Gerald has always been the type to keep to himself. That doesn’t stop him from being targetted though, and eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore.
mom
are you free right now?
i need to talk to you
I can’t take calls right now
But we can talk via text
Is something wrong, dear?
Is it urgent?
kinda urgent
but i guess it can wait til you get home
will you be home soon?
I’m sorry, dear
I’ll be home later than usual
We’re having a dinner with clients and I have to be there
You sound like you want to tell me already though
Just tell me now, dear
i wanna transfer schools, mom
i don’t want to stay in this one
It can be arranged, sure
The school year’s already started
I imagine it’ll be harder for you to adjust to a totally different school in the middle of the year
can’t be harder than it is now
What do you mean, Gerald?
i’m being bullied, mom
What?
Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?
i thought i could take it
but i can’t really focus on school anymore because of it
Gerald
You shouldn’t need to “take” anything
Who told you to do that?
Who’s been bullying you?
Tell me their names
it doesn’t matter, mom
What do you mean it doesn’t?
i wanna transfer even if they get expelled
so it doesn't really matter in the end
They need to face the consequences of what they did to you, dear
You can't just let them off the hook
That's no different than running away
i know
and i don't like the idea either
but mom
i really don't want to face them again
that might just make things worse for me even after i do transfer
I suppose you're right...
Alright
I'll have a talk with your school about it at the very least
okay
but if they ask for specifics
just tell them you don't know and i don't wanna talk about it
Okay, dear
And let's talk about this some more when I get home, okay?
Don't keep your mom in the dark about something like this
okay, mom
are you gonna bring dinner home?
I was thinking of sending you money so you could order
Do you want me to bring food home for you instead?
i guess it depends on where you're eating
It's a new place
Pastaholic
what time do you think you'll be home?
Probably by 9 at latest
then bring me food instead pls
you know the kind of pasta i like
Alright, dear
I'll see you later then
okay, mom
see you
With the decision made, he tells his only friend the next day.
hey, Dan
you busy?
out with mom rn
she's shopping for a bunch of stuff
currently shopping for glasses
but if you don't mind slightly delayed replies
then i'm free enough
what's up?
you remember i told you i was having issues at uni
you mean the bullying?
yeah i do
what about it?
did it stop??
haha lol
it didn't
but i can't take it anymore so
pls don't tell me you're plotting revenge or sumthin crazy
what?
no lol
then what about it?
i wish i were that crazy
i sometimes wish you were too tbh
i can't take any more of it so
i'm transferring to your uni
you're transferring in the middle of the year??
you must be srsly fed up
i've been fed up for a while
but it's really too much now
i feel like if i stay any longer
i'm gonna do something really…
really stupid
stupid how?
i don’t know for sure
it depends on the day
i don’t really wanna get into it
but it’s nothing good
damn i’ll take your word for it 😬
but hey
new school, blank slate!
exactly
i plan on becoming invisible lol
that sounds just like you lmao
very on brand fr
that’s what i’m going for
i’d be glad to just be left alone
not gonna be possible with me in the same uni 😂
if you can at least not invite me to stuff like parties then
i’ll count it as a win lol
hmmm
idk if i can completely avoid inviting you
but i can promise to be very selective with which ones i do mention to you
just don’t pressure me into it
i won’t lol
i already know trying to will just make you more stubborn
anyway
lmk when the transfer’s final
mom and i are gonna get it taken care of within the next few days
i’ll keep you updated
great!
for now though
i gotta help mom carry her stuff
she bought a lot, huh?
said she needed a wardrobe refresh or sumthin so yeah 😬
lol i get that
good luck
see you in a few weeks, dude
At the start of the new semester in his new school…
hey, man
how's your first day going?
so far
so good
that's a relief
do you need backup?
you usually take a while to get used to a new environment
i think i'll be okay
it feels kinda inviting overall so far
it probably helps that i haven't seen anyone else i know
no surprise
our hs classmates were too rich and fancy or whatever to go for this uni lol
i should've just followed you here from the start
hey
you didn't know better
i guess not
it's a very different vibe here though for sure
and considering i came in late
it's gonna take some getting used to
t feels like everyone already knows each other
makes sense it feels that way to you
it's not a huge place after all
but not literally everyone knows each other dw lol
but i'm guessing the circles are pretty much established
i know i said i wanted to be invisible but
i didn't want to be friendless
what am i, chopped liver? 🤣
i'm not counting you ofc lol
i meant new ones
oh well
i wouldn't worry about it if i were you
i'm sure you'll meet new ones
easy for you to say
you're a social butterfly
and you're exaggerating lol
i'm definitely not
you had friends in college when we were in high school
not to mention friends in high school when we were in grade school
and?
that hardly proves anything 🤨
can you imagine me doing the same?
well
hmm
that's what i thought
okay fine lmao
but srsly though
dw about being friendless
we're in the same uni now
i can introduce you to some of my own friends
just to start you off ofc
as much as i don't want that
i guess i'll have to take you up on that offer if things look dim even after a few days
you make it sound like such a bad thing!
you know i'm exaggerating lol
i appreciate it, Dan
glad you do
anyway i gotta run to class lol
i'll check in with you again later
👌
Later that same day…
finally getting lunch
only now?
yeah
idk what possessed me to go for a class during the lunch hour 😰
go get food then
some of the dining hall food was surprisingly pretty good
i'm already omw there lol
my stomach's growling louder than an angry dog
how are your classes so far btw?
they were okay
kinda boring though
i mean
were any of the profs you had last sem the exciting type?
the course you went for isn't exactly thrilling lol
touché
do you think you're ever gonna shift courses?
probably not lol
i like it enough regardless of the profs anyway
ofc you would lol
i'm in the dining hall
give me a few mins to get some food before i starve
sure lol
the hotdog sandwiches were great
i got them
and i am seated
good good
speaking of profs though
the one for my current class seems like the lazy type
class started 5 mins ago
and they're still not here
just wait for it...
huh?
dude you could've warned me that your mom would be my prof what the hell
surprise 🤪