Friends, Foes, Fun

Shane

Shane St. James was born into a family that was already on the verge of falling apart. His parents, Henry and Jennifer, were always at odds with each other, their arguments echoing throughout the house, leaving Shane to find solace in his own little world.

One day, when Shane was just seven, he came home from school to find his mother sitting alone in the living room. "Shane," she said softly, "your father and I...we're not going to live together anymore."

Shane looked up at his mother, his young mind struggling to understand. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jennifer sighed, pulling Shane close. "Your father and I...we just can't seem to get along. But don't worry, sweetheart. We both love you very much."

From that day forward, Shane lived with his mother. His father moved out, and Shane saw him only on weekends. It was a difficult adjustment, but Shane was strong. He focused on his studies, pouring himself into his schoolwork as a way to escape from the turmoil at home.

One day, during his middle school years, Shane handed his report card to his mother, Jennifer's eyes lit up with pride. She couldn't believe her son had gotten all A's. "Shane, this is amazing!" she exclaimed, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Shane hugged his mother back, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "I did it for you, mom," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jennifer pulled back, looking into her son's eyes. "What do you mean, honey?"

Shane hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I know how hard you work to provide for us, mom. And I wanted to make you proud. I wanted to show you that all your sacrifices are worth it."

Jennifer felt a lump form in her throat. She couldn't believe how mature and thoughtful her son was. "Oh, Shane," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I am so proud of you. You have no idea how much this means to me."

As Shane hugged his mother, he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. He knew that his mother was proud of him, but she didn't know the struggles he faced every day at school.

Shane had always been a quiet kid, preferring to keep to himself rather than join in with the other kids. But as he got older, he began to realize that his lack of a father figure made him a target for bullies.

His classmates would tease him, calling him names and making fun of him for not having a dad. They would push him around, steal his lunch money, and make him feel like an outsider.

Shane didn't want his mother to know about the bullying. He didn't want her to worry or feel like she had failed him in any way. So he kept it to himself, burying his emotions deep inside.

As Shane walked towards the school gate, he noticed a group of kids hanging around near the entrance. He recognized them as the same group of boys who had been bullying him for weeks. His heart sank as he realized that he was going to have to walk past them to get to his classroom.

Shane tried to keep his head down and walk quickly, hoping that they wouldn't notice him. But as he got closer, he could feel their eyes on him. He could hear them snickering and whispering to each other.

"Hey, look who it is," one of the boys said, stepping in front of Shane. "It's the kid with no dad."

The other boys laughed, and Shane felt his face turn red with embarrassment. He tried to push past them, but they wouldn't budge.

"Where do you think you're going?" the boy in front of him sneered.

Shane tried to stay calm, but he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "I'm just trying to get to class," he said.