Across the hushed hallway, clattering steps echo through the corridor. Catching the attention of the crowd, they watch with scowls as the hooded figure makes his way through. The little noise that was present had all but disappeared. Leaving only his footsteps to hang in the palpable air. Hatred seeks through their eyes, watching, waiting for him to make a move so they could pounce on him and devour him whole.

The hooded figure’s eyes fall to the lanyard dangling around his neck. Axel didn’t like the senior picture he was forced to put on it. He didn't mind stares, he only wanted to make it to class where the only two people he knew as family would be.

"C'mon baby, let's go, the demon is here," whispers a boy as he takes his girlfriend somewhere else upon seeing Axel.

"Look guys, it's the savage sex ape," gossips a girl as she leaves with her group of friends, all while laughing behind his back.

The others remain quiet, standing indifferent about the rumors, but would otherwise keeping clear of the hooded man. And as he walks, Axel can feel eyes digging into his back, crawling along his spine.

According to the rumors, Axel had become a lustful scumbag who manipulated multiple girls into having his way. Though that one was still better than the one about him being responsible for imprisoning his parents.

Other rumors say that he's an academic fraud who only got this far by using others. And although these were just amongst the most popular ones spreading across the school; God only knows how just many more rumors had been spread about him throughout the years.

Gossip tends to be like embers, most of them vanish as quickly as they appear. Most rumors stay relevant for only a few weeks, ending just how they started, as rumors. But someone has been making sure to feed this flame. Permanently fabricating the truth with falsities, and forever drowning out the quiet voices in favor of the loudest and hostile minorities.

But not once has he let these rumors get the better of him. Not once has he folded and snapped under their weight; letting the world get the reaction they want from him. Because at the end of the day, it's pointless trying to clear your name here. Within these walls, the truth will always be swallowed by the echo chamber of lies, people will practically make up gossip just for the thrill of drama. All without any form of repercussions, and without any real meaningful intentions.

Though against all of this, Axel was fairly average, to say the least. Not even having been in a relationship, mainly in part to the rumors.

A bell chimes as Axel slips within the classroom. And a sigh of relief escapes him as he realizes the teacher isn’t in quite yet.

"Good morning, Axel!" a joyful call reaches him before he can turn. The voice was both enticing and pleasant to hear, allowing a grin to form along his lips.

Her beaming smile warms Axel’s chest though he crushes down the butterflies in his stomach. Her beauty is still something he could never get over.

"Hello, Vanessa." retorts Axel as he waves to her.

She follows closely behind as they take their seats, causing some glares to spike from others in his class.

And as much as Axel wouldn’t like to admit it, mainly because Vanessa has no control over it, talking to her feels like a double-edged sword.

As on one hand, she is one the kindest individuals he knows. Choosing to ignore the rumors about him and stay by his side, because to her, the one and only Axel is the one she’s seeing right now. She also happens to be extremely fun to talk to, she's quite innocent and goofy unlike most of the other "hot" girls in the school who are mostly self-centered.

But on the other hand, he has pretty much made an enemy out of every guy in this school. Just adding more of a reason to hate on him, but he doesn't have much of a choice. Trying to end the friendship would only cause hurt, on top of providing more fuel for the world to spite him. No matter how you look at it, it’s a lose-lose situation.

As the door slides open, every girl dazzles up with love-stricken eyes as they rush to the guy who has just entered, Blake. However, the only person who doesn't bat an eye is Vanessa, due to both of them being already close friends. And arguably, Blake is even more popular than Vanessa.

He was everything Axel wasn’t, he was tall with short blond hair and deep blue eyes. He was practically sculpted like a god, being that he took up any active club the school threw at him. He'd become the captain, or leader, of many clubs and sports: drama, music, art, chess, soccer, basketball, martial arts, track, and whatever else he could find.

But that's only the brunt of it, he's one of the highest academic achievers in this school with all A’s spread across his grades. Having gained both the respect and admiration of his teachers and his peers, they would treat him as if he were a king, with Vanessa as his queen. After all, those two were both practically in a league of their own. Superheroes in a realm filled with ordinary people.

However, against all odds and to everyone's surprise, Vanessa would decline Blake throughout their golden years. If not even the most handsome and alpha person in this school is enough for her, God only knows what kind of crazy high standards she has for a man. It's gotten to the point where everyone has just blatantly stopped asking her out.

"Hey, whoa, you have a necklace?" asks Vanessa as her eyes sway innocently along with the shimmering dangling off Axel's neck.

He holds it tightly and squeezes it onto his chest, instinctively smiling as his eyes lay upon it.

“Oh, this? Just something I bought yesterday," Axel responds. The necklace isn't valuable or good-looking. It hung from a thick, cheap string with a circular metallic structure attached to it, though the metal itself was just cheap nickel. Even though it probably cost like ten bucks, Axel held onto it like it was priceless.

Vanessa's cheeks turn pink at his precious reaction and lets out an adorable giggle. "It looks good on you!" Her words roll off her tongue so smoothly as she leans forward with a smile.

Her remark leaves his heart skipping a beat as he embarrassingly lifts his head, returning her smile with his own.

As the two bask in the moment, Axel instantly senses someone staring at him, the sheer magnitude makes his spine shiver as he can feel pure raw hatred facing him like death itself. He turns around to feel its presence instantly disappear in a blink of an eye.

Blake takes a seat with Vanessa, which coincidentally means also sitting alongside Axel. Giving all the girls in this class a reason to hate Axel, not just Vanessa's admirers.

"What a lovely day, but my, it's a little hot, is it not? Makes me regret not bringing a water bottle today," says Blake as he tugs his shirt while sweating, an innocent and normal response someone would give on a scorching day. And yet it comes off a lot like a beauty commercial as trickles of sweat slide through the cracks of his chiseled muscles, a fatal K.O. to any girl who bears witness to such a sight.

They quickly surround him like greeting their idols, offering him their water bottles which makes him fluster a bit. Before composing himself and flashing them a smile.

"Would you be ever so kind as to bring me a nice, refreshing water bottle from the vending machine?" asks Blake.

Even though his gaze is centered towards one girl, they all hastefully agree and rush to the nearest vending machine to retrieve a water bottle!

"Shit…Don't tell me I fucking lost my pencil…" grumbles a classmate.

Picking up on the distress, Axel searches for the origins of the voice and finds it belonging to the boy ahead of him, rumbling through his backpack to find a pencil. He instantly recognizes this man as the same one who suggested his girlfriend to leave as soon as he entered the hallway. But now he's in a state of panic as the more he searches, the more obvious it becomes that he's forgotten it.

Axel instantly smiles at the person in need and searches through his backpack, finding two pencils. "Here, you can take it."

The boy is finally able to let out a sigh that's been stuck in his throat as he thanks the kind stranger and takes him up on that offer. Until his eyes landed on Axel and his hand abruptly stopped.

His demeanor shifts, snapping from his trance of gratitude, he peers over his shoulders. Trying to see if anyone else was looking there way before leaning in close.

“H-hey… Axel… Can I ask you something?”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Axel leans in, trying to put the boy’s nerves at ease. “Yeah, what?”

“Is it true… the rumor abou–”

"There you go, pal." Blake offers his pencil the same way Axel did.

The boy instantly snaps back, ending their conversation as he turns his attention toward Blake. He hastily nods, accepting the offer and giving thanks before turning away from the two. Although disheartening, Axel just sighs and lets out a shrug.

With a tinge of sympathy coating her brows, Vanessa shifts in her seat to purposely catch Axel's attention. Falling right into her trap, Axel tilts his gaze over to her; prompting her to let out a sly smile before turning to face the windows.

Her eyes glisten to the sunshine flowing into them as she stares out into the world just beyond. She watches the summer breeze pass through the waving greenery, witnessing an almost painting in motion. The sight was all too familiar with her, and yet, this time… She just can't help but rest her head upon an open palm and admire the view.

“Hey, Axel… isn’t it crazy?” Her gaze doesn’t move as if asking the world outside more than the boy watching her. “Within a few weeks… we’ll be graduating…”

The statement lingers between them for a moment, sinking slowly in Axel before he too turns to the window. It takes him a short moment to respond, and yet, all he can do is agree.

"Yeah… It would appear so."

His words carry the same energy as Vanessa's, not even realizing that he was smiling right along with her.

Admittedly, it proved quite difficult to get a full grasp of the milestone they're about to overcome. To have something so ingrained in them, something seemingly so essential in their lives to come to an end.

It's surreal… terrifying almost, but there's a sense of gratitude and accomplishment along with it. They were the ones that planted the seeds long ago, and only now do they turn back and witness the fruits of their labor, a mark of a new chapter.

A gentle breeze slips through the window, enticing his eyes to follow along until he finds himself landing on Vanessa. And although unintentionally, his heart stutters before picking up a pace.

Too busy to notice the spell she's casting, Axel watches the sun rays shimmering through the class seemingly to only illuminate Vanessa’s delicate features. There was just no way he could look away.

“In just a few weeks… we’ll all become adults and then we’ll… go our separate ways. And for the first time in our lives we’ll get to choose what we want to do and who we want to be and–”

She turns to the pair of eyes staring intently to her words. A smile still warm on both their faces. And for a brief moment, she hesitates. Her words collecting before finally allowing her to continue.

“Like Rick, he wants to become a firefighter, he’s always said how firefighters are the true heroes of this world and how he wants to be just like them. Ashley wants to become a lawyer, mainly to get her dad out of poverty. Max wants to own a tailor shop as he has always been so crafty with his hands…”

Without a second thought she continues to list out each individual classmate as if they were all one close knit family. Leaving Axel with a broader smile with each name she states.

Her mind goes on and on, not even letting her words catch up with the many hopes and dreams she has stored inside her mind, to those she holds dear.

With enthusiasm reflecting off of her eyes, the only thing Axel can do is sit there, and let his heart melt apart from the scene before him.

Vanessa hasn't changed…

Has she..?

Ever since their first encounter, to over half a decade later. She has stood true to her very nature, almost like a time capsule.

His cheeks start to flush with red, causing his body to grow weak as he stifles his breaths. Unable to take his eyes off of her, a mild ache begins to manifest within his chest, causing his hand to instinctively reach towards the discomfort, but not seeming to mind it.

So then, why does it feel like she's completely changed? At least in his eyes, she's no longer the same Vanessa he knew long ago, she's something more to him now…

It's weird, because she brings the same happiness into his life as his family, but in a distinctively different way.

All in all, Axel can say that Vanessa has now become the third most important person in his life…

- End of class -

With the bell ringing, everyone bolts out of their classroom and rushes onto the next. As Axel starts for the next class, Blake places his hands around his shoulders. Axel's eyes widen in surprise as Blake flashes him a shiny grin.

"Good morning, Axel, how's it hanging buddy? Do you mind if I could talk to you?" Blake questions with a shine flickering behind his eyes. He cannot refuse, or else his life will end in the next twenty minutes.

Axel nervously agrees as Blake takes him into the boys' restroom with his two most loyal friends.

- A minute later -

Axel’s body slumps to the floor as he grasps at his stomach. The lock on the door clicks as Blake turns with a wicked grin. The two others lift him up on his knees, presenting him before Blake. He peers into the fire burning Blake’s eye as another fist smashes his jaw.

Blake rubs his knuckles as Axel’s head collides with the floor. A stream of red leaks down his face as the world spins.

"How many times do I have to tell you… Do. Not. Fucking. Talk. To. Her. A worthless nobody like you doesn't deserve to be on the same level as her," Blake spits before gesturing to his lackeys with a simple flick of the wrist.

They pounce on him like a pack of wild hyenas. And as soon as the first blow comes, Axel covers an ear and blocks his face. With every stomp and kick a shallow groan escapes his gritted jaw. Their faces split with glee as they continue to whale on him.

Ever since being introduced to him by Vanessa, Blake has been non-stop making Axel's life a living hell. Through either rumors or sheer force, he’d single-handedly gotten rid of any and all potential competition for Vanessa’s heart. The only one he’d been having a hard time putting down was Axel. He’d even gone to the lengths of making him an enemy of the entire school, and still, he’d not succeeded.

But what could Axel do? He’d already run out of options. The principal ignored his pleas, calling the police was out of the question as a legal battle would be suicide, and didn’t want nor could fight back. Blake could use Axel’s retaliation as a means to punish him further with the excuse of ‘self-defense’. And Axel had too much of a soft heart to be a fighter.

With a smirk, Blake spots the necklace hidden underneath Axel's collar and rips it off of him! Axel catches his wrist in an attempt to stop him, however, Blake easily shoves him off with a kick.

"G-Give it– back!" demands Axel as he reaches once more for the necklace.

Blake waves it around like a prize. "Awwww… you want this piece of junk? Here then, you can have it," says Blake as he drops the necklace.

His uneven breaths wheeze through his bloody grimace as he crawls towards the dirtied necklace. Laughter vibrates the room as his buddies watch Axel drag himself to Blake’s feet.

Although before Axel can reach the necklace, Blake crushes his hand under his boot. His bones crack as he screams in pain!

A grin only widens as he twists his foot around, causing skin to peel from off Axel’s hand. Blood seeps into the cracks in the tile as Blake presses further and further into the flesh. Tears escape Axel’s eyes as his shrieks empty the air from his lungs.

The bell chimes, dissipating the smile from Blake’s face as he releases a groan of frustration. He knew his fun was up.

"Get out of Vanessa's life, if you know what's good for you…" The threat resonates within Axel’s ears as Blake makes his leave.

With all the energy he has, Axel slumps onto his back, staring at the ceiling. Unable to hold back his tears.

He pulls the necklace to his chest with a sigh of relief while his bloody hand paints his chest. A smile crosses him as he sees it unharmed.

- Lunchtime -

Hurried steps rumble the tile floor as the newly formed crowd of students bombard the cafeteria. Occupying every crevice that dares to hog some space. Like having family dinner on a holiday, all the tables bend under the weight of the students. However, as if a miracle has been bestowed upon them, one rather lonely table has Axel's name on it.

"Axel!!" Shouts a voice from up above, snapping Axel from his mind. He peers up at the two boys descending the stairs to meet him. Though as soon as he raises his hand to wave, George leaps over the railing.

"Hello there yo-"

"Bwehhhhh!!!" His dirty blond hair spills across the table as he slams into Axel’s table face-first. While his partner lands gracefully.

“Did you get tanner?” Axel turns away from George and questions Tom...

“You think?” Tom looks over his arm before taking a seat.

- Five minutes later -

The three shuffle through each other's food, trading what they like and dislike from one another. Although their surrounding peers’ stares have little effect on the group as they finally begin to eat in harmony.

These two have been sticking with him through thick and thin, not caring for what his status was nor what the rumors said. They’d been through much worse together as brothers in arms. As long as each other was happy, they were all happy

- Last class of the day -

Accompanied by his friends, Axel takes his last seat of the day. And to his joy, Tom and George are able to sit beside him.

"Hey, did you understand the subject in math?" asks Tom.

George lets out a proud smile as he nods to himself. Tom smiles as George flashes his teeth.

"Does the pope shit in the woods?" George smirks, leaving Tom confused.

" …Umm… No?"

"There's your answer," George replies, making Tom leap over his desk and strangles George.

Axel laughs as the two goofballs brawl on the floor. Though the room settles as both Vanessa and Blake enter and take their seats.

"Incantation complete," an unfamiliar old man’s voice flows over the class. The students shift around looking for the disembodied voice.

However, before they could find the source, the floor underneath their feet begins to rumble. Although before the panic ensues, Blake takes charge.

"Under your seats everyone!" He commands. Without question, everyone follows the order and ducks under their desks.

An unnatural glow illuminates from beneath them and gradually starts to spin throughout the room. Their eyes widen as some begin to realize what it was. Though before they can act, a flash of light consumes them.

Dragging the students into an endless abyss.