Chapter 4:
Acte 1 — Part 4
The Final Pages
Hello, it's Léa again.
Today, I'm speaking to you with a heavy heart.
When I came home, I was no longer the same. At the end of an alley, the group of girls from my class and their boyfriends surrounded me. They humiliated me, took photos of me without my permission, and threatened me to keep silent.
This time, it was too much.
When I got home, I told my parents everything. My voice was trembling, but the words finally came out. My mother held me in her arms while my father called the school.
The next day, we went to see the principal. My parents explained what had happened. The principal promised to take action, speak to the students involved, and monitor the situation. Yet when I returned to class, nothing seemed to have really changed. The stares were still there. So were the whispers.
So I took refuge in my comic books.
That evening, sitting on my bed, I opened Batman and Robin. Little by little, the world around me disappeared. In my imagination, Gotham was easier to understand than my school.
— Batman... why are people so cruel? I asked.
The Dark Knight looked at me silently before answering:
— I can't control what other people choose to do, Léa. But I know one thing: what they did to you is not your fault.
— Then why do I feel so alone?
— Because fear and pain can isolate us. But being hurt doesn't mean being invisible. You told your parents. That was an act of courage.
— I'm still afraid...
— Courage doesn't mean never being afraid. It means moving forward despite the fear. And real heroes ask for help when they need it.
I lowered my eyes.
— Do you think it can ever stop?
Batman placed a hand on my shoulder.
— Even the longest nights always let a little light through.
Then the image of Gotham faded away.
Reality came rushing back.
Some terrible news had just arrived: Daniel had been violently attacked by several boys from our class and had been taken to the hospital.
When I found out, I felt something break inside me. Daniel was one of the few people who had spoken kindly to me since I arrived.
I began to feel afraid. Afraid that the same thing could happen to me. Afraid of the hallways, the stares, and the journey home after school.
Every day, the weight in my chest grew heavier. I would look out of my bedroom window and feel as though the world was moving forward without me.
I didn't want to disappear.
I just wanted all the noise to stop for a moment.
To be continued in the next chapter.
Today, I'm speaking to you with a heavy heart.
When I came home, I was no longer the same. At the end of an alley, the group of girls from my class and their boyfriends surrounded me. They humiliated me, took photos of me without my permission, and threatened me to keep silent.
This time, it was too much.
When I got home, I told my parents everything. My voice was trembling, but the words finally came out. My mother held me in her arms while my father called the school.
The next day, we went to see the principal. My parents explained what had happened. The principal promised to take action, speak to the students involved, and monitor the situation. Yet when I returned to class, nothing seemed to have really changed. The stares were still there. So were the whispers.
So I took refuge in my comic books.
That evening, sitting on my bed, I opened Batman and Robin. Little by little, the world around me disappeared. In my imagination, Gotham was easier to understand than my school.
— Batman... why are people so cruel? I asked.
The Dark Knight looked at me silently before answering:
— I can't control what other people choose to do, Léa. But I know one thing: what they did to you is not your fault.
— Then why do I feel so alone?
— Because fear and pain can isolate us. But being hurt doesn't mean being invisible. You told your parents. That was an act of courage.
— I'm still afraid...
— Courage doesn't mean never being afraid. It means moving forward despite the fear. And real heroes ask for help when they need it.
I lowered my eyes.
— Do you think it can ever stop?
Batman placed a hand on my shoulder.
— Even the longest nights always let a little light through.
Then the image of Gotham faded away.
Reality came rushing back.
Some terrible news had just arrived: Daniel had been violently attacked by several boys from our class and had been taken to the hospital.
When I found out, I felt something break inside me. Daniel was one of the few people who had spoken kindly to me since I arrived.
I began to feel afraid. Afraid that the same thing could happen to me. Afraid of the hallways, the stares, and the journey home after school.
Every day, the weight in my chest grew heavier. I would look out of my bedroom window and feel as though the world was moving forward without me.
I didn't want to disappear.
I just wanted all the noise to stop for a moment.
To be continued in the next chapter.
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