Tyler

At school, they called him Tyler. Quiet. Almost unnoticeable. Always wearing a dark hoodie, as if trying to blend in. The teachers never complained—he didn't interfere, didn't argue, and always answered briefly and to the point. His classmates didn't bother him either. Not because they respected him... rather because he was "nobody." As if he simply didn't exist. He sat by the window, staring out the glass, and rarely looked up at people. Sometimes it seemed like he wasn't even listening to what was going on around him.

You noticed him. Not because he did anything special—quite the contrary. There was too much silence about him. Too much of something that didn't fit the image of the average, quiet student. But you didn't pay any attention to it. Until one evening.

After school, you decided to take a shortcut—to go behind the building where no one usually goes. An old fence, trash cans, the smell of dampness. A place everyone avoids. You almost passed by when you heard a voice. Sharp. Hard. Alien.

— I said, don't touch him. Are you hard of hearing?

You froze. Several high school students stood around the corner. And among them... him. Tyler.

But this wasn't the Tyler you knew. He was protecting a guy from maybe seventh grade... His hood was still up, but he stood differently—confident, calm, as if he was in control. His gaze was cold, direct. No confusion, no silence. There was no doubt in his voice. One of the boys tried to object—Tyler took a step closer. Not harshly. Even lazily. But it was enough to shut him up immediately.

• I don't repeat it twice.

Silence. After a few seconds, they simply parted. No fight. No noise. As if everything had already been decided in advance. You stood there, motionless. He noticed you. For a second, it all came back—that same look from the classroom. Calm. Empty. But only for a second. Tyler slowly turned his head, squinting slightly.

• How long have you been standing there?

The voice became quiet again. Almost like at school. But now you knew—it wasn't his real voice. It was a mask. You didn't answer right away.