Kalen was leaning against the wall by the lockers, waiting for the bell to ring. The halls were loud, filled with laughter, footsteps, and people trying to look cooler than they actually were. His phone buzzed in his hand, but he didn't look up.
He wasn't trying to be seen.
Still, people noticed him now. Not like before—when they used to shove past him like he wasn't there. Not like back when he was Noah.
He heard someone call his name.
Only it wasn't Kalen.
It was the name he'd left behind.
"Noah?"
He turned.
It was Tara.
Same girl from last year. Same annoying voice. Same smirk like she was better than everyone.
"Wow," she said, walking up to him like they were best friends. "I didn't even recognize you. You look so… serious now. You used to be cute, like a little bunny or something."
Kalen didn't say anything.
Tara tilted her head. "You still go by Noah?"
He looked at her—really looked at her—for the first time. "No."
She blinked. "Why not?"
"Because it doesn't fit me anymore," he said.
Tara laughed. "Oh please. It's just a name. You were always kind of soft, you know? Like a sweet little kid. That's not bad."
"I'm not that kid anymore," Kalen said, his voice low.
She rolled her eyes. "It's not that deep."
"It is to me," he said. "You don't know what it felt like. The jokes. The way people made fun of me just because I looked… smaller. Or quiet. Or different."
Tara looked like she was going to say something smart again, but he didn't let her.
"I changed my name because I wanted to feel strong. Like I wasn't who they said I was. Like I could be more than just the shy boy with the soft name."
He stepped forward—not angry, just done pretending.
"So if you really see me, you'll call me Kalen."
He didn't wait for a reply.
He turned and walked away, his heart beating fast, but not from fear.
Not anymore.
Kalen was leaning against the wall by the lockers, waiting for the bell to ring. The halls were loud, filled with laughter, footsteps, and people trying to look cooler than they actually were. His phone buzzed in his hand, but he didn't look up.
He wasn't trying to be seen.
Still, people noticed him now. Not like before—when they used to shove past him like he wasn't there. Not like back when he was Noah.
He heard someone call his name.
Only it wasn't Kalen.
It was the name he'd left behind.
"Noah?"
He turned.
It was Tara.
Same girl from last year. Same annoying voice. Same smirk like she was better than everyone.
"Wow," she said, walking up to him like they were best friends. "I didn't even recognize you. You look so… serious now. You used to be cute, like a little bunny or something."
Kalen didn't say anything.
Tara tilted her head. "You still go by Noah?"
He looked at her—really looked at her—for the first time. "No."
She blinked. "Why not?"
"Because it doesn't fit me anymore," he said.
Tara laughed. "Oh please. It's just a name. You were always kind of soft, you know? Like a sweet little kid. That's not bad."
"I'm not that kid anymore," Kalen said, his voice low.
She rolled her eyes. "It's not that deep."
"It is to me," he said. "You don't know what it felt like. The jokes. The way people made fun of me just because I looked… smaller. Or quiet. Or different."
Tara looked like she was going to say something smart again, but he didn't let her.
"I changed my name because I wanted to feel strong. Like I wasn't who they said I was. Like I could be more than just the shy boy with the soft name."
He stepped forward—not angry, just done pretending.
"So if you really see me, you'll call me Kalen."
He didn't wait for a reply.
He turned and walked away, his heart beating fast, but not from fear.
Not anymore.