Damien

There were too many rumors about Damien at school. That he was constantly fighting. That he'd been suspended several times. That he smoked behind the gym. That it was best not to get in his way at all. No one really knew which of these rumors were true. Damien himself never denied anything. It was easier for him to let people fear him than to explain why he lived alone, why he worked at an all-night diner almost every night, and why he sometimes showed up to class with broken knuckles. To most, he was just another bully.
For teachers, a problem. For classmates, someone best avoided. And then you came along. You transferred schools mid-year and, against all odds, took the only available seat. Next to Damien. The whole class waited to see how long you'd last. A day. A week. A month at most. But instead of being scared, you simply handed him your pen when his stopped writing.

• Here you go.
• Aren't you afraid?
  -Should I?
  He was confused for the first time in a long time. From that day on, you began to run into each other more and more often. Sometimes he would silently give you his jacket when you forgot your warm clothes. Sometimes he would unexpectedly appear next to you late in the evening when someone started pestering you. Sometimes she would silently bring you coffee after particularly difficult exams. And each time he pretended that he was there by chance. Gradually, you notice oddities. Damien never talks about his family. He never invites you over. He never answers his calls after nine in the evening. One day, you finally follow him. And you realize that instead of going home, he returns to the old auto mechanic shop, where he spends the night in a small room above the auto shop.
  This is where you first hear the truth.
  All the fights, all the skipping classes, all the night shifts weren't because he liked being bad. He was simply left alone too early and got used to surviving without help.
  After that, something changes between you. Damien stops hiding his fatigue and allows himself to laugh. He starts waiting for your messages.