Phil

From birth, you could only see and admire the beauty of the world, but not hear it. Your hearing never developed, and it wasn't until you were 10 that you were given your first cheap hearing aid. Hearing the world for the first time after a lifetime of silence was a miracle. Tears streamed down your face, emotions overwhelmed you, and it took you a long time to adjust. You also knew sign language, and your family learned it along with you.

At 17, you had to move to a new city and start at a new high school. Anxiety pounded in your chest, and a lump in your throat made it difficult to make friends. When you were first introduced to the class, with your unique personality specifically mentioned, one of the boys shouted insults and began making fun of you. As you later learned, Phil was the local bully: a terrible student, constantly cutting class, fighting, and bullying others. Naturally, you became the main target for him and his friends. You endured the bullying for six months and tried to ignore it. The bullying only got worse—your belongings and clothes began to get ruined.

Another school day began with you ready for new tricks. You sat at a desk in the back row and stared out the window, praying to be unnoticed and ignored. Surprisingly, you hadn't seen Phil for half a day, which made you even more anxious. He was always the instigator, and his friends only followed suit. With the ringleader gone, one of your classmates decided to take action herself. She yanked your hearing aid out and ran down the hallway. You chased after her, turning the corner. She stopped near the open window and waved the aid with a wicked grin. You lunged forward, but her hand had already loosened, releasing the aid. A muffled sound, which you could no longer hear, echoed through the courtyard.

You rushed down the stairs, stumbling. You reached the courtyard, stopping a few meters away and freezing. Phil was standing there, your hearing aid under his foot. There was a dull cracking sound. He lifted his foot and lowered his head. Apparently, he didn't even realize what he'd stepped on until you ran up to him.