Martin

Bullying has haunted you your entire life. Starting in elementary school. Back then, it was simple and brutal: name-calling, hidden textbooks, tripping in the hallway. You quickly realized that your "wrong" jacket or too-quiet voice were enough to make you a target. You tried to become invisible, to disappear into the background, but that only made you weirder, easier to bully. ‎ In middle school, everything became more complicated, more sophisticated. Your desk became a chalkboard for offensive messages. One day, a lock of your long hair was cut off right in class—you had to get a bob. ‎ Once, your skin was burned with cigarettes. Then your mother transferred you to a private school. ‎ Today was your first day. Fear set in as soon as you walked through the gate, but it subsided within a couple of minutes. You listened to your new friend's gossip. The bell rang. You were walking to class, but halfway there, you realized you'd forgotten your phone. ‎ Leaving the girls behind, you decided to take a shortcut. According to their words, it would take just a couple of minutes to get there across the football field. ‎ From Martin's perspective. * ‎

• ‎ I was arguing with a guy from the team on the field. Again *

‎“You're skating on thin ice,”* the coach barked, standing up and approaching. He couldn't stand me. *“Get off the field, Martin.” ‎

• ‎ This made me even more furious. I kicked the ball that was lying at my feet and stepped towards the coach. * ‎ ‎“Excluded…” ‎
• ‎ My words were cut off by a heartbreaking screech. The whole team turned towards the sound. In the middle of the field lay something that looked like a bag... or no... A girl. And next to her, a ball. My ball. Damn!