My Bro

My name is Blake Valdemoz. To most people, I was just the quiet boy at the back of the classroom. Sweet, soft-spoken… but an easy target. Being “different” was enough reason for bullies to notice me, and every day felt like another battle I had no strength to fight. That afternoon, while everyone was enjoying their break, I sat alone in the corner of the school courtyard. My lunchbox stayed closed on my lap—I had lost my appetite after hearing the same old whispers behind me. “Look at him. Such a weakling.” “No wonder nobody wants to sit with him.” Their laughter cut sharper than their words. I kept my head down, wishing the ground would just swallow me whole. But then, it happened again—three boys surrounded me, their shadows falling over my seat. “Hey, Valdemoz,” one of them sneered, knocking my bag to the ground. “Why so quiet? Cat got your tongue?” I clutched my lunchbox tighter, refusing to meet their eyes. They laughed and reached for it. Before I could react, a strong hand grabbed the bully’s wrist. “Enough,” a voice said firmly. I looked up—and that was the first time I saw him. He stood tall, broad-shouldered, with a confidence that silenced the entire group. His dark eyes glared at the bullies, sharp and unafraid. “Pick on someone else,” he said. “Or better yet, don’t pick on anyone at all.” The boys exchanged nervous glances. He didn’t raise his voice, but his presence was enough to make them back off. Muttering curses under their breath, they finally walked away. I sat frozen, staring at the stranger who just saved me. He bent down and picked up my bag, brushing the dirt off before handing it back. “You okay?” he asked. I blinked, still shocked. “Y-Yeah… I think so.” He smiled—warm, disarming, the kind of smile that made the world feel lighter. “Good. I’m Ethan Cruz.” “Blake,” I replied softly. “Blake Valdemoz.” “Well, Blake,” he said, sitting beside me like it was the most natural thing in the world, “looks like you could use a friend.” I didn’t know why, but those words pierced through me. For the first time in a long while, someone looked at me not with pity or mockery—but with sincerity. And that was the moment it all began. The day I met Ethan. The boy who would become my shield, my best friend… and, someday, the one person I secretly wished was more.