Whispers of a Silent Guardian
Sarah sat in the back of the classroom, staring blankly at her notebook. She couldn't concentrate. The whispers and giggles from the group of girls in the front row grated on her nerves. They never directly bullied her, but their constant jabs and snide comments felt like a thousand tiny cuts. She had hoped college would be different, a fresh start from the awkward high school years, but it was just a new venue for the same old torment. Days turned into weeks, and the irritation grew. The girls in her class would snicker as she walked by, make subtle remarks about her clothes, and exclude her from group activities. It wasn't outright bullying but enough to make her feel isolated and unwelcome. She retreated to her dorm room every evening, alone with her thoughts. One awful day, Sarah found herself on the edge of despair. She sat on her bed, tears streaming down her face, and stared at the bottle of pills on her desk. She couldn't see a way out of the endless cycle of lone...