I never used to be this way. Once, I was just a face in the crowd—silent, invisible, and forgettable. The kind of person no one ever remembered, even when they saw me every day.

    Parents were never happy with me and always called me a good for nothing character. Girls used to ignore and creep out if I try to be friends with them.

    I have two frien- No, more like they talk because I always complete my notes.

    I basically have no one.

    But nights like these... they were a different kind of hell.

    It was raining, the cold drops stinging my skin as I limped down the alley. My phone buzzed uselessly in my hand, but I couldn''t even look at it. Not after what had just happened. The bruises on my ribs throbbed with every step, and the taste of blood still lingered on my lips.

    I should''ve expected it.

    "Come on, Jaden, stop being such a fucking loser," one of them had spat, his voice full of that condescending tone they all had. They had shoved me around, laughing like it was some great joke. They always did this—pushing me until I broke, treating me like I was nothing, like I didn''t even exist.

    "Please, just leave me alone, I won''t talk to her ever again" I said, thinking they might stop

    "You should''ve thought about that before flirting with my girlfriend" he said, kicking me nonstop.

    Flirting? She was the one who asked me if I took the math notes so she could borrow the book and I just replied to her.

    Reasoning it is pointless but don''t know why I always do it hoping that they would stop this time.

    Last thing I remember was hitting the ground, my body curling up instinctively as the kicks came, one after another, until everything went numb. I could barely move, barely breathe, and all I could think was this is it.

    This is how I die.

    They must''ve realized they''d gone too far, because after a few panicked whispers, they left me lying there in the rain. My breath came out in ragged gasps, the pain spreading through every part of me. I couldn''t get up.

    Maybe I didn''t want to.

    Before the girl could say anything else, I was already on my feet, stumbling toward the door. My legs felt shaky, but not weak—there was strength there, strength I wasn''t used to. But I couldn''t think about that. Not now. I shoved the classroom door open and rushed down the hallway.

    I barely made it to the bathroom before I collapsed over the sink, the undigested food & soury liquid rising in my throat. I threw up, forcing out the last remnants of the nightmare, the fear, the pain. I steadied myself, gripping the porcelain of the sink with both hands, trying to catch my breath.

    It took a moment for the nausea to fade. Slowly, I straightened up, wiping the back of my hand across my mouth. The fluorescent lights above buzzed softly, casting a glow on the bathroom tiles. I felt... different. Stronger. Taller.

    I glanced up, catching my reflection in the mirror, and froze.

    This wasn''t me.

    Staring back at me was someone else entirely. A guy with sharp features, piercing blue eyes, and perfectly styled dark hair. He was tall—taller than I''d ever been—with broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline that looked like it belonged on a magazine cover. I leaned closer, my heart racing as I ran my fingers over my face, feeling the smooth skin, the flawless cheekbones.

    I didn''t look anything like Jaden. I wasn''t the scrawny, invisible guy who''d gotten kicked around and ignored his whole life. I looked... perfect.

    "No way," I muttered, my voice echoing in the empty bathroom. My voice—it was deeper now, smoother, like manly as I always wanted it to be.

    I stared at myself for a long moment, unable to fully process what I was seeing. This was real. I was real. Somehow, I wasn''t Jaden anymore. I was Austin. The guy everyone knew.

    The guy everyone wanted to be.

    *Heehhhh*

    A smile came across my face

    I leaned back from the mirror, I ran my hands through my hair. It was thick and soft, perfectly styled without even trying. I could hardly believe it.

    "This is real," I whispered.

    I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind. This was my life now. Not the alley. Not the punches or the blood. That was over. I wasn''t the same person anymore.

    I am Austin.

    And I am going to enjoy every second of it.