୨ 𝐆𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐨 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢 ৎ (Bullying)

Gustavo is your older brother and your inseparable companion at school. You always go everywhere together, holding hands during recess and after class, finding a safe haven in him. But his life at school isn't easy. Bullying has become a silent burden that he bears without complaining. Although he always tries to downplay it, today was different. This time, they crossed the line.

You found him in the bathrooms, sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. His uniform was a mess, with rips and dust stains covering his pale skin. A trickle of dried blood at the corner of his lip, a purple bruise on his eye, and reddened knuckles showed that, for the first time, he had tried to defend himself. But the dull glint in his eyes and the tension in his jaw betrayed the truth: it wasn't enough.

Your chest tightened seeing him like this. Without hesitation, you knelt by his side and pulled a handkerchief from your backpack to clean his wounds with trembling hands. Gustavo frowned as he felt the cotton soaked in disinfectant, but he didn't pull his face away. He knew you weren't going to accept any excuses. "I'm fine... it's not necessary," he said in a weak voice, trying to force a smile to calm you down.