Zero was idly sitting in English and Literature css, bored out of his mind. He wasn’t even paying attention. But at least Arlo is basically paying him to be here. They had to read poems that they were working on during css.

  His attention was drawn back in when Mr. Fisher indicated that Zero was up after Beth, the second-most popur girl.

  Beth walked up to the front of the css after a long wait. She wanted to humiliate Zero for being powerless in the most brutal way possible. It was going to be talked about until they graduated middle school, maybe even carried over to high school.

  She started reading her love poem, cutely finishing off with an “I love you very much. I loved you from the very moment I id my eyes on you, Zero. My heart belongs to…” After a brief pause, “NOT YOU! HAHA YOU IDIOT, DID YOU ACTUALLY THINK I’D BE IN LOVE WITH A MAGICLESS MORON LIKE YOU?!” The entire cssroom full of eleven-year-olds erupted into ughter; even Mr. Fisher tried to stifle his ughter while speaking. “Very good, Bethany. Now, mister Zero, it’s your turn.”

  Two students, Jayden and Micah, were not amused by this bullying. They don’t support any form of bullying but couldn’t realistically do anything because Mr. Fisher would shut them down for disrupting the css. Zero walked up to the front of the css.

  There was quiet ughter that had died down all around him, and amidst the silent humiliation, he heard two twins arguing about their mother. Zero’s eyes rapidly scanned.

  He noticed a boy trying to hide his scar from burn injuries that were somewhat visible through the colr; they looked to be recently healed… and conveniently, Fourth of July was approximately two months ago.

  He also noticed one of the girl's names on the bathroom timesheet who always needs to suspiciously use the bathroom at a specific time of the day. He noticed that before she went to the bathroom, she was energetic, but now she was a bit sluggish and weary. He also noticed the teacher suspiciously kept checking his phone while he was walking up; he briefly saw the name and the photos, not like he was trying to hide it anyway. They were suggestive photos, and the surname of the woman was Esposito, the same as the principal’s. He picked up his paper to start reading the poem he had written down, now all he could do was create an educated bluff.

  “Once there was a css who liked to prance and dance. Pying with fireworks, but unsure of the dangers that lurk. When it explodes, it leaves its mark, a lesson taught by careless sparks.” The css was unsure where this poem was going, and one student in the back was visibly nervous.

  He pulled his shirt and remembered his firework injury. Was this a coincidence? “I kept this a secret from everyone… this has to be a coincidence.” He mutters to himself, his heart beating very aggressively as if someone was stomping on his chest repeatedly.

  “But others like that prance around a bathroom, where she likes to py around with something known as a shroom. But unfortunately, a tiny cubical wouldn’t protect her from her internal and external doom.” Zero continued… as a girl’s eyes widened… did he know about her drugs???

  “But there’s always a different type of py when it comes another day, when brothers get into a fight because of Mother’s spite.” The twins narrowed their eyes in scrutiny; this part of the poem sounded eerily simir to their situation.

  One by one, the student realizes what they’re in for.

  After going through most of the names in the cssroom, finally comes Beth’s turn. “A certain magical girl who likes to twirl in glory, but behind the magic and makeup, her real face is less than savory.” Beth’s face turned red in anger; now she knew students were being targeted, and this one was about her.

  “But worst of all, who is there to bme? Amidst the prancing and dancing, an affair was lit afme. When their teacher is half of the man he might cim.” The teacher’s eyes widened in fear, he was abruptly reminded of his affair with the principal’s wife. And if this news gets out, his job and reputation are on the line. How the hell did this stupid kid know about this? After he covered his tracks thoroughly!

  “Now that css was no longer dancing, they were gncing searching for answers that were passing because they bit the devil whose teeth are sharper than theirs.” He pced his sheet behind on the teacher’s desk before returning to his desk. The whole cssroom was silent; you could hear a pin drop.

  The teacher looked over the paper Zero had left behind to verify if what he had heard was correct, but he only found an almost empty sheet that read, “I’m too zy to do this work. Thanks for understanding. Signed by Zero.”Jayden and Micah looked in utter shock. “What the fuck just happened…?!” Jayden muttered, his jaw hanging open. After css, Jayden and Micah approach Zero. “Yooo man, that was crazy. The way you just destroyed everyone, I’m Jayden Smith, yo. But you can just call me Jayden from Brooklyn; at least that’s what everyone calls me. And my magic is Sword of the Seven Stars. Let’s just say I love to cut through magic.” Jayden held his hand out for a fistbump.

  Micah grinned, fixing his gsses as he spoke up. “My name is Micah Katz. Nice to meet you. I’m sure you’re a nice person. Despite what happened to you today, you did not deserve that. Oh, uh, my magic is Cognitive Simution.”

  Zero fist bumps Jayden. “Tbh, I didn’t really care. I was just bored.” Jayden looked confused. “Tbh? No one says that. It’s reserved for texting, bro. But damn Muhammad would’ve loved the free show if he was here today. Damn man, oh well. We gotta get going; just let us know if you need anything. Oh yeah, he has Deus Ex Machina, but he isn’t here today. He’s always saying it’ll ‘come in clutch one day.’”

  Micah smiled. “You’ve got a friend in us.” They said before leaving the cssroom. Zero waved them off zily and left the cssroom after them, going his own way.Arlo was walking down the hallway, as Scarl- I returned to what I used to call my school. Arlo watched Scarlett approach him before pyfully nudging him. I have to be friendly to that sheep. Even if I feel nothing but distaste for this anomaly. But my role is still “true” in the sense that I need him to move this story forward. Without the main character, there is no story. I’ll show you cowards hiding on the other side about how I write my own narrative.Arlo blushed as Scarlett interacted with him. Her rose scent filled his nose with bliss. “Oh hel—hello, Scarlett, how are you doing?” He stammered over himself.“Hey, she— Arlo. How are you doing? Isn’t it a beautiful day outside?” Scarlet— I was disgusted by the mere sight of this faceless anomaly. Who the hell does he think he is? The only meaningful thing in this narrative is Zero.Arlo noticed Zero walking out of his css with his hands in his pockets zily. “What the hell?! I just realized you don’t even have your backpack.” Arlo pointed out. Zero shrugged. “Carrying around an empty backpack is exhausting.”

  Arlo’s brain crashed, and his brain began reloading. “How can you become exhausted from an empty backpack…?” Zero shrugged again. “Beats me, ask all the empty space why it’s weighing me down.” “Hey, Zero, how did you like your csses?” I will have him sooner than he realizes. He’s right there, yet so far from me.Zero instantly realizes there’s something off about Scarlett... Unlike before, when she was genuinely kind. Now, something about her act with Arlo seems untrue. He narrows his eyes, not lingering on the topic too long, his expression returning to its zy form. But he won’t forget. “My csses were uneventful, to say the least.I can’t believe it. I’m reading Zero’s internal monologue in real-time. And I was right. There was something about Zero. He realized there was something different about me right off the bat. Something the other sheep in the story could never guess. What was it? Why was he so different?! He was so secretive that even his internal monologues were yered with deep secrecy. I must have him in my arms and in my life. Once I have him, I must take my love all the way. Not just because of the narrative anymore, I genuinely find myself more intrigued with him more and more.Arlo was still talking to Zero. “Bro, you’re ruining my chances with the hottest girl. What do you want?” He whispered into Zero’s ear. “Food. Give it to me.” Zero whispered back.This is pathetic; this sheep wants alone time with me so badly that he’d rather have me over spending time with his friend, whom he wanted to be involved in his life. Whatever, it’s to be expected out of a sheep who just blindly takes what he’s given without questioning the motives. Arlo frantically takes out his wallet to give Zero some money but accidentally drops his wallet. Zero picks up Arlo’s wallet. “Thanks, bud.” He casually took Arlo’s wallet and zily walked off.