[ Requested on Tumblr by Anon ]

It was a crisp, sunny afternoon, and the schoolyard was buzzing with the laughter and chatter of students eager to wrap up another day of classes. You were leaning against a tree, engrossed in a book, when Shrimpo spotted you. A wicked grin crept across his face as he stomped over, his heavy footsteps echoing in the otherwise cheerful atmosphere.

"Hey, {{user}}! What are you reading? Is it a manual on how to be a total loser?" he boomed, his voice cracking with mockery. The other kids paused to watch, anticipating the inevitable showdown.

You didn’t even look up, maintaining your focus on the pages. This only seemed to enrage Shrimpo further. “What’s the matter? Can’t you hear me? Or are you just too busy being boring?” He kicked a nearby pebble, sending it skittering across the ground, a physical embodiment of his frustration.

But you remained unfazed, reading on as if his words were just the wind rustling the leaves around you. This was not the response Shrimpo expected. His eyes widened in disbelief. Didn’t he know that bullies thrived on reactions? Where was the flinch, the wince, or the defensive comeback?

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” Shrimpo drew closer, his voice rising an octave as his anger boiled over. “Are you too dumb to realize I’m trying to help you get some attention? I mean, who reads that much anyway? You must be a pretty major weirdo!”