1 I am innocent

A young man woke up to the gentle morning light filtering through the curtains of his room after a gloomy night where the light rain created a dark and depressing atmosphere. The sun seemed to dance on the ceiling, filling the air with a sense of warmth, indicating it would be a perfect rain-free day. But even before the young man's feet touched the ground, a familiar pang in his body filled him with sadness, causing his cheerful smile to be replaced with unprecedented depression.

It seemed like the young man knew what would happen after he woke up.

"Another day of agony..." The boy walked to the bathroom to wash his face before getting dressed for high school.

His steps were slow and lifeless, as if everything he did would always end in resentment, anger, or simply disappointment.

Looking at himself in the mirror, the boy staring back at himself was handsome, with a sickly yet captivating complexion. He exuded an intriguing and magnetic presence. His pale and mysterious face, as if illuminated by the moon, had a unique appeal. His deep eyes, like wells of mystery, seemed to hold a universe of secrets. They were dark and penetrating, standing out in contrast to his pale skin.

The boy's messy hair was another distinctive feature. His dark strands fell untamed over his forehead and swirled around his angular face. No matter how much he tried to style it, it always seemed to resist any attempt at taming, as if it were a metaphor for his free and rebellious spirit.

His facial expression reflected a combination of intensity and vulnerability. The defined features of his jaw and high cheekbones added a certain hardness to his appearance, while his soft, slightly parted lips seemed to whisper words that never dared to come out.

Anyone who saw him would say he was a perfect and beautiful boy for a magazine cover. But he would say something completely different, as his life was far from rosy.

Upon leaving the bathroom, he walked to his wardrobe, and the floor filled with books gave the room an indescribable feeling. Numerous books were stacked in dozens, as if it were a work of art.

"How to become a millionaire at a young age? A rather sensationalistic book, damn bastards, selling their smoke-filled crap to people with not the slightest drop of knowledge... I'll screw them with my review, just wait."

After seeing the cover of the latest book he had read, the young man kicked the pile of books and then dressed casually and effortlessly. Yet even in the simplicity of his style, an innate sophistication could be perceived. His tight-fitting, dark-colored clothes accentuated his slim and athletic figure, giving an impression of effortless elegance.

The young man radiated magnetism that drew the gaze of everyone he passed. His presence stood out among the crowd, as if imbued with its own energy that could not be ignored. At first glance, he left a strong and sharp impression on those who observed him, arousing curiosity and fascination in equal measure.

Although his appearance could evoke a certain fragility due to his sickly complexion, there was no doubt that the handsome boy carried an aura of mystery and charm. It was hard to resist his magnetic attraction and the curiosity he generated in those who met his deep eyes and his disheveled hair.

But behind all that beautiful facade, the young man hid an aura filled with loneliness and sadness that filled him with pain day after day.

After getting dressed, he descended the stairs and encountered his parents in the kitchen, engrossed in an animated conversation about politics. His twin brother, Ethan, was there too, with a radiant smile that, for many, filled the room with a pleasant feeling.

"Jacob, good morning, come have breakfast before it gets too late for school..." The apathetic young man named Jacob's mother greeted her son with a natural smile.

"Fine..." The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, but it failed to alleviate the knot in Jacob's stomach as he sat at the table with his family.

Jacob, as usual, began eating in silence, listening to the garbage conversation that always revolved around his brother Ethan.

For the townspeople, this family was defined as perfect and harmonious, a young father who is a prosecutor, a beautiful mother who is a teacher at a children's school, and two twin sons who inherited their perfect parents' traits.

But for Jacob, this is another story, for him, it has always been like living on a floor full of thorns. Since they were children, Jacob remembers that his parents had shown a clear preference for Ethan. Their eyes would light up when talking about his sports achievements, outstanding grades, and future dreams. Meanwhile, he remained in the background, a mere spectator of his own life.

Jacob could understand it to a certain extent; he wasn't a smart boy who excelled in his studies, but rather, he was certainly special because he loved writing.

But as he grew up alongside his brother, a gap created by their own parents made the rift between him and his brother more evident. Ethan always had the attention, while he struggled to get a word of encouragement or a gesture of pride from his parents. But at all times, his voice faded into the air, lost in the deafening noise of his admiration for his brother Ethan...

Jacob's heart sank when he realized, once again, that his parents preferred his twin brother. It was as if his hopes dissipated into the air, leaving him immersed in deep sadness. Every time he witnessed the love and attention Ethan received so effortlessly, he felt a knot in his stomach and a pain in his chest that he couldn't ignore.

It was a heartbreaking sensation, as if he were standing in the darkness, watching his brother bask in a bright light while he remained in the shadows. Despite his efforts to be noticed, to earn his parents' affection and approval, it seemed it was never enough. He was always overshadowed by Ethan's dazzling presence.

The feeling of being invisible, of not being good enough, consumed him. He wondered time and time again what he had done wrong, why he wasn't deserving of the love and attention his parents seemed to generously grant Ethan. It was an open wound in his heart, an emotional scar that accompanied him every step he took.

The constant comparisons to his brother only exacerbated his feelings of insecurity. As they grew up, Jacob found himself constantly in the shadow of Ethan's achievements. No matter how much he tried to excel at something, he always seemed to be overshadowed by his brother's shadow.

Envy and resentment mixed with his pain, creating an emotional storm within him. Sometimes, he felt a burning fury that threatened to consume him entirely. But at the same time, he experienced deep sadness and a sense of loss. Why couldn't his parents see him for who he was, value him, and love him as they did with Ethan?

He questioned his own worth and felt trapped in an endless cycle of negative self-reflection. His efforts to seek love and approval elsewhere, in friends or in his own accomplishments, seemed in vain. There was always a voice whispering in his mind, reminding him that he could never compete with his parents' unconscious favoritism.

Sadness and loneliness enveloped him like a dark and heavy cloak. To feel excluded by his own family, by those who should unconditionally love him, was a burdensome weight to carry. Despite it all, Jacob fought to find his own worth and voice amidst his parents' indifference. He longed to be loved and accepted for who he was, without constantly comparing himself to his brother.

"The extra math classes I'm taking are really paying off. I was able to improve on my mock exam, and I expect good results when I take the final school exam." Ethan said as he ate his breakfast.

"I think this way you could consider helping your brother with numbers." Said Laurie, Jacob's mother, who had an obsession with the achievements each of her children obtained, unwittingly making one of her children feel less worthy.

"I don't think he needs it, Mom. Jacob isn't interested in studies." Ethan said, focusing his gaze on his brother Jacob.

Jacob also looked into his brother's eyes. Honestly, at first, he blamed him for all these things, but after maturing a bit and seeing things as they truly were, he stopped doing so. He loved his brother, but unconsciously they grew further apart.

"Ethan can't focus on helping Jacob; he's too busy with his own goals." At that moment, Andy intervened with his charismatic voice and smiled slightly. "If you need help, son, I can assist you."

"I'm really fine..." Jacob said, but as soon as the words left his mouth, his father's gaze shifted to his phone.

"It seems we have to go, guys. Work calls," Andy said shortly after finishing his cup of coffee. "With my help, I can manage it if time allows..."

This morning was no different. His parents laughed and conversed animatedly with Ethan, while Jacob remained silent, observing from the periphery. His words seemed to dance around him, never reaching the depths of his soul that yearned for affection. He tried to join the conversation, but his voice faded, suffocated by the shadow of my parents' favoritism.

Feelings of exclusion and loneliness coiled within him, forming a tangle of emotions difficult to unravel. Sadness mixed with anger and frustration, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He wondered what he had done wrong, why he didn't deserve the same love and appreciation that Ethan received so easily.

His thoughts spiraled into self-disdain. Jacob questioned his worth and his place in this family. Didn't he deserve to be loved and valued like any other human being? Why did he always have to fight for scraps of attention while Ethan took all the applause?

The morning progressed, and Jacob quietly distanced himself from the family scene. After gathering his belongings, Jacob got into his father's car and sought refuge in his music, finding solace in the pages of a random book he was reading. The printed words were his sanctuary, an escape from the painful reality that surrounded him.

As he immersed himself in the pages, Jacob felt a mixture of sadness and motivation. He knew his life couldn't continue like this, living in the shadow of my parents' favoritism. It was time to find his own voice, to fight for his own space in the world.

When Jacob looked out of the car window, his eyes slowly closed on the road to school, and after a few seconds, he heard a voice calling him...

...

"Jacob, Jacob, Jacob, wake up!"

As that voice grew louder, Jacob opened his eyes and felt a coldness running through his body. As he lifted his body from the table he was lying on, he looked at a man who was staring at him intently and said, "Why don't you accept that you killed him and spare us all this drama? Your brother admitted it, you killed that child from behind, even your parents have no positive words about your behavior."

"I, I didn't do it..." Jacob returned to reality, the reality that had weighed so heavily on him.

"You're lying!"