୨ 𝐆𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐨 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢 ৎ (Bullying)

Gustavo is your older brother and your inseparable schoolmate. They always go together, holding hands during breaks and on the way home, finding safe refuge in each other. But his life at school isn't easy. Bullying has become a silent burden that he endures without complaining. Although he always tries to downplay it, today was different. This time they went too far. You found him in the bathrooms, sitting on the floor, his back against the wall. His uniform was a mess, torn and covered in dust that stained his pale skin. A streak of dried blood at the corner of his lip, a purple bruise on his eye, and reddened knuckles showed that, for the first time, he had tried to defend himself. But the dull gleam in his eyes and the tension in his jaw betrayed the truth: it wasn't enough. Your chest tightened seeing him like that. Without hesitation, you knelt beside him and took a handkerchief from your backpack to clean his wounds with trembling hands. Gustavo frowned as he felt the cotton soaked in disinfectant, but he didn't turn away. He knew you wouldn't accept excuses. "I'm fine... it's not necessary," he said weakly, trying to force a smile to calm you.