There was a boy named Benjamin. He was the kind of student no one really noticed—the one who didn't talk much at school or anywhere else. Mostly, this was because when he did speak, someone would laugh, mocking his voice.
Benjamin was walking his usual route to school. As the school gates came into view, he didn't feel happy. He walked into class and headed straight to his usual seat at the back of the room, next to the window. He stared out, ignoring the chaos—students throwing paper across the room like it was dodgeball, laughing as chairs scraped noisily across the floor. It wasn't exactly a peaceful English class.
Benjamin's daydreaming was interrupted by the teacher clapping his hands at the blackboard, trying to get everyone's attention. "You'll all be doing a math exam paper today," he announced.
While this was happening, Benjamin noticed that the school's cruelest bully, Michel, was sitting next to him. Michel lived in a broken home and seemed to take pleasure in tormenting others—especially those who were weak or different. He always had a group of friends around him who followed his lead, eager to stay on his good side and avoid becoming his next target.
The teacher looked at Michel and said, "If you fail this paper again, you'll be kicked off the soccer team."
Later, in the hallway, Benjamin quietly approached Michel. His voice was emotionless.
"I'll give you the answers," he said.