The Bully

Alex hated school. He hated the crowded hallways, the noisy classrooms, the boring lectures, and most of all, he hated the bullies. They never left him alone. They mocked his glasses, his clothes, his grades, his voice, everything. They pushed him, tripped him, spit on him, and sometimes even beat him up. Alex had no friends, no allies, no one to stand up for him. He felt like a helpless, worthless, invisible worm.

But that was about to change.

It happened on a Friday afternoon, during the last period of the day. Alex was sitting in the back of the physics class, trying to ignore the snickers and whispers of his classmates. The teacher, Mr. Jones, was droning on about Newton's laws of motion, something Alex had already learned from reading books and watching videos online. Alex loved science, especially physics. He was fascinated by the mysteries of the universe, the forces that governed everything, the hidden potentials of matter and energy. He often wondered what it would be like to have some kind of superpower, to be able to manipulate the world around him with his mind. He knew it was impossible, of course, but he liked to imagine.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice when a paper ball hit him in the back of the head. He flinched and turned around, only to see the smug face of Jake, the leader of the bullies. Jake was a tall, muscular, blond-haired boy who seemed to enjoy making Alex's life miserable. He was surrounded by his cronies, who laughed and cheered him on.

"Hey, nerd, pay attention!" Jake shouted. "Mr. Jones is teaching you something useful for once. Maybe you'll learn how to throw a ball instead of being a wimp."

The class erupted in laughter. Alex felt a surge of anger and humiliation. He wished he could do something, anything, to make Jake shut up. He wished he could throw a ball at him, or better yet, a brick. He wished he could make him feel the pain he felt every day.

He clenched his fists and glared at Jake. He felt a strange sensation in his head, like a pressure building up. He felt his eyes burning, his ears ringing, his heart pounding. He felt something snap inside him.

And then, he saw it.

The paper ball that Jake had thrown at him lifted off the floor and flew back towards him. It hit him in the face with a surprising force, making him stagger and fall off his chair. The class went silent. Everyone stared at Jake, who was clutching his nose and bleeding profusely. Then they looked at Alex, who was still sitting in his seat, his eyes wide and his mouth open.

Alex couldn't believe what he had just done. He had moved the paper ball with his mind. He had used telekinesis.

He felt a mix of shock, fear, and exhilaration. He had discovered a new power, a power he had always dreamed of. He wondered what else he could do, what other things he could move, what other feats he could accomplish. He felt a rush of adrenaline and confidence. He felt like he had finally found a way to fight back, to defend himself, to make a difference.

But he also realized that he had to be careful. He had to keep his power a secret. He didn't know how it worked, or where it came from, or what the consequences were. He didn't know how people would react, or what they would do to him, if they found out. He didn't know if he could control it, or if it would control him. He didn't know if he could trust anyone, or if he could trust himself.

He decided to act as if nothing had happened. He pretended to be as surprised and confused as everyone else. He acted like he didn't know what had caused the paper ball to fly back at Jake. He acted like he was still the same old Alex, the shy and bullied teenager.

But he knew he wasn't. He knew he had changed. He knew he had a secret.

And he knew he had a power.