Chapter 11:rising up

Three months had passed. Julian barely recognized himself. His arms were thick. Shoulders broad. Posture sharp. Every step felt purposeful.

“Whoa… is that really you?” Marcus, a classmate, stopped in the hallway.

Julian shrugged. “Yeah. It’s me.”

“You… you look different. Like… confident,” Marcus stammered.

Julian smirked. “Confidence is contagious, you know.”

Marcus laughed nervously. “Yeah, sure. I’ll take your word for it.”

At the gym, Julian gripped the dumbbells, feeling the burn in his arms. “How’s it going today, Julian?” his trainer asked.

“I’m ready,” Julian said. “Let’s push harder.”

“You’ve come far, kid. Farther than most,” the trainer said, nodding.

Julian grinned. “Then I guess far is where I’m staying.”

That afternoon at school, the hallway felt different. Julian noticed it immediately. The bullies were at it again — smirking, pushing kids around.

“Look who it is,” the leader sneered. “The weakling thinks he’s strong now.”

Julian paused, then stepped forward calmly. “I don’t think. I know.”

“What?” the leader barked. “You’re bluffing. Come on. Show us.”

“I don’t need to show off,” Julian said. “You’re not worth it.”

One of the bullies laughed nervously. “He’s… different. Something’s off.”

Julian raised his eyebrows. “Off? Maybe. But you should be careful who you push around.”

The leader exchanged glances with the others. “Whatever. We’ll see,” he muttered.

But they didn’t. Julian walked past, head high. The hallway felt lighter somehow. He realized he no longer needed to fight to be noticed. He was noticed because he believed in himself.

After school, Julian went to the park to run. Running had become his meditation. Each stride reminded him that he was building more than just muscles. He was building patience. Discipline. Strength in body and mind.

“Hey, Julian!” Marcus called from the benches.

Julian slowed, wiping sweat from his forehead. “What’s up?”

“You’ve… changed. Seriously. Even your walk… it’s different,” Marcus said, eyes wide.

Julian smiled. “Thanks, Marcus. I’m working on it.”

“Yeah… I should try it too,” Marcus muttered, kicking a stone.

“Start small,” Julian advised. “Don’t expect overnight miracles. Three months, that’s all it took me to feel this way.”

Even at home, things felt different. His family still spoke harshly, still criticized, but Julian no longer carried it like stones in his chest.

“Julian! Can’t you ever do anything right?” his mother yelled.

He paused, calm. “I am doing right. I’m working on myself.”

“You? Working on yourself? You’re still a kid,” his brother scoffed.

Julian smiled slightly. “Maybe. But I’m growing. And you should try it sometime.”

His sister rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You think muscles will fix your life?”

Julian shook his head. “Not just muscles. Mind, patience, discipline. That’s what changes things.”

Dinner was quieter than usual after that. His words hung in the air, calm but firm. His family didn’t respond immediately, but Julian noticed the small shift in tone. They were still critical, but they weren’t ignoring his presence either.

That evening, Julian returned to the library. Mr. Kellan looked up from sweeping, a slight smile on his face.

“Back again, young dinosaur?” the old man said.

Julian laughed. “You could say that. Three months in, and I feel… different.”

“Good,” Mr. Kellan said, leaning on his broom. “A chicken stays a chicken when it believes it’s a chicken. But a chicken becomes a dinosaur when it believes it’s a dinosaur.”

Julian nodded. “I get it. I’m the dinosaur now.”

“Not just muscles, kid,” Mr. Kellan said. “Brains. Patience. Discipline. That’s what makes a dinosaur.”

Julian walked the aisles, touching the spines of books, thinking. “I’ve changed more than my body. I feel… sharper. Calmer. Focused.”

“You better,” Mr. Kellan said with a grin. “The world doesn’t wait. You need to be ready for it.”

Julian’s phone buzzed. A text from Marcus: Meet me at the gym tomorrow? Need advice.

He smiled. “Sure. I’ll show you what I’ve learned.”

The next morning, Julian ran through his routine. Pull-ups, push-ups, sprints. Sweat poured. Muscles burned. But he pushed through. Discipline wasn’t just about showing up. It was about finishing.

Marcus arrived late, panting. “Man… I don’t know how you do this every day.”

Julian laughed. “Start small. Focus on one thing. Keep adding.”

“Yeah… but it feels impossible sometimes,” Marcus admitted.

“Impossible is just a word people use when they don’t try,” Julian said firmly.

At school, Julian’s confidence continued to grow. A teacher asked a question in class. Julian answered clearly, confidently, without hesitation. Classmates whispered. Even the quiet students looked impressed.

“Did you see that?” Marcus whispered later.

“I did,” Julian said. “But it’s not about showing off. It’s about being prepared. Knowing your stuff.”

By the end of three months, Julian had transformed. Taller. Stronger. Confident. Alive.

He no longer reacted impulsively to insults. He observed. Planned. Spoke calmly. Acted decisively.

The storm inside him — anger, doubt, fear — didn’t vanish. But it fueled him now. Made him sharper. More aware. More unstoppable.

“Next challenge?” Marcus asked, following him down the hallway.

Julian grinned. “Always. Let’s see what the world throws at us next.”

Mr. Kellan’s words echoed in his mind. The dinosaur was alive, growing, and unstoppable. And for the first time in his life, Julian felt truly capable of facing whatever came next.