The Whisper That Lied

Ajay was certain that his classmates made fun of him; even a whisper or a laugh or a glance seemed to turn into daggers in his mind. 

This made his chest tighten, and he stopped attending school. Later, he shouted at his best friend in front of everybody, accusing him of betraying him, after which the friend cried and left.

Later, Ajay came across a video:

 the joke was based on a meme. The betrayal had been composed by his fear.

In therapy, he learned to pause; whenever the whisper came back, he asked himself, "Is it a fact or a feeling?" Instead of reacting angrily, he reached out, and the friendship was restored gradually. Yet he never forgot that not every thought deserves to be believed or acted upon.

Lesson: 

Your mind has the ability to confuse fear with reality. When you're feeling lost or scared, stop and get in touch with someone. Not all thoughts need to be accepted or acted upon.