NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Shadows of Routine
Emmy Hart's mornings were as dull as the gray sky that loomed over the orphanage. The sun barely had the chance to rise before he was up, dragging his frail body out of bed. His room, though small and unremarkable, was his only personal space in a world that never seemed to welcome him. With slow, mechanical movements, he swept the floor, dusted the shelves, and washed his clothes—his morning ritual. There was no affection in the orphanage, only structure. Mr. Bridges, the caretaker, made sure of that.
Emmy had learned to keep to himself early on. The other orphans were not necessarily cruel, but they had their own circles, their own alliances. Emmy was a lone wolf, drifting through the motions of life without attachments. His sickly body made him an easy target, even within the orphanage, but he kept his head down. He had learned that silence was survival.
By the time he was done with his chores, he threw on his worn-out school uniform and grabbed his headset—the only thing in the world that truly mattered to him. As soon as he put it on, the intro of "Wishing Well" by Juice WRLD filled his ears, drowning out the noise of the orphanage. The moment the beat hit, the pain dulled. The loneliness blurred. In that moment, he wasn't Emmy Hart, the frail orphan boy. He was just a misfit lost in the music, finding solace in words that understood him better than any human ever could.
The bus ride to school was an exercise in endurance. Dule and Tyler were waiting for him at their usual spot near the gate. Dule, as always, was bouncing with excitement, his eyes gleaming.
"Bro, I swear on everything, XXXTentacion was better than Juice WRLD," Dule said, practically vibrating with energy. "The emotion, the rawness—come on, Emmy, you gotta admit."
Emmy rolled his eyes, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Nah, man. Juice spoke to the soul. You ever hear 'Legends'? That song alone clears your whole argument."
"Cap! 'Jocelyn Flores' has more depth in one verse than Juice's whole discography."
Tyler, the tallest of the trio, simply shook his head. "Here we go again."
These debates were their thing. A small escape from reality before they had to face the day. But that escape shattered the moment they stepped inside the school building.
The sneers started immediately. Emmy could feel the eyes on him, hear the whispers behind his back.
"Look, it's the poor sickly kid."
"I heard Aurora had a crush on him. Can you imagine? What a joke."
Aurora. The school belle. She was beautiful, intelligent, and so far out of his world that it was laughable. Ever since someone exposed her secret crush on him, his life had gone from bad to unbearable. She never spoke to him, never even looked his way. If anything, she seemed to avoid him entirely, too shy or too embarrassed to acknowledge his existence.
Then there was Jake.
Jake was everything Emmy wasn't—tall, strong, and filthy rich. He commanded the school like a tyrant, his gang of followers enforcing his rule. Emmy had been a convenient target long before Aurora's crush was revealed, but now it was like Jake had made it his life's mission to break him.
The day's humiliation came swift and unrelenting. It started with the 'accidental' shove in the hallway, sending Emmy's books flying. Dule was the first to react, stepping up, ready to fight, but Tyler held him back. They were outnumbered, as always.
"Chill, Dule," Tyler muttered. "Not here."
Jake leaned in, his grin smug. "What's the matter, Hart? You gonna cry?"
Emmy said nothing. He never did. Words wouldn't change anything. Fighting wouldn't change anything. So he picked up his books and walked away, the echoes of laughter following him like a curse.
By lunchtime, the tension had built to its peak. Emmy sat at their usual table, staring at his food, appetite nonexistent. Dule and Tyler were still fuming over the morning's events.
"You gotta stop letting them walk all over you, man," Dule muttered, stabbing at his food. "One of these days, we gotta do something."
"Like what?" Emmy asked, voice flat. "You think we can take on Jake's entire crew?"
Tyler exhaled heavily. "I hate to say it, but Emmy's right. We're outnumbered."
That was when it happened.
A sudden commotion near the cafeteria entrance. Emmy turned just in time to see a tray of food flying toward him. It smashed into his chest, spilling all over his uniform. The entire cafeteria erupted into laughter.
Jake stood by the doorway, his grin wider than ever. "Oops," he said, mockingly. "Slipped."
Dule shot to his feet, ready to charge, but this time, Emmy stopped him. He clenched his fists, his heart pounding, but he refused to let them see him break. Instead, he did what he always did—he left.
He walked out of the cafeteria, ignoring the laughter, ignoring the burning humiliation crawling under his skin. He walked until he was alone, until the noise of the world faded, and all that remained was the sound of his heartbeat.
Then he put his headphones on.
"Legends" started playing, the lyrics hitting him like a gut punch.
I usually have an answer to the question, but this time I'm gon' be quiet…
He closed his eyes, letting the music take him away. Away from the school. Away from the pain. Away from everything.
If only for a moment.