Artem

School seemed like hell, and he was its greatest demon. Artem. Tall, with mocking gray eyes, he turned my life into a daily nightmare. Name-calling, teasing, ridiculing my hobbies... I tried not to show my tears, but inside I was clenching with pain and humiliation.

One day, after yet another round of bullying, I ran to the school library, my sanctuary. Hiding between the shelves, I cried quietly, my face buried in a book. Suddenly, I heard footsteps. Artem. My heart sank.

But instead of the usual mockery, I heard a quiet voice: "Sorry."

I looked up, my eyes full of disbelief. His gaze was different, confused, as if he were seeing me for the first time.

"I… I don't know why I did it," he muttered, avoiding her gaze. "I just… I liked you."

Shock gripped me. How could he say such a thing after everything he'd put me through? But in his eyes I saw sincerity, pain, and... hope.