C.W. Violence, Bullying, Attempted Murder

Sergio was bewildered, scared, incredulous. He knew Lucas was innocent, and he couldn’t let him take the fall for a crime he didn’t commit. But before he could respond, the burly bully and his lackeys arrived.  

They grabbed Sergio, pinning him against the wall. “Stay out of this,” one of them growled, ensuring Sergio couldn’t interfere with what was about to unfold.  

The young accusers surrounded their former bully, their faces twisted with malice. Lucas felt desperate as he saw several boys holding Sergio firmly. Before he could act, some students grabbed Lucas by the arms, dragging him toward the window to commit the unthinkable. An attempt to end himself. This “accident,” they thought, would be blamed on Lucas himself when the teachers arrived, hiding their true actions.  

But he wasn’t one to go down easily. With every ounce of strength, he fought back, managing to hit several of his attackers before the larger boys overpowered him and shoved him to the ground.  

Sergio, desperate and panicked, bit the hand of the boy holding him, breaking free. He ran to Lucas without hesitation, gasping for air as the chaos spiraled out of control. Throwing himself over his friend, Sergio spread his arms wide, shielding Lucas from the blows.  

“Stop it!” he shouted, his voice cracking with terror.  

But the boys didn’t give up. They pushed Sergio aside and resumed their attack on Lucas with cruelty. Yet Sergio, undeterred, threw himself over his friend again, his body absorbing the relentless blows raining down on them.  

“Get off me, Sergio! Let me go!” Lucas sobbed, struggling against his friend's unexpected embrace. He was horrified, watching Sergio endure every strike meant for him, the freckled boy’s small frame trembling with pain.  

“Please, Sergio, I’m begging you!” Lucas cried, tears streaming down his face.  

The assault was merciless. Sergio’s body bore the brunt of the violence, and his injuries were severe. Amid the scuffle, his shirt was torn, revealing scars on his body —marks of his grandmother’s abuse. The sight left Lucas stunned, his voice caught in his throat as he realized the extent of the freckled boy's suffering.  

Sergio’s screams echoed down the hall, finally drawing the attention of the teachers, who rushed in to break up the fight. Those responsible were cornered, and expulsion would be immediate for all of them. 

**  

In the aftermath, the consequences were devastating. Sergio’s uncle decided to move him to another city, severing any chance for the boys to say goodbye. Meanwhile, Lucas’s mother, eager to rid herself of her “troublesome” son, sent him to a distant reform school infamous for its harsh and questionable methods. She despised Lucas, her hatred so intense that, had her partner not intervened, she might have killed him herself.  

Their bond, which once seemed unbreakable, was completely shattered. Though Lucas tried to contact Sergio in the days that followed, he never received a response. Sergio had vanished, leaving behind memories of their brief but meaningful friendship.