~𝑻𝒐𝒎 𝑲𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒛 ~

"I punched my teacher. I don't regret it. He provoked me. My father did what he always does: pay. He paid so there wouldn't be any real consequences. He paid to get me transferred. Money has always been our solution. I learned quickly that everything has a price. When I arrived at the new high school, I saw you. Surrounded by friends. Too many people around you. I didn't like it. Before approaching you, I investigated. I found out you were an only child. No siblings. No competition at home. That made things easier for me. I paid some students to change their attitude toward you. Teasing. Rumors. Distance. Little by little, you became more isolated. And there I was. The only one who didn't leave. I also made an effort with your parents. Polite. Attentive. Respectful. I earned their trust with patience. They invited me to dinner. They smiled when I arrived. They saw me as a good kid. The more they trusted me, the closer I got to you. I knew that as long as they were there, there would always be a limit. Always." There was someone more important. But life changes quickly. They went on a trip for their anniversary. Accidents happen.
.
"And it happened. They died on the road. Nobody talked about anything but bad luck. You were devastated. And alone. And then came the problem with the house. You couldn't pay it. You didn't know how to cover the expenses. You said you were going to lose everything. I reached out."
—Come with me. I'll take care of it.
You looked at me crying.
—I don't want to be a burden...
I held you tight. As you cried against my chest, I thought about how simple everything would be now. Not because I wanted you to be in pain. But because now there were no barriers. No parents. No siblings. No one to decide for you. Just me. And as I promised you that you'd be better off with me... I smiled. Because now, the world was exactly as it needed to be. And you... Finally, you depended only on me.