"What a weirdo."
"No wonder he has no friends."
"Ew. Not that freak again."
"Friends with that freak show? As if. I'd rather die."
Gumball woke with a jolt, eyes wide and staring into the darkness of the bedroom. His hands clutched desperately at his bedsheets, and he squeezed his eyes shut. His breathing was hard and shallow, he could feel himself shaking.
Why… why can't I be normal… why can't I be like they are… why don't they like me?
Gumball dug his nails into his arms, trying to keep himself from crying.
"Boys don't cry."
"What a wuss."
"Stop being such a big girl."
Gumball curled up small in his bed, as if he could hide from these voices beneath his bedcovers. But they didn't stop.
"Why aren't you like the other kids?"
"Just be normal, for once."
"Why can't you just be a normal kid?"
Gumball bit into his lip and pushed his nails into his arms, he will not cry, he will not cry.
He felt his eyes fill with tears, he dug his nails harder into his arms, but it didn't help. His breathing sped up again in panic.
"He's just an idiot."
"Go away. No one wants you around."
"Man, I hate that guy. Did you see-"
The voices were interrupted by a small voice from next to his bed.
"…Gumball?"
Darwin. His one friend.
"I-I'm ok, Darwin, you can go back to sleep.."
Gumball didn't want Darwin to worry about him. He tried to mask the fear and hurt in his voice, tried to sound ok, but his voice shook and broke. His breathing was panicked and quick, and loud.
He felt Darwin climb into the bed beside him, like he used to when they were both young. Darwin moved close to Gumball's shaking body, wrapping his arms around his waist and snuggling into him.
Gumball's breath hitched, but he didn't fight Darwin. He felt safe in Darwin's arms; what anyone else thought of him didn't matter anymore.
Slowly, his sobbing ceased, and his panicked breathing calmed down. He relaxed in Darwin's arms, breathing easier.