How I became an introvert

I once had a friend, a very dear friend that I almost took as a brother until I was given the worse betrayal of my life.

How it started. I was one of the quiet type in school, I wouldn't talk to anyone and no one would talk to me. I mean, I'm in school to learn and not make friends right? Well, that wasn't the case. My school was one of the worse, you have to walk in groups to avoid bullies. In every friend circle in my school, there was at least four tall boys. I was one of the shortest in my class so people avoided so I won't become a burden to them. Truth was, I didn't need anyone to protect me. I was one of those small but mighty kids and I stood up to people that are even twice my height, I knew I might not be able to beat them but I won't back down

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I don't remember how, but I made a friend after a couple years in the school, his name was Joshua. Like me, Joshua was also a short boy but he was the gentle type, unlike me. In school, we would study together, play, eat and do many things together. We were like twins in the school. After some time, I began to notice that we spent less time together. I would sometimes see him with people that I have made my enemies for him. It didn't hurt me though, I wouldn't want to stop a friend like brother from having fun. I started hearing rumors about myself, he was telling them all the private things I told him about me.

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It still didn't hurt me, but I was starting to get furious. He kept doing these things until one day. While he and his "friends" were playing ball on the field during lunch break, I was passing by when one them targeted me with the ball. Dodging it was my biggest mistake that day, the ball hit our principal's car windshield. I carried the ball and decided to report them to the principal when the principal herself came out after hearing the sound. She asked Joshua, who was like a gentle looking boy, who did it. He didn't point at the culprit, he pointed straight at me. I was furious, I ran to him and gave him a hard punch on his cheek. His mouth became bloody immediately, the principal saw this and took me to her office. I was punished and beaten and my mum was made to pay the money for the repair. Joshua's parent came to school the next day and I was punished again for hitting a classmate. I expected him to feel remorse but instead, he was smiling and laughing with his new friends.

Since then, I became a true introvert, a person with zero friends, afraid of trusting others and staying away from people to avoid another betrayal.