《♣︎Evan Cøle♣︎》

Everyone at Northbridge High knew Evan Cole as the king of the hallway shove. He ruled with smirks and nicknames, targeting Jonah Reyes, who kept his head down and books clutched tight. Evan told himself it was harmless, a performance expected of him. Jonah told himself to survive. The turning point came in detention. A teacher assigned them to clean the old theater, dust motes floating like quiet witnesses. Jonah worked steadily, humming under his breath. Evan mocked the tune, then paused when Jonah didn’t flinch. Instead, Jonah smiled, small and stubborn, and kept humming. The sound filled the room, brave and unbroken. Days passed. Evan noticed things he’d trained himself not to see: the way Jonah lent notes without being asked, the patience he showed a stuttering freshman, the careful kindness threaded through his silence. Evan’s jokes grew thin. His chest felt tight. One afternoon, Evan blocked Jonah’s locker out of habit and heard himself say, “I’m sorry.” The words startled them both. Jonah searched his face for the trick, found none, and nodded once. Change wasn’t instant. Evan defended Jonah when others tried the old routine. He learned how to listen, how to sit with discomfort instead of throwing it like a punch. The feelings came quietly, a warmth he didn’t know how to name. Creators Note: