Morning sunlight washed over the small campus of Scott Valley Junior High as buses rolled into the parking lot. Students spilled out in loud groups, talking, laughing, and complaining about homework.

Among them walked Jacoby Morrison.

Jacoby adjusted the sleeve of his oversized black hoodie and checked his phone camera.

“Okay chat,” he whispered while recording. “Welcome back to another episode of ‘Surviving Middle School.’”

He turned the camera toward the school building.

“Today’s goal: make it through all seven periods without someone throwing something at my head.”

He paused.

“…again.”

He ended the recording and sighed.

Jacoby walked toward the entrance, boots softly thumping against the pavement. His outfit—black thigh highs, platform boots, eyeliner, and layered chains—stood out among the sea of hoodies and basketball shorts.

That meant people noticed him.

Unfortunately.

Near the entrance stood Carter and his usual group: Tate, Hunter, Frank, Rayland, Sarah, Maddie, and Max.

Carter noticed him immediately.

“Well look who it is,” Carter said loudly. “TikTok boy.”

Hunter snickered.

“Oh yeah,” he added. “Isn’t your username Jacobyurmom?”

Some nearby students laughed.

Jacoby kept walking, pretending not to hear.

Sarah leaned over to Maddie and whispered loudly enough for Jacoby to hear.

“I still don’t get why he dresses like that.”

Maddie shrugged.

“Attention probably.”

Carter smirked.

“Or confusion.”

More laughter followed as Jacoby pushed through the doors.

Just ignore them, he told himself.

Just get through the day.

⸻

First Period – Enrichment (Ms. Rompon)

Jacoby sat near the back of the classroom while Ms. Rompon organized papers at her desk.

This class was usually quiet.

Which Jacoby liked.

Students worked on homework from other classes or read quietly.

Jacoby pulled out his sketchbook and began drawing a little fox character wearing a hoodie.

He smiled faintly.

Foxes were cool.

And cute.

“Nice drawing.”

Jacoby looked up.

An 8th grader helping in the classroom had stopped by his desk.

“Oh—thanks,” Jacoby said softly.

The student nodded and walked away.

Jacoby felt a small boost of happiness.

Tiny moments like that mattered.

Unfortunately, that peace didn’t last long.

From across the room, Carter whispered loudly to his friends.

“Bro is drawing furries now.”

Hunter laughed.

Jacoby stared at his sketchbook again.

Ignore it.

⸻

Second Period – Physical Education (Mr. Forrester)

The gym echoed with bouncing basketballs and squeaking shoes.

“Alright everyone!” shouted Mr. Forrester. “We’re doing warm-ups first!”

Students began jogging around the gym.

Jacoby ran quietly along the edge of the group.

Behind him, Tate and Hunter started whispering.

“Bro runs like a cartoon character.”

“Maybe he’s practicing for his TikTok dances.”

They laughed.

Jacoby sped up slightly, trying to get away from them.

Across the gym, a few 8th graders noticed.

One of them shook his head.

“Those guys are annoying.”

Jacoby heard that.

And it helped… a little.

⸻

Third Period – English (Mrs. Murphy)

The class worked on reading assignments while Mrs. Murphy walked between desks.

Jacoby liked English.

Reading meant fewer conversations.

Unfortunately Carter sat two rows behind him.

A crumpled paper ball suddenly bounced off Jacoby’s desk.

He didn’t react.

Another one hit him.

“Target practice,” Hunter whispered.

Mrs. Murphy turned around suddenly.

“Is there a problem back there?”

Everyone went quiet.

“No, ma’am,” Carter said.

She gave them a suspicious look before continuing.

Jacoby stared down at his book.

Almost halfway through the day.

⸻

Fourth Period – Social Studies (Mrs. Murphy)

Same teacher.

Different subject.

Jacoby quietly took notes while Mrs. Murphy talked about world geography.

Behind him, someone whispered loudly.

“Does Japan have schools for people like him?”

More snickering followed.

Jacoby kept writing.

His pencil pressed harder into the paper.

⸻

Lunch

The cafeteria was loud.

Trays clattered. Students shouted across tables.

Jacoby sat alone near the end of a table, scrolling through his phone.

He opened TikTok and looked at his account.

Jacobyurmom

His videos actually got a decent amount of views.

Comments were mixed.

Some were supportive.

Some were… not.

But at least online people actually noticed him.

Across the cafeteria Carter’s group pointed in his direction.

Jacoby sighed and looked back at his food.

⸻

Fifth Period – Science (Ms. Rompon)

This class involved a small lab activity.

Students worked in groups.

Jacoby didn’t get picked for one.

Ms. Rompon noticed.

“Jacoby,” she said gently. “You can join my table.”

He nodded quietly and worked there instead.

At least she tried.

⸻

Sixth Period – Math (Ms. Rompon)

Numbers filled the whiteboard.

Jacoby worked quietly through the equations.

Behind him someone whispered:

“Imagine doing math in thigh highs.”

Jacoby pretended not to hear.

Again.

⸻

Seventh Period – Woodshop (Mr. Ben)

The woodshop smelled like sawdust and varnish.

Machines hummed as students worked on projects.

Jacoby liked this class the least.

Too many tools.

Too many loud people.

And unfortunately…

Carter’s group.

Hunter hammered loudly on a random piece of wood.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Jacoby finally spoke.

“…Can you not hit random stuff?”

Hunter smirked.

“Why?”

“Because it’s annoying,” Jacoby said.

Jacob—another student nearby—suddenly shoved Jacoby.

“Then mind your business.”

Jacoby stumbled back slightly.

Something inside him snapped for a second.

The entire day’s frustration bubbled up.

The laughter.

The whispers.

The constant comments.

He clenched his fists.

Mr. Ben quickly stepped over.

“Alright, that’s enough.”

The class quieted slightly.

But the tension remained.

Jacoby stared at the ground.

He felt exhausted.

Seven periods.

One long day.

And tomorrow would probably be the same.

As the final bell rang and students began leaving—

Far beyond the clouds above the school…

A small glowing meteor streaked across the sky.

No one noticed it.

Not Carter.

Not the teachers.

Not even Jacoby.

But something was falling toward Earth.

And very soon…

Jacoby Morrison’s normal life was going to end.

The final bell rang at Scott Valley Junior High, and students flooded out of the building like someone had opened a dam.

Backpacks zipped.

Shoes squeaked.

Someone shouted about Fortnite.

And Jacoby Morrison walked toward the bus stop, exhausted from surviving another school day.

He sighed and pulled out his phone.

“Okay chat,” he muttered while recording a quick TikTok.

“Day 83 recap: still bullied, still alive.”

He shrugged dramatically.

“Honestly that’s progress.”

He stopped recording and looked down the street.

Then his eyes landed on the glowing red sign across the road.

Taco Bell

Jacoby tilted his head.

“…You know what?”

Five minutes later he was sitting at a table with a tray full of food.

Crunchwrap.

Two tacos.

Nacho fries.

A drink the size of a small aquarium.

Jacoby stared at it proudly.

“Tonight we feast.”

He took a massive bite of the Crunchwrap.

“…Okay that’s actually good.”

Ten minutes later the tray was empty.

Jacoby leaned back in his seat.

“…I might regret this.”

He absolutely would.

⸻

The Next Day

Morning arrived far too quickly.

Jacoby walked into school at Scott Valley Junior High, looking half-awake and holding his backpack strap.

Something felt… wrong.

His stomach made a suspicious noise.

Jacoby froze mid-step.

“…uh oh.”

He ignored it and kept walking.

First period.

Second period.

Third period.

Everything was fine.

Until fourth period.

⸻

Fourth Period – Social Studies (Mrs. Murphy)

Jacoby sat quietly in his desk while Mrs. Murphy lectured about geography.

The classroom was calm.

Peaceful.

Educational.

Then Jacoby’s stomach suddenly twisted like it had been possessed.

His eyes widened.

Oh no.

Another violent cramp hit him.

Jacoby slowly raised his hand.

“Yes, Jacoby?” said Mrs. Murphy.

“…Can I use the bathroom?” he asked carefully.

Mrs. Murphy shook her head.

“Not right now, we’re in the middle of—”

“IT’S AN EMERGENCY.”

The words burst out of Jacoby’s mouth before she finished the sentence.

The entire class turned toward him.

Carter whispered loudly.

“Bro’s fighting demons.”

Jacoby stood up halfway out of his seat.

Mrs. Murphy sighed.

“…Fine. Go.”

Jacoby didn’t even wait for the rest of the sentence.

He grabbed the bathroom pass and sprinted out of the room.

⸻

The Bathroom

Jacoby burst into the restroom like a man escaping a disaster movie.

He ran straight into a stall.

SLAM

Door locked.

Three seconds later—

“…oh my god.”

The sounds that followed were not peaceful.

Jacoby leaned his head against the stall wall.

“Why did I eat that much Taco Bell…”

Minutes passed.

The bathroom door suddenly opened.

Jacoby barely noticed.

He was fighting for survival.

Two voices entered the restroom.

“…Are you sure no one’s in here?”

“…It’s during class, it’s fine.”

Jacoby blinked.

Wait.

That voice sounded familiar.

He slowly looked at his phone.

Then at the stall door.

Curiosity won.

Jacoby quietly lifted his phone camera just enough to peek under the stall gap.

His eyes widened.

It was Mrs. Murphy.

And the school janitor.

Jacoby stared.

“…no way.”

The two adults clearly thought the restroom was empty and were whispering to each other awkwardly near the sinks.

Jacoby blinked again.

Then slowly opened TikTok.

He hit record.

The caption he typed read:

“Bro I just wanted to use the bathroom 😭”

He angled the camera carefully while still sitting in the stall.

Jacoby whispered quietly to himself.

“…this is the weirdest day of my life.”

After a few minutes, the two adults left the restroom quickly.

The door shut.

Silence returned.

Jacoby finished his battle with the Taco Bell consequences.

He flushed and stepped out of the stall.

The bathroom looked completely normal again.

Jacoby washed his hands slowly, staring at himself in the mirror.

“…no one is going to believe this.”

His phone suddenly buzzed.

He looked down.

The TikTok had already started getting views.

Fast.

Very fast.

Jacoby blinked.

“…uh oh.”

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and headed toward the classroom.

Completely unaware that the video he just posted was about to cause absolute chaos at school.

And this was only the beginning of the weird things about to happen to Jacoby Morrison.

The hallway outside the office at Scott Valley Junior High smelled faintly like cleaning spray and old paperwork.

Jacoby Morrison sat in a chair near the principal’s desk, pale and holding his stomach.

This was the worst decision of his life.

All because he thought eating half the menu at Taco Bell was a good idea.

The school secretary looked over her glasses.

“You don’t look well, Jacoby.”

Jacoby slowly raised a hand.

“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” he said weakly.

Which… was not entirely a lie.

His stomach was still doing aggressive gymnastics.

The principal sighed and picked up the phone.

“Alright. Let’s call home.”

Jacoby leaned back in the chair dramatically.

His brain replayed the last 24 hours:

• Taco Bell feast

• Bathroom disaster

• Accidentally filming Mrs. Murphy and the janitor

• Viral TikTok starting to explode

He groaned.

“All because my dumb feminine ass wanted tacos.”

The secretary tried very hard not to laugh.

A few minutes later the phone call ended.

“Your ride is coming,” the principal said.

Jacoby nodded weakly.

⸻

Later That Day

Jacoby was finally home.

He lay on his bed staring at the ceiling like a soldier recovering from battle.

His phone buzzed nonstop.

Notifications.

Messages.

Comments.

The TikTok video had completely exploded.

Thousands of views.

People in the comments were losing their minds.

Some comments read:

“BRO WHAT DID I JUST WATCH”

“WHY IS YOUR SCHOOL LIKE A NETFLIX SHOW”

“THE CAPTION IS SENDING ME 😭”

Jacoby stared at the numbers.

“…oh no.”

He threw the phone onto the bed.

“Tomorrow is going to be awful.”

⸻

The Next Day

Morning arrived.

Jacoby walked toward school slowly, backpack slung over one shoulder.

He looked exhausted.

And slightly traumatized.

Also—

“…my ass still burns,” he muttered to himself.

The Taco Bell had not forgiven him.

He stepped through the doors of Scott Valley Junior High and headed toward his classroom.

Students whispered in the hallway.

Some glanced at him.

Some snickered.

Word about the viral video had already started spreading.

Jacoby sighed.

“Great.”

He stepped into the classroom for third period English with Mrs. Murphy.

The moment he entered—

Carter noticed him.

“HEY!”

The entire class turned.

Carter grinned like he had just discovered a new hobby.

“Well well well,” he said loudly. “Bathroom reporter is back.”

Hunter laughed.

“Bro exposed the whole school.”

Several students snickered.

Jacoby rolled his eyes.

“It’s called journalism.”

More laughter followed.

Jacoby ignored them and walked toward his desk.

His stomach still felt weird.

His legs still hurt.

And emotionally he was done with the week.

He dropped his backpack beside the desk and sat down.

“…please let today be normal.”

A voice next to him spoke.

“Jacoby?”

Jacoby froze.

He slowly turned his head.

Sitting in the desk beside him was a boy he hadn’t noticed before.

Dark hair.

Calm expression.

And a very familiar face.

Jacoby blinked.

Once.

Twice.

His brain lagged for a second.

Then realization hit him like a truck.

“…Matthew?”

Matthew smiled softly.

“Hi.”

Jacoby stared at him in complete shock.

This was Matthew.

His boyfriend.

The one he hadn’t seen in person for months.

The one he had been texting constantly before getting grounded from his phone.

The one who had just suddenly appeared in his classroom.

Jacoby’s brain short-circuited.

“You’re—”

He pointed dramatically.

“—HERE?”

Matthew nodded.

“I transferred yesterday.”

Jacoby’s jaw dropped.

“You moved here?!”

Matthew shrugged casually.

“Yeah. My family moved to California two days ago.”

Jacoby grabbed his head.

“WHAT?!”

Several students turned to stare.

Carter raised an eyebrow.

“…wait.”

He looked between them.

“You know him?”

Matthew turned calmly toward Carter.

His expression changed slightly.

“Yes.”

He looked back at Jacoby and smiled again.

“I know him very well.”

Jacoby’s face turned bright red.

His brain was still catching up to reality.

His boyfriend had just casually appeared at school.

Right next to him.

Without warning.

Jacoby slowly leaned closer and whispered.

“…why didn’t you tell me?”

Matthew chuckled quietly.

“You were grounded from your phone.”

Jacoby froze again.

“…oh yeah.”

He slowly slumped forward onto his desk.

“This week has been a nightmare.”

Matthew patted his shoulder.

“It’s okay.”

He leaned closer and whispered softly.

“I’m here now.”

Jacoby peeked up from his desk.

For the first time in a long while—

He smiled.

Unfortunately…

Carter was still staring at them from across the room.

And he did not look happy.

Which meant things were about to get a lot more chaotic.