Wounded Wings :Screams Of Silent Souls

chapter -1

His small body slouches with head hanging low as he moves through the crowd of people in the hallways. No one noticed him, almost as if he was invisible. As much as Ethen hated to admit it, he hates the lack of attention he's receiving.

It must be nice to be..... Known, or at least have someone appreciate his existence.

But Ethen doesn't have anyone, and that makes that void in his chest feel almost empty.

In a far distance a loud voice hollers down the hallways, only adding onto the brunette's self annoyance so early in the morning.

"WOLVES FIRST FOOTBALL GAME! EVERYONE IS GOING OR I'M START STEALING SOME KNEECAPS!"

Ethen breathes heavily, quickly making his way down the hallway to his class. His long legs scurried to the back of the class in his usual seat, placing his notebook on his desk and waited for the teacher to arrive, avoiding the chatting of the other students hanging around or gossiping about a party or something arounds those lines. Ethen didn't have a phone so he couldn't scroll through social media to pass by time, instead he looked out the window to take in the beautiful day outside.

So beautiful, something he would never be.

The thought sat heavy in Ethen's chest, making him frown slightly. How is it easy for some people to be so confident in themselves? Do they look in the mirror everyday and tell themselves they are beautiful? Worth this life on earth? But everytime Ethen looks in the mirror, he can't find anything beautiful about himself. Only seeing boring brown eyes, lips too big for his thin face from his usual diets to remove some of his fat. Even being skinny, he still looks at himself to see the chunky kid he was two years ago.

Or how everyone called him, as a Chunky Chimmy.

High school wasn't easy for him, not like the 'Idle Teens' in this school. He didn't have people peppering him with compliments every corner he walked into. His smile didn't light up anyone day, only feeling more insecure by the crooked front teeth. People didn't file a line to just talk to him. No one ever came up to him for any interest whatever, making Ethen live his life a virgin soul. While growing up, Ethen's parents were very religious, so he would be spending his days always going to bible studies, to church, stays in his room to read the bible while his parents monitored him; checking to see if he took notes or actually reading. One day during freshman year of high school, someone actually spoke to him. She was one of the popular girls in the school but Ethen was so happy to maybe finally have made friends, not noticing her curiosity in Ethen being only for selfish reasons. His biggest mistake was taking her to home, just because she insisted. So he did, even met his parents. The next day, she spread it around the school, how Ethen was a 'school little church boy'. Ethen never heard the end of the school calling him a 'pathetic saint' or 'church boy' along with insults from left and right. His locker was always filled with crumpled up church verses, they even had the audacity to call him a 'heathen' just because he stormed out the class one time when some wrote 'anti-Christ' on his desk. He found it beyond disrespectful and got overwhelmed by that negative attention he was getting. Never did he ever want go through that again. No one has spoken to Ethen since then, always picked last for everything, or just completely avoided him. Even before that event people avoided him, but now they just let him be because they found him weird. Maybe it was the way he dressed up with a button up shirt with slacks and a sweater vest every day. Or how he doesn't even have a phone.

He doesn't know what was wrong with him for people not to like him.

Ethen's attention snaps from the window when loud laughter echoes the room, making him roll his eyes heavily. And here comes the Alphas of the school.

And luckily for him, they're all in his class. Ethen watches as they all enter the classroom door, a big group of probably five people. The center of attention being the one and only Jack William. Ethen clenches his jaw to the perfect bottled blonde haired male, a wide smile always on his lips.

Oh how much Ethen envied him. He's just so damn perfect, not a single flaw on his face or let alone his life. He's crazy rich, drives the best cars and wears the best outfits. His grades are beyond perfect with a GPA being a 4.5. How the f**k is that even possible? He's the captain of the Soccer and Track n' Field team and the class president. Always being the prom king since he's always somehow invited! People literally treat him like a prince, always trying to get on his good side. Everyone except for Ethen since he detested the guy. He didn't like how he acted as if life is always perfect, always great, always beautiful.

It's not.

Ethen bated Jack has never had to work for a damn thing in his life. Apparently people line up to do his homework so that might explain his grade and should he really get started on sports and being class president? He's popular! Everything is great when you're popular.

Then again, Ethen blames this envy on himself.

If only he wasn't so pure, maybe socialized with people more or tried on his look a bit more, he would maybe he wouldn't be seen so down upon. Maybe if he was more risk taking or narcissistic about his appearance, would people love him like they love Jack?

Ethen lowly snorts to this, as if. Jack is handsome, something Ethen believes he isn't.

Entering in with Jack is who Ethen refers to them as, his golden boys. The main golden boy being Duke Melven, who's Jack's bestfriend. Like Jack, he's perfect. Raven black hair and a radiant smile like Jack's. They have been together since Sophomore year, up until now and they are known to be literally the power couple. No one ever sees them fighting, or have a day alone where you would sense they must've argued.

They're.

Always.

Together.

Literally.

Another one in that groupie is Robert Henry, basically the brains. He's literally the king of all the nerds in this school, but everyone loves him. He's beautiful and has a confident aura wherever he walks. As if he knows exactly where his life is heading.

Next follows Kim Sobin, the beauty queen. He's more of the vocal, sassy one of all of them. Apart of being insanely handsome, his tongue can slice anyone up if you get on his bad side, which rarely anyone does. He's like the hitman of a criminal movie, if anyone messes with anyone else in that group, he would be the first to snap at you and come at your life.

It's pretty amusing at times to witness that, but Ethen will never admit that.

And last, the second best buddy, Jeon Jungwoo. He's literally up to Jack's level; popular, handsome, everyone fighting over him. What's different from him is that he gives off a more bad boy vibe rather than preppy high school Jack. Ethen has heard many things about Jungwoo, being the playboy and charmer from all of them. Many girls literally drool over him, since he's handsome. Obviously. His name is always mentioned in a praise, even if he's just breathing. He's very vain about himself, always picked first like Jack. Along with Jack, he always gets picked the most handsome or the most intelligent.

Just always so perfect.

But Ethen's envy is more towards Jack than Jungwoo since he's literally the center of attention in everything.

Even getting handsome friends.

They all sit at the center of the room, of course, and chat amongst themselves while the class continues to fill in. Ethen frowns to how people just go up to them and just gawk at their whole existence, in hopes to catch a glimpse of their attention.

The more Ethen stares at Jack, seeing him giggle with everyone and be so polite, only defuses his envy to self pity. Why can't he be as beautiful or as popular? Having life be easier than how it is now.

Why can't Ethen feel beautiful.

He suddenly felt eyes on him I put my heart into your hands

Learn the lessons you teach

No matter when, wherever I am

You're not hard to reach

And you've given me the best gift

That I've ever known

You give me purpose everyday

You give me purpose in every way

Oh, you are my everything not even hiding his glare when they made eye contact, only making Ethen grow incredibly nervous that he's been caught staring. He gulps and averts his eyes to his desk, still feeling Jungwoo's heavy gaze on him.

Ethen fought back his tongue back from asking Jungwoo to stop staring at him, so he sat there uncomfortably, nervously fidgeting with the colar of his shirt. By the time the teacher comes in, the stares finally stops and lets out a sigh of relief.

Time to doze off to Literature.

Ethen could barely focus, only copying down necessary notes and then would focus his eyes back to this window. His mind only running blank with the thought of just going home, even though he doesn't feel comfortable himself to be home either.

"Ethen Jones!"

His body jumps from the loud voice of the teacher, turning back to see all pairs of eyes on him, waiting.

He gulps and blinks at the teacher's annoyed expression, "Pardon?"

A few snickers echoes the room to his vocabulary, only flushing Ethen's cheeks to a deep shade of red. The teacher sighs and points to the book, "I said, why did Romeo take his life? If you read the text, this answer would be easy."

Ethen's mind flew blank, only feeling his accelerating heartbeat. His palms began to sweat from the anxiety to all the pair of eyes staring at him, slightly blurring his vision.

Why is it suddenly so hot?

Breathe Ethen, breathe

"Uh Ms. Andrews," Jack calls out with a raised hand, "I can answer it."

"Romeo took his life because he heard news Juliet died. He was suppose to be informed that Juliet took a sleeping sedative that would stop her heart beat and breathing, so convincing anyone she was dead. Romeo wasn't informed on time so he killed himself so he could be reunited with the love of his life, since he didn't believe in a life without her," Ethen answers all in one shot, surprising himself to how he managed to push past his anxiety for that split moment.

The classroom falls silent, some probably stunned to hear Ethen talk since he rarely does, or doesn't at all.

Suddenly someone from the corner of the room snorts, "Chunky Chimmy being a smartass now."

The whole class falls into a fit of chuckles, only making Ethen blush deeper with embarrassment. It's always something, always something against him. The echoes of the laughter continues through Ethen's ears, making him forcefully close his eyes to hold back his tears.

"Little mute boy got a mouth."

"Wonder what else that mouth can do."

"Who? Saint Ethen? Ha you're funny. Probably will spray you with holy water and hope you burn in hell."

"I'll gladly drag him down with me for being a pathetic excuse of a human."

Ethen's lips wobbled as the insults continued, allowing a tear to stream down his cheeks as he abruptly stood up and runs out the classroom. He fiercely wipes his tears, holding back a sob as he pushes the bathroom door open clutches onto the sink.

His silent weeps echo the empty bathroom, feeling that clenching inside his chest, not going away. All this self hatred falling into a deep spiral. Holding so much in and it just won't go away, no matter what he does.

Ethen's eyes slowly looks up to the mirror. A boy with puffed cheeks and swollen eyes stares back at him, cry baby tears streaming down his cheeks. The more he stares at his reflection, the more he finds things to hate about himself.

Why can't he get a damn break!

"AH!" He screams in frustration and slams his hands against the sink, his tears still falling against the sink.