Chapter 3: Crossed Lines

The ruler cracked down on Carter’s arm with a sharp, sickening sound.

And again.

And again.

The heavy metal edge blurred through the air, whistling as it cut through space.

Carter yelped, staggering back, but Eli kept swinging, relentless, unstoppable.

There was no warning.

No shouting.

No fury on his face.

Just… silence.

A terrible, dead kind of silence.

Desks scraped backward as kids scrambled to get out of the way.

Books hit the floor.

Papers floated down like snow.

But no one moved to stop him.

No one dared.

Jay sat frozen at his desk, his hand still half-raised from waving hello to Eli when he walked in.

The casual, easy moment was shattered now — ripped apart by the ugly, violent scene unfolding right in front of him.

Carter lifted his arms to shield himself, but Eli was faster.

The ruler smacked across his shoulder, his ribs, his back.

Each hit was brutal, clumsy — fueled by months of bottled-up rage, months of taking punches and taunts without ever hitting back.

The whole class watched.

Some with wide, horrified eyes.

Some with their phones pointed at Eli, recording, faces lit by the cold glow of their screens.

Mr. Graham, their history teacher, shouted something from the front of the room, but his voice sounded distant, useless.

Jay forced himself to move.

He shoved his chair back so hard it toppled over, the crash echoing in the stunned silence.

He weaved between the frozen students and darted toward Eli.

“Eli!” he shouted.

Nothing.

No flinch.

No hesitation.

Eli swung again, harder, and Carter’s legs buckled as he crumpled to the floor, coughing in pain.

Jay’s chest squeezed tight.

This wasn’t just a fight.

This wasn’t self-defense anymore.

This was something else — something uglier.

He grabbed Eli’s wrist mid-swing.

Eli twisted violently, trying to break free, his teeth clenched, eyes wide and almost wild.

Jay tightened his grip.

“Eli, stop!” he hissed, voice low, urgent.

For a moment, he thought Eli might lash out at him too.

But slowly — painfully — Eli’s body went still.

The ruler slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor, the noise loud and final.

Everyone stared.

No one breathed.

Carter lay huddled by a desk, groaning. His friend Logan finally rushed to help him, his face twisted with anger and fear.

Jay didn’t let go immediately.

He stood close, feeling the way Eli’s arm trembled under his hand.

The teacher finally snapped out of it.

“Principal’s office! Now! Eli, Jay— and you too, Carter and Logan!” Mr. Graham barked, voice sharp and cracking with panic.

The words hit the classroom like a slap.

Even Logan froze, halfway to helping Carter up.

Jay let go of Eli.

Eli didn’t look at anyone.

He just bent down stiffly, grabbed his backpack, and started toward the door without a sound.

Jay hesitated — his mind screaming a thousand things at once — but he followed, weaving around the frozen kids and the wreckage of the classroom.

Behind them, Logan helped Carter to his feet, slinging Carter’s arm over his shoulder as they hobbled after Eli and Jay.

The hallway outside felt enormous and empty.

Their footsteps echoed loudly off the lockers.

Eli walked fast, head down, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

His breathing was shallow, almost shaky.

Jay kept pace beside him.

He glanced over again and again, searching for the right thing to say — something to cut through the thick fog wrapped around Eli.

Normally, Jay would’ve said something dumb to break the tension.

Something like,

“Dang, man, remind me never to borrow your ruler.”

But there was no room for jokes here.

Not today.

The silence between them felt heavier with every step.

Jay shoved his hands deep into his pockets, feeling helpless.

He’d seen fights before.

Hell, he’d been in fights before.

But this?

This wasn’t just a scuffle in the courtyard.

This was different.

Ahead, the principal’s office door loomed — a big, solid thing with a tiny window covered by blinds.

Eli stopped just short of it.

He stared at it, unmoving.

Jay slowed beside him.

Behind them, Carter and Logan limped their way toward the door, Carter cursing under his breath, Logan glaring daggers at Eli’s back.

For the first time, Jay saw Eli’s hands — shaking so badly he had to clutch the strap of his backpack to keep them steady.

And Jay realized — Eli wasn’t proud of what he did.

He wasn’t gloating.

Wasn’t smiling.

He was scared.

Of the consequences.

Of what the teachers would say.

But most of all — of himself.

Jay swallowed hard, the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

He stepped a little closer.

Without thinking, he lifted his hand and clapped it onto Eli’s shoulder.

Solid.

Real.

“You’re not alone,” Jay said quietly.

Eli didn’t respond.

Didn’t even look at him.

But he didn’t shrug him off either.

Together, they stood outside that door — four boys this time — bruised and battered by a world that didn’t notice them until they broke.

And when Eli finally lifted his hand and knocked, it was Jay who stayed right beside him, ready to face whatever came next.

And the story is just getting started…

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