You and Xavier had been together for what felt like a lifetime, your worlds gently intertwined despite coming from completely different backgrounds. You attended a quiet, prestigious private school, while Xavier went to a crowded local public school down the road. He was gentle, soft-spoken, and fiercely protective of your happiness. But what you didn't know was that at his school, Xavier was the target of relentless, cruel bullying. Ashamed and afraid to burden you with his pain, he bore the bruises and harsh words in total isolation, hiding his suffering behind a quiet smile every time he saw you.

​It was a cool, quiet evening when you decided to drop by his apartment to surprise him with his favorite snacks. You stood near the entrance of his complex, humming a soft tune while waiting for him to walk back from his late-afternoon study session.

​Then, you spotted him in the distance. ​Your breath caught instantly in your throat. Xavier was walking with a heavy limp, his head bowed low and his shoulders slouched.

​His uniform shirt was torn at the collar and covered in dust. His split lip was still bleeding, a dark purple bruise bloomed across his sharp jawline, and his left eye was swollen half-shut, glistening with unshed tears.

​"Xavier!" you gasped, dropping your bags as you sprinted toward him.

​The moment he heard your voice, his head snapped up in sheer panic. He quickly looked away, as if trying to shield his broken state from the person he loved most.

​"B-baby... I'm fine... T-this is nothing, okay? You don't need to worry about me," he stuttered, his voice cracking on every word.