Billy's silence, James' refusal to testify, and Charles' scheming pns are slowly igniting into a slow-burning fire, a bomb that will explode in the face of whoever is the st involved.

  Rumors are like threads in the dark, starting to around their victims, allowing them to walk with tranquility and ignorahey entwine numerous yers in people to the point where their bodies are pletely bound to a vine which makes it impossible to break free. The more ories, the more problematic the situation bees.

  "Tell me, kid, why did you hit young Pablo Moraz yesterday?" said the security guard on Charles' payroll. The room felt like an interrogation chamber, illuminated by harsh white light. In the bare room, there was only a metal desk and a few scattered white chairs. Professor Beins, with his square gsses, didn't believe the situation but dismissed the case because of the kind of children in the correal facility.

  "I didn't hit him," Billy stated for the third time. "I haven't done anything, and I don't know what I'm accused of. Check the cameras. This is a setup and a btant lie," he tinued, rejeg any notion of guilt presented by Guard Walter.

  "Ha, that's what all kids say. Bring in Pablo," ordered Rico, the guard standing behind, who, despite not being officially on Carson's payroll, had heard some rumors. In the ret search, the drug package found uhe bed marked a point, and the cim that he was a gang leader further tainted Carson's image. Pablo ehe room with a swollen face, still shedding tears as if an actor had ehe body of the young boy. Upon seeing Billy, he started g loudly.

  "It was him! It was him! He's a demon," Pablo sobbed untrolbly.

  Billy first heard rumors that he had attacked Pablo. The poor kid even cimed that Billy had smmed him against the wall fhing at him.

  "What do you have to say to that, young Carson?" said Rico, pointing acgly at Billy.

  "Check the cameras. I haven't crossed paths with Pablo at any time i week, and Pablo is lying. I haven't hit him at all," Billy defended himself.

  Walter's face turned red with anger. Indignation showed in his ched jaw and bulging eyes, indig the fury he harbored in his heart. "You're a liar. I saw the cameras myself and filed the reports. We have everything doted. You take us for fools, you think you're smarter than us. Cameras don't lie," the security guard said.

  Billy was hit with a metaphorical bucket of cold water. This guy is a liar, perhaps one of Charles' ies? He could only lower his head i. No matter what he said or did, this guy would be the oo judge him.

  "At what time did I supposedly perform this feat?" Billy asked.

  "Yesterday at 4:00 PM," replied Walter slowly.

  Billy raised his head, reinvigorated. The first time Walter stumbled, falling silent amidst his tirade of scolding and bme. "I was with Spencer pying the piano at that time. I'm stig to my position. We finished lunch at 2:00 PM. If you track it, you'll see it wasn't me. I left the musi with Professor Spe 5:3ht to the dining hall. I'm always in the musi when I . How I be in two pces at ohe cameras lie. Let's watch it again," said Billy.

  "We'll wait for Superinte Charles," said Professor Beins.

  "I want you to call Spencer. He'll tell the truth; there's no doubt about it. Why wait until tomorrow? It's obvious I have no part in any of these charades," said Billy.

  "Don't interrupt, kid. The Superinte will take care of everything," Professor Beins said.

  Billy ended up returning to the behind Professor Beins, who gripped him tightly by the neck. With a hint of annoyahey went to the sed floor to take notes. Once again, the disfort, now orchestrated by the teachers, was directed at Billy. But he had a goal in his heart—to get out as soon as possible. Two months were left, and he could return to his normal life with just a reprimand on his record.

  "Be careful, kid. Your silly smile is fading away," Beins whispered in Billy's ear, intensifying his thoughts. The accusatory tones people had adopted were affeg Billy's mental health, something he had never endured anywhere else.

  Billy veía todo en cámara lenta, speg about others' words. Everyoalked behind his back, even the slightest hint or lost look, and even those ces geed disfort in Billy. His mind was clouded, and he only found pea the musi. He couldn't sleep, stantly scolded and bmed in css. Every question asked of him seemed like an attempt to ridicule him, and the situation iraling out of trol.

  Three days passed in this situation. Billy left css after a severe reprimand, breathing heavily. He spshed water on his face, trying to wipe away the tears streaming down his cheeks. He hated this prison with all his heart and didn't know what to do.

  He tio wet his face. His eyes were red fr, and he didn't want to have lunch, embarrassed that everyone would notice him with tear-streaked eyes.

  "What a childish attitude," Billy said aloud.

  To his surprise, three members of Austin's gahere—Cole, Scott, and Andrew. Scott had taken the pce of the fang leader, the ohey called "Ala" or "White Gang" by the angs.

  "This is hoao see you," said Ahe most vicious of the kids.

  "How so, jerk?" Billy said, out of trol.

  "Ha, jerk. Big words for a dead man," Scott said.

  The followis were fotten in Billy's mind. In a fever of anger, he fot ded the fact that he would be out in two months.

  "Well, if you want to kill me, then kill me, Scott. If you have the mouth to talk, you must have fists to hit. I'm fed up with you cockroaches hiding in the dark, pnning like jerks. You only have balls when you're in a pack. I'm gd you cover your ass with your two bodyguards, but you're still just a copy of Austin," Billy said.

  "To hell with the snitch," Andrew said and lu Billy to throunch, whided on Billy's left ear. Scott started kig, and Cole was stunned by the violence. Billy took three punches and an unknown number of kicks. He didn't have time to retaliate, but at some point, the blows stopped, and the kids left, smming the door behind them. The pain and headache were worse, much worse. He tried to get up, but his head hurt too much. His mouth was full of blood, his nose was shattered, one eyebrow was pletely broken, his hand was swollen, and he felt a sharp pain in his back.

  [Ding, the life of a lunatic, 'Enemy' by Imagine Dragons,]

  Billy muttered.

  "To hell with the system, stupid," Billy said, feeling overwhelmed and desperate, the song "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons resonating with his tumultuous emotions.

  ...