Hi, I'm actually on my scheduled time today! Yes! Okay, well, here's the next part of "What They Always Tell Us", Triggers in the first part and here's the disclaimer, which will sound pretty bland because I'm running out of skits and other things to make such a boring thing fun…

I DO NOT OWN THIS FRANCHISE OR THE BOOK I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED "WHAT THEY ALWAYS TELL US"; JUST BORROWING THE TITLE NAME FOR INNOCENT USAGE


Chapter 2 – Glimpse


"What do you aspire to be Michael?"

"I don't know." Came 15 years old Michelangelo's answer.

"Well, what are some of your passions?" Came the therapist's response.

"Music and mix taping is one. People say I'm good at art, but I don't really know about that. I gave up soccer back in 7th grade… I'm flexible, so I guess break dancing is one thing I can do… I used to be a good writer, but like with everything else I was good at, I ruined that too. Gave up on it…" Michelangelo trailed off.

"Well then, it seems you've got quite a lot of talents for someone so young."

"I don't know about that… My brothers can do way more."

"We aren't going to compare your beginning to someone else's middle Michelangelo."

"We're only a couple of years apart. There is no 'beginning'." Even though his words were harsh, his voice was soft and quiet. The therapist sighed and took his clipboard and wrote some gibberish on it Mikey felt like he wouldn't understand. Said therapist then placed the clipboard on his lap.

"Well, this session is over. I really do wish I had more time to talk this through with you Michael." Meanwhile, Mikey was already gathering his items, tuning out the shrink.

"I was hoping to-"'Blah, blah, blah. I don't care, I just wanna go home and blow off my paycheck, curtesy of your family's good hard-earned money.' Mikey filled in his therapist's words. It was true, Mikey knew this shrink didn't care at all. He just wanted out, just like Mike himself.

When Mikey entered the car waiting for him on the street level, he saw his older brother, Raph, in the driver's seat. Don was sitting in the passenger's seat and the two were conversating about something, which was obviously a banter with how playful the two were acting. Don had some after school program which Raph had picked him up from. The newer, but still a hand me down, car reminded Mikey of the painful memory that had happened with their past car they'd had when he was thirteen.

As soon as they spotted Mikey though, they calmed down.

"Hey squirt, get in." Came his eldest brother's greeting as he unlocked the car doors and rolled down Don's window to peer at him.

"M'kay."

Mikey climbed in the backseat. He felt exhausted and tired. He leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes for a brief minute.

"Everything okay? How was the appointment buddy?"

"Everything was fine. The shrink just kept asking me dumb questions again." Mikey replied to his brainy brother.

"Ugh, I told myself ta talk ta Dad about a switch an' I completely forgot. Sorry Mike."

"It's fine."He protested weakly, lifting his head from the window to meet his older brother's hard gaze in the rear-view mirror.

"Not everythin' is 'fine' squirt. Start tellin' us tha truth."

"I'm fine. Can't respond with anything else guys."

He heard his brawny brother give a heavy sigh before starting up the car and his immediate older brother turn over and around to look at him briefly, before facing forward again. He knew it wasn't fair for Raph to now be the eldest and take care of him and Don since Leo was away.

Raph's sighs sounded too old for an 18 years old guy. He should be out with his girlfriend, Mona, or doing something else with his time. Instead, he was looking after his needy, 15 years old, depressed little brother, who was ungrateful for everything he and his other brothers did for him. Mikey still heard that voice some days, and today was one of those days.

Mikey sighed himself and put his head on the window. Conversation started again between the two older boys in the car, but Mikey himself stayed put.

He found himself drifting off, too exhausted to hear his brothers conversate or even open his eyes anymore.


Looking down at the phone screen of his friend, a 12-year-old Mikey felt tears well up.

"They posted this the other day bro. Sorry, but everyone's laughing so damn hard about it."
"That's why no one talks to me anymore."

"Yeah… about that. Maybe it's best if we kept our friendship… quiet."

Mikey's already hurt filled eyes snapped up to look at George. George was a short and slightly chubby kid with black hair and green eyes. He had been a close friend of Mikey's, not as close as Mikey and Woody, but close enough for those words to sting. Sting badly.

"Look Mike, I don't wanna get you upset or anything, but we all saw what happened to-"

"I know what happened to Damian! Okay, I know! Everyone knows! Why don't you just go! I'm sick of it, if I'm such a bad person to be around, just fucking go! You don't have to pretend anymore. Just- leave me alone. I get it, you don't want to be around the kid that's so fucking annoying he drove his own friend to the grave. I understand okay? Just…go away." Mikey started out loud and pissed off, before his voice staved off and starting cracking towards the end. He had tears running down his freckled cheeks and immediately George felt bad, he moved forward to put his hand on his 'friend's shoulders but Mikey shoved his friend so hard, he backed right into the bathroom sink behind him.

George just sighed and picked his backpack off of the floor by the restroom's doors.

"Really, I'm seriously sorry… Please understand."

"I do. So just leave then."

"O-okay." George left the bathroom and Mikey thought about the video he'd just watched.

Those three assholes and another kid had thrown together a little… 'skit'. 'Mikey' was talking and 'Damian' was picking up a gun and putting it to his head, shooting himself.

One bully had dressed up as him and the other did the same for Damian and they thought it would be funny to rub a close friend's suicide in Mikey's face.

Of course.

Mikey slowly dragged himself into a stall and climbed on top of the toilet seat. He crouched just low enough as to make sure his head wasn't peeking out over the top of the stall sides, and he cried.


"Hey Mike, I- I've got to tell you something…"

"Yeah, what is it man?" Mikey asked over the phone. He was at home, doing his make-up math homework late at night; more like trying and failing to.

"I don't... I can't do it anymore man."

"Damian? Dude, what's going on?"

"My mom's losing it. Dad- dad's going to hurt her back soon."

"Dude, I can ask Leo to pick you up! He knows about this crap, he can get you out of that house."

"No… I, I can't leave Mike."

"What? Yeah you can! Damian, just don't do any-"

"Hey man, can you tell my sister I'm sorry?"

"Damian, what the hell are you-"
"Please?"
"Damian please, don't do anythin-"

The line was dead. Mikey jumped up immediately and went to his big brother, shaking him awake and everything.

They were too late. By the time they'd got to the rundown apartment, there was an ambulance outside. And Mikey could make out a smaller than adult size body on the stretcher, covered in a white sheet. Mikey knew what that meant.

Leo had buried Mikey into his side, hoping to shield him from the scene but it was too late, he'd seen it.

No kid should ever have to see that, let alone been the last one to speak to him. And of course, the law had to interrogate and investigate him. Even when he repeated multiple times he didn't want to, and even with his father and brother fighting to avoid it; it eventually had to be done.

Mikey still had nightmares haunting him of the last conversation they had. Maybe if he'd had stop asking so many damn questions and stop being so damn naïve, he would've been able to give his friend some hope and saved him before it was too late. But he didn't. And now, a twelve-year-old life was gone.

Gone.


Mikey let a tear slip as he passed his friend's old locker, which was covered in items to mourn and respect him. It made Mikey pissed off in a sense. People had the guts to laugh at that video about it, but then still had the fucking nerves to go and act like Damian's suicide was a sad thing and that they were truly upset about it.

Lying cunts. That's what Mikey had thought about them. Every single one of those lying douchebags that were called his classmates. There were kids who didn't laugh at the video. They populated about half of the school, some even commented on the video and called it out; those were the only kids who Mikey didn't despise. But even then, that half of the school thought of Mikey as a horrible person for being unable to stop the tragedy.

Mikey didn't fight back when he got dozens hate letters slipped into his locker for weeks. Or criticizing glazes and glares. Or the shaking of heads. Or the tables evacuating when he sat down or the scooting away when he sat next to a kid in class.

Mikey thought about it alone in the hallway. He felt the cold breeze come through the open doors at the end of the hallway, leading out to the front of the school. School had ending an hour ago, and for the moment, everything was quiet in the halls. Everyone was gone, took after school programs which were always held on the second or third floors or outside, or just went hanging out somewhere else. The teachers that weren't out with the after-school programs were in the classrooms doing work quietly or at a teacher's meeting being held in the office, the office was on the first floor as well but was a couple of turns away from where Mikey was.

Mikey frowned deeper as he saw the old and worn decorations falling off. He knew that soon; the school would be forced to remove it all.

And give it to another kid.

Another kid.

Another kid that'll hate him, like everyone else.

Another kid that'll he'd been locker neighbors with.

Mikey didn't know where his sudden anxiety had come from, but found himself panicking over the thought. It was bad enough he'd lost most of his friends and was basically exiled from school, but now he had to deal with another kid.

Another kid to diss him about his failure to save Damian.

Another kid to point out his failures, like every other kid.

It was dumb to get riled up about, Mikey knew that, it just scared him. To have to deal with another bully, on top of the bullies he had right now…

He was just afraid. His mind overthinking someone sharing a locker next to him, ruminating of all the possibilities he hasn't even seen yet.

His locker was already next to Luke. As if that wasn't enough right?

Mikey forced himself to keep walking and avoid the sadder thoughts of it. His phone went off and he nearly jumped.

Looking at the screen, he found he's tears vanishing in mere seconds.

Woody: Wassup :)

Mikey: Nm wbu?

Woody: Nm either man, where u at?

Mikey: school.

Woody: Srsly? Man, I'm taking u out of that prison, meet u at ur place?

Ever since Christmas, Mikey had been avoiding home. And avoiding bringing anyone else into it; even though it was really just sad that even if he hadn't ruined the break, Woody was the only friend he could ever bring to his house… cause ya know… no friends?

Mikey: Nah, wat about urs :/

Woody: Somethink huppen?

Woody: Something happen*

Mikey: nu, just tense rn :(

Woody: ah, sry bro, alright fine, we'll meet at mine's :/

Mikey: mk, see ya then

Woody: Ditto :P

Mikey sighed and picked up his backpack from the hallway floor, he gently closed his locker, as if it was made of glass, and then started for Woody's house.


Mikey glared at Don. Nothing was wrong, why did they keep thinking something was? Nothing that they could fix anyway.

"Mikey please just tell us. Normally you'd be jumping off of the walls, now you're just shrugging everything off!"

"No I'm not. You're overexaggerating. It's nothing serious, I'm fine."

"No, Mikey, I'm not. You aren't eating, you stopped soccer, you're doing horrible in school, and you aren't yourself anymore. What's going on? Why won't you let us in? Christmas is tomorrow, and you aren't even trying to be overly festive anymore. Remember? Every year you sing Christmas carols at the top of your lungs and- "

"Well, I don't anymore. Just stop okay?! Nothing's wrong!" Mikey protested, his voice unconsciously went higher and cracked. They knew something was up.

"Mikey, stop. Okay, just stop and calm down. We just wanna know what's got you so upset ototo." Leo placed a caring hand on Mikey's shoulders, which normally would've soothed Mikey and made him relax, but today it just made Mikey tenser than ever. He didn't deserve this love. He didn't deserve any of his brothers. He didn't deserve to be worried over.

Heck, he didn't even deserve to have someone notice his personality change. They were supposed to just ignore him; he never mattered. He didn't matter now, they're just doing this because it's their obligation. As older brothers. He wasn't important enough to matter, or for his issues to be noticed. Why couldn't they just forget this whole mood change, so he could go back to faking his happiness and being their Mikey again? Why did he have to ruin everything?

"Mikey don't cha dare go and say everythin's fine! You just said cha didn't want anythin' for Christmas! You should be runnin' yer mouth off. Just fuckin' tell us what's goin' on!" Raph had pushed past Don and Leo and gotten in Mikey's face. The sixteen-year-old brunette towering right above his barley thirteen year old brother would've been either really cute or really funny, if not for the seriousness of the situation.

With Raph right in his face, Mikey only turned his head away; the tears were sneaking up on him again.

He felt a hand turn his head with a firm but gentle grip.

"Mike, what's wrong bro? We'll help- "

At 'help', Mikey was off. He shoved his older brother's grip, which had softened as he thought he was finally getting to his baby brother, and backed away quick.

"Just leave me alone! Why is that so hard for you guys?! Why are you always so clingy and annoying, JUST GO AWAY!"

And with that, all his older brothers had felt like a firework had been set off, hitting their chest, some more than others.

Leo's eyes turned cold and he just responded with something that broke Mikey from the inside. "Fine then, you want to be alone? Then you will be. Let's go you two, he's obviously annoyed by us." Raph glared straight at Mikey and placed a hand on Don's shoulder to get him moving. Don was hurt, Mikey had locked eyes with the heartbroken brown eyes of his immediate older brother, and immediately looked away. When all of his brothers had left the kitchen where they had cornered him, Mikey found himself sliding down, his back against the wall, and crying. His brothers obviously didn't hear it, or they didn't care; whichever it was, Mikey knew the latter was most likely.

Mikey battered himself mentally, 'You're so ungrateful! You pushed them away like you did with Tony and everyone else. This is all your own fault. You did this to yourself.' He thought, more tears slipping. He pulled his knees to his chest, sobbing harshly.

He found himself choking on his own sadness. It drowned him just like everything else has.


Mikey grunted as he collided right into his friend, Tony. Ever since everything that happened with Damian, Mikey only had a few friends left. Also known as Tony and Woody. And because of everything with Damian, Mikey was the one kid everyone seemed to hate, save for the said boys.

Mikey had just brought an important assignment, for his grade, to school. Donnie had helped him with it, making it a high grade project. He had sworn that he would take care of it as Don was worried for his baby brother's grade. He was the only one he had.

That's why when he had collided with Tony… well.

"TONY! You retard!" Mikey yelled as he looked at his destroyed project on the floor.

"Shit, I'm sorry! I can help!" Tony bent down to help, but Mikey was too stressed to deal with it at the moment. Between his bad grades and the way it impacted the relationship with his father, to the bullies and the fact that he let a friend commit suicide; Mikey was in a bad mood. A very, very bad mood.

"You've done e-fucking-nough Tony! Just go away! Alright, just leave me alone!" Mikey screamed at his 'friend'. He saw pain flash in his friend's hazel eyes.

Tony put his cap, which had fallen off during the tumble, back on his black hair and scoffed.

"Fine then, I know why no one talks to you now. So pissed off over some dumb project. What's the point, you're going to fail the grade anyways." Mikey knew Tony's way of brushing off hurt was to insult someone else, but those words hurt. And it sounded all too real, like it was something Tony had been knowing, but keeping quiet about.

Tony turned down the hall, grabbing his bag off of the floor, and went down the hall. Mikey knew kids were snickering and laughing behind him, some had their phones out too. Mikey just sniffed as he realized he had driven, yet another, friend off. He slowly scooped up the trashed project and gathered it in his arms, newborn style, and went to the trashcan. He dumped it all in and ran himself to the nearest bathroom to hide from all the harsh words and snickers behind him.

Later in Science class, when Mikey had nothing to show for his project and got laughed at by kids, he tried to ask Tony to be his partner for an in-class project, but Tony rejected. He'd gone and thrown Mikey's harsh words right back at him.

"Sorry Mike. Just leave me alone." He said with cold eyes.

"Look, I'm-"
"You retard, don't you get it?! Just go away! Alright, leave me alone!" Tony had snapped at him with Mikey's exact same words, word for word. Tony always had the best memory, which is why no matter how needy Mikey got; with texts, missed calls, and face-to-face, Tony was never going to forget or let go of his grudge.

Another thing Mikey knew about Tony was that he held grudges, for a long time thanks to that terrific memory.


Mikey, who was currently riding his skateboard across the street, continuing his trip to Woody's, snapped out of his reminisces when he heard a car horn coming right at him.


A/N:

Okay, I think I did good. This chapter was bringing up at least half of Mikey's bullying history to help you put together the puzzle pieces.

You saw him after all this has happened getting therapy. You'll find out how his family gets involved and all the drama I have planned for in future chapters.

You saw everything about his friend's suicide and how it affected him in school. Alongside with the times he'd ruined things in his own life as a side effect of the bullying he is/was enduring.

You're also seeing how Mikey ruined Christmas (Instead of the Grinch) and, of course, a quick glimpse at Woodster, 'Cause I love him. Think I portrayed him pretty well, wouldn't you say?

Also, if you look closely enough in the first flashback/flashforward, you'll see Easter Bunny's hidden around there… Not giving away the plot, but at the same time, I kinda am.

Signing off!