Because they had each other, Arthur and Ashley could take on anything. Together, they found the strength to face every unfair twist life threw their way, to stand tall against the odds, and to push through even the darkest moments. If only everyone could find someone like that—someone who truly understands you, loves you for a lifetime, walks with you through the struggles, and shares every bit of joy along the way. After breakfast, Ashley glanced out the window at the bright, clear sky. “Let’s go for a walk. The weather’s perfect today.” Arthur hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, sounds good.” He’d been stuck indoors for days. With both of them recovering lately, neither had really moved around much. A walk sounded good. There was a quiet park behind the school. It was the perfect place to stretch their legs and enjoy the day. They walked out of campus together, hand in hand, following the shaded paths of the park. With their fingers tightly laced, they looked like any ordinary couple in love. The trail was peaceful and shady. They walked side by side, fingers intertwined, talking quietly as a rare calm settled over them. Lately, they’d both been busy with their own things, and it had been a while since they’d had a chance to slow down and just talk. Eventually, they reached a split in the path. Ashley pointed toward a smaller trail off to the side. “Let’s check that way out.” Arthur nodded easily. “Sure.” They kept walking. The trail was overgrown, tucked away from the main path. It was quiet—almost too quiet—and clearly not a place many people passed through. Then, suddenly, they heard voices up ahead—sharp, angry, and aggressive. It wasn’t a normal argument. It sounded like someone yelling, even threatening. Arthur and Ashley exchanged a glance. Without even thinking, they both lowered their voices and whispered at the same time, “Want to go check it out?” They both burst into quiet laughter.Moments like this—they didn’t need to say much. They were just that in sync. Driven by curiosity, they moved carefully, inching closer to the noise. Behind them stood a dense patch of tall greenery—thick and overgrown, just enough to hide behind. They crouched behind the brush, deciding to observe first before stepping in. The moment they crouched down, another furious shout cut through the air. "You pathetic loser! You seriously think you can question me? Do you even know who I am? Just because I got expelled, you think you can talk back now?" The voice was followed by the unmistakable sounds of fists landing and someone groaning in pain. Arthur and Ashley both flinched. Their brows furrowed. They quickly pushed apart the leaves and peeked through. And what they saw shocked them. It was Henry. After just a few days, he was already out? Across from him, a male student was slumped on the ground, blood staining his shirt, his body bruised and battered. He’d clearly been beaten—badly. The boy on the ground looked worn down, his clothes worn and cheap—but his eyes held firm. He raised his head and said firmly. "I’m not going along with this. I may not have money, but I still have principles." That pushed Henry and his crew over the edge. Without hesitation, they raised their feet and started kicking the boy again. He curled up, arms shielding his head, unable to fight back—just taking it. Arthur’s eyes locked onto the group standing around Henry—teen boys, barely out of high school. His jaw was clenched. Arthur recognized them instantly. They were the same group he had helped put behind bars just days ago. They stood around Henry, arrogance written all over them, throwing kicks at the slumped boy without hesitation. The moment Arthur saw what was happening, his eyes burned with fury. Fury surged through him. He stood up, hands clenched, ready to step in. They were bullying him—beating him like it meant nothing. In that instant, his mind flashed back to the life he had lived before, to the days when he had been the one getting beaten down by Zac. Ashley moved quickly, grabbing his arm. "Arthur, wait! You’re still hurt!" Their voices drew attention. Henry and the others turned at once, on high alert. "Who’s there?" As soon as their eyes locked on Arthur, the air shifted. "Arthur? No way... It’s really you?" Henry froze for a second, stunned. But then his eyes lit up with something. "Well, look who just walked right into it." The second Henry spoke, the boy on the ground looked up—panic written all over his face. He didn’t care about the punches or the kicks anymore. Ignoring the pain, he locked eyes with Arthur and shouted with everything he had. "Arthur! Get out of here—run!" he shouted. Ashley’s heart jumped. Her whole body went on high alert. The words had barely left the boy’s mouth when Henry snapped. With a furious glare, he spun around and slammed another brutal kick into the boy’s side.