Lucas woke up in his quiet dorm room, just like every other morning. The silence around him was deafening. He had no family, no friends, not even a girlfriend. He was completely alone.
Growing up within the cold walls of an orphanage, Lucas had always longed for a warm touch. Life had never been fair to him, but despite everything, he never gave up. He always worked hard and pushed himself to be better.
He never let go of his dream to one day have a loving family and live a peaceful life. That dream kept him going through countless sleepless nights and overtime shifts. But the loud alarm next to his bed suddenly dragged him out of his dreams and back into harsh reality.
It was already 8:10 AM, and school started at 8:20. He was almost late. He quickly threw on his clothes and rushed to the bathroom to brush his teeth.
After getting ready, he slung his school bag over his shoulder and left his apartment, making his way toward school. The roads were always the same—narrow streets, cracked sidewalks, crumbling buildings. But he was used to it by now.
Eventually, he saw the large building with the sign Skyline High School above its entrance. It was a five-story structure, similar in size to any standard high school. With a spacious front yard, sports areas, and benches under trees, it looked like a perfect school from the outside.
As usual, Lucas walked to the security guard at the entrance and showed his ID card. The guard was old man Jay, someone who always exchanged small talk with Lucas. Today was no different. They chatted briefly about life, school, and the upcoming midterms before the school bell rang, cutting their conversation short. Lucas headed into the school.
Lucas walked through the school gates and made his way to his classroom. He was a senior this year, and midterms were fast approaching. He dreamed of getting into a good university, and he was studying hard every single day. Aware of the financial burden, he had already begun saving up for tuition.
As he stepped into his classroom, he noticed three familiar faces staring at him—Martin, Rico, and Arthur. Their presence was like a dull ache that never truly left. No matter how much he tried to avoid them, he couldn't. He had come to accept their existence as a cruel fact of life.
As Lucas made his way to his desk, the trio began approaching him.
Martin was of average build with blond hair and a face marked by acne—hardly handsome. Rico, on the other hand, was muscular with curly hair. If ugliness had a god, people would describe him using Rico's face. Arthur was the opposite: obese, black-haired, blue-eyed, and average in appearance.
"Hey, you orphaned bastard," Martin sneered. His grin was sickening.
"I ran out of money yesterday. Come on, hand some over!" Rico shouted, slamming his hand hard on the desk.
Arthur just stared at Lucas with a look of pure contempt.
Lucas lowered his head. Yes, he was afraid. No matter how hard he worked to create a better life, this was his nightmare—he was always getting beaten. Ever since he left the orphanage, people had bullied him. And he had no way to fight back. He didn't know how to fight. He didn't know how to protect himself.
His weak, fragile body always held him back. Just as those thoughts crossed his mind, Martin grabbed him by the collar, pulling him back to reality.
"Hey, you piece of shit! Don't you see we're talking to you?" Rico yelled.
Lucas began to tremble, his head still down. He didn't respond. These boys had become his trauma.
"If you won't talk, then take my fist instead!" Martin shouted, winding up a punch.
Just before it could land, the classroom door opened and the teacher walked in.
The three bullies quickly backed off and returned to their seats. The teacher glanced at Lucas, then turned to begin the lesson without a word. No, the teachers never helped him. Compared to Martin, Lucas was just a poor, parentless orphan.
Martin, Rico, and Arthur all came from wealthy families—powerful businessmen with deep ties. No teacher dared to cross them just to protect a boy like Lucas.
Class ended, and students began to scatter. As always, the trio came straight back to torment Lucas. They tried to beat him and take his money, but there was none to steal. Lucas never carried cash anymore—he knew exactly how his mornings would go. He endured their violence in silence, taking the beatings day after day. But deep inside, he was reaching his limit.
He was done. He couldn't take it anymore.
Even though he was weak, he wanted to punch them in the face. But he just couldn't. He didn't have the courage. He was terrified—terrified of how powerless he truly was.
When school ended and the final bell rang, Lucas walked home with bruises all over his body, just like every other day. He passed through narrow streets until he reached his apartment building. He rushed into the bathroom. No matter how hard the day had been, he couldn't miss his part-time shift. That job was his only ticket out of this hell. His only chance to enter university.
So, he quickly changed clothes and left for the small market where he worked. It wasn't far—just a 20-minute walk. Once he arrived, he started his shift. The job wasn't easy, but Lucas knew he had to endure it.
The day passed as usual. He restocked shelves, assisted customers at the counter, and watched time slowly crawl by. Eventually, the clock struck 12:15 AM. He locked up and began his walk home.
Another exhausting day. School and work—it was too much for someone his age. He felt completely overwhelmed. He wanted to enjoy life like normal teenagers: hang out, go shopping, have a girlfriend. But life had always been cruel to him.
Still, he didn't give up. He would keep working hard until one day, he could finally live that life. That was his dream.
Just as he was lost in thought, a fist slammed into his face out of nowhere—SMACK. He staggered back, clutching his nose. He looked up and saw them again—Martin, Rico, and Arthur. Rico was wiping blood from his knuckles.