Cedric chose to believe that Dyllan’s attack against Aspen was a one time thing.

But it wasn’t.

Cedric told himself Dyllan was just going through some things, that he’d go back to normal soon.

And he almost did.

After just a week, Dyllan was back to his cheerful, sociable self - except he still shoved Aspen every time they passed in the hallway. He still “accidentally” spilled his milk on him. Yet Cedric continued to keep his objections to himself. It wasn’t anything violent, just a push here and a spill there. Maybe the behavior was starting to become normal… maybe other kids were starting to join in on occasion… but Dyllan would surely put an end to it before the end of the month, right? He was better than this, right?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Dyllan was not better than this. By the start of April, things had escalated to the point where Dyllan was doing everything to Aspen that Aspen had been doing to Cedric. Cedric knew this, Dyllan knew this, everyone at school knew this.

But only Cedric realized what that meant. It wasn’t just a “taste of his own medicine,” despite what his classmates claimed. It was taking the barrage of suffering that had nearly driven Cedric to suicide, and redirecting it to a less sympathetic target.

But there was no Dyllan coming to save Aspen.

Cedric tried to make Dyllan see this, to help him realize this was wrong - but he was too scared to confront him directly. Too scared things might go back to the way they were before Dyllan. So he hinted, and he suggested… He tried everything he could think of to tell Dyllan to stop.

Everything except actually telling Dyllan to stop.