I'm finally out of my prison room and in the prison school. Stupid government. Why do they force us to go to school?

I walked through the gates and to my classroom. I sat at the back corner furthest from the door and waited. The rest of the class filed in, laughing and shoving each other around. None of them noticed me, or if they did, they didn't care. The bell rang and the teacher came in, right on time as usual. He called for silence and started the lesson. I looked at my classmates, seeing familiar faces, but not the one I was searching for. Where was my friend? She was always at school, even if she was sick. So why wasn't she here?

The teacher gave us some work and then wandered around the classroom, making sure everyone was paying attention and not playing on their phones like they normally do. I put my hand up, slightly regretting what I was doing. I never asked teachers a question.

"Um sir, where's Tinaris?" I asked. I always thought my friend had a cool name. Much better than Riley.

He looked at me with a strange expression on his face. Confusion maybe? "Tinaris has moved schools. Now get out your book and answer the questions Riley." He moved on, leaving me alone. 

What has my life turned into? First, I get thrown back to this world to deal with the consequences of events that I had no control over, then my dad rants at me and punishes me, then I am forced to return to this stupid school and then I learn that my best friend has left the school! Could this get any worse?

It turned out that it could get worse. 

Lunch came and I was sitting on my own, not bothering anyone. Normally, I would be sitting with Tinaris, who would either be quietly telling me about a new book or anime. Then that bully decides to come and talk to me. With several of his big muscular friends in tow.

"Hey Riley," he said mockingly. "Heard abut Tinaris yet?"

I kept my eyes down on my sandwich. I wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Hey! Look at me when I talk to you punk!" He grabbed my shirt and I shoved his hand away. He smirked. "Not so tough now are you?"

I smiled at him. "I've decided not to waste punches on people as stupid as you." In truth, I didn't really want to fight him. Firstly because of the big friends he had, secondly because I was feeling tired and thirdly because my shoulder was still sore from when Entity blasted me. 

The bully came uncomfortably close. "Are you calling me stupid?"

I glared at him, then lowered my eyes back down to my sandwich. "Maybe."

He smirked again. "For all your show of power, you're weak. You act like you can take on a mountain, but inside, you lack the courage to follow through with your threats. When the time comes, you can't be strong. You can't help anyone. Not your family, not your friends, no one. You run away and hide. You're a coward Riley. In there." He tapped my chest before walking away. 

His words struck too close to home. He was right. I did put on a show of power, I did make threats that I didn't really want to follow through on. I acted like I was more than I was, like I was stronger, and braver, and better. I was a coward inside. A scared, weak, timid coward. I couldn't protect or help anyone.

And yet...

In Minecraft, that all faded. The act dropped and the coward inside was clear to see. Yet Herobrine believed in me. He took that coward and washed away the fear, the timidness, and made it strong. And I did help my friends. In that battle, I faced Entity when Jerome was hurt, and then again when Herobrine was hurt. Herobrine changed the coward, changed me, and he made me strong.

And I left him behind. I left him for dead.

I didn't really help him at all. He's worse off now than he was before.

And I can't help him.

Unless...