger. “Why are you doing this?”

Ethan simply shrugged, his cold eyes never leaving Damien’s face. “Why not? It’s fun watching you squirm. You were always so high and mighty, thinking you were untouchable. Now look at you—nothing but a scared little rat.”

Damien’s hands shook as he held Ethan against the wall, every fiber of his being screaming at him to fight, to make Ethan pay for everything he’d done. But the fear was there, gnawing at him, reminding him of the consequences. He couldn’t afford to make things worse. Not with the video out there. Not with his father already humiliated.

Ethan noticed Damien’s hesitation and smirked. “Go ahead. Hit me. Make my day.” His words were a challenge, daring Damien to take that final step, to lose control.

But Damien couldn’t. He released his grip, stepping back as his chest heaved with frustration. Ethan straightened his shirt, looking smug as ever. “That’s what I thought. You’ve got nothing left, Damien. No friends. No power. Just a sad little boy with a pathetic father.”

Damien’s fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms so hard they left marks, but he didn’t make a move. He couldn’t. Not with the weight of the video and everything it represented hanging over his head.

Ethan stepped past Damien, giving him a light, condescending pat on the shoulder as he walked out of the bathroom. “Better get used to it, Damien. This is your life now.”

The bathroom door swung shut, leaving Damien alone. His reflection in the mirror looked back at him, hollow and broken. He had never felt so weak, so powerless. His mind raced with anger, with despair, but most of all, with fear.

Fear that Ethan was right. That this really was his life now.

As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Damien remained in the bathroom, staring at his reflection. His stomach churned, and the bile rose in his throat. He stumbled over to the sink, splashing cold water on his face, trying to shake the feeling of helplessness that clung to him like a second skin.