The tension is palpable as Eric navigates the hallway at Cleave Hills High School, the mocking gazes of his peers piercing through him like daggers. Elvis, sensing his brother's distress, steps in, his voice calm and reassuring. "Dude, just chill. They're not worth it," Elvis advises, as they make their way to their lockers.
But the situation takes a darker turn when a burly bully approaches Eric, his eyes blazing with aggression. Elvis stands tall, his jaw clenched, refusing to back down. The bully, towering over him, sneers, but Elvis doesn't flinch. The air is electric with tension as the two boys face off, their anger simmering just below the surface. Just as it seems like things are about to spiral out of control, a teacher bursts onto the scene, his voice firm but calm.
"Alright, alright, let's take a deep breath here," the teacher says, his words dripping with authority. The bully backs off, muttering under his breath, but Elvis's bravery has earned him a newfound respect. The hallway falls silent, the students watching with bated breath as the drama unfolds.
Meanwhile, in Elena's class, she's trapped in a conversation with a group of girls who seem friendly at first, but soon reveal their true colors. They're catty and cruel, always belittling others and making snide comments. Their current target is Zoey, an eighth grader who's made it onto the high school cheerleading squad. Elena tries to fit in, but she can't stomach the negative energy emanating from the group.
She excuses herself and makes a beeline for Zoey's table, pulling up a chair and introducing herself. "Hi, I'm Elena. What's your name?" Zoey smiles warmly, and the two girls start talking, bonding over their shared interests.
After school, Elena introduces Zoey to her brothers. Zoey recognizes Eric from the football tryouts and can't help but laugh at his misadventure. Eric's mood darkens, and he walks off without a word, leaving Elvis to trail behind him, looking annoyed.
Zoey apologizes to Elena, promising to make things right with Eric the next day. "I'll talk to him, I didn't mean to hurt his feelings," she says, her eyes filled with genuine concern.
At home, dinner is a somber affair, the tension palpable. Eric pushes his food around his plate, his appetite gone. Their mom, Emily, notices and asks what's wrong, her voice laced with concern. Eric forces a smile, but Elvis fills her in on what happened. Emily laughs, but her words of wisdom fall flat.
"You're still freshmen, and you've only been in school for a week," she says, trying to put things into perspective. "Just be yourselves, and you'll gain popularity when the time comes." But Eric isn't interested in popularity; he just wants to please his brother.
Despite her words of encouragement, Eric remains distant, refusing to touch his food. He gets up from the table and storms off to his room, the piano calling to him like a siren's song. As he sits down at the keys, the music pours out of him like a release, a cathartic expression of his emotions. The notes are melancholic, reflecting his mood, but they're also a refuge, a sanctuary from the turmoil of his emotions.