Ivan went home that day very cheerful. It scared every kid that rode his bus. When he got home he knew his father wouldn't be back until around six, so he had two hours to do whatever. He walked up the stairs and went into his bedroom.

"Maybe one day he can come over and play! Oh! Someone outside of my family will get to see what my room looks like!"

He flopped onto his bed and noticed the small silver picture frame on his side table. He remembered when he bought that. There was nothing special about the frame, what was magical was what was inside. He saw in the display a staged picture, the kind they put in to sell you things. It was a hand holding out sunflowers. He paid for the frame with his own twelve year old money and he went to see his mother at the hospital. He gave her the bag and she pulled the frame out. She made a mistake and thought the frame was her gift.

"Ivan it's lovely! When I leave here take a picture with mommy and we'll put it inside!"

"No mom! The frame isn't what I got you! Look at the picture!"

"Oh, sunflowers. Our favorite!"

"These flowers won't die! And look! Those can be my hands giving them to you!"

Ivan picked up the frame. As a boy he made the mistake of believing those were his hands presenting the flowers to his mother. Now he makes a new mistake. Now he keeps the picture by his bedside and thinks it's his mother handing him the flowers. Her voice telling him that this is simple and happy and all she ever wanted for him.

"Hi mom. It's finally happening."

He choked a little on his words.

"I made a friend today. Alfred was being a jerk as always, but then a boy named Feli came to me. I squeezed him so tightly I almost killed him."

He blushed and smiled at that last part.

"I really hope this works out."

"Mommy!"

"Ivan? What is it sweety?"

"I'm a freak!"

"What? Now who told you that!?"

"A bunch of kids at school! I break everything and I'm creepy!"

"You're not creepy!"

"Yes I am! I'm bigger than everyone else and I hurt people and break things without meaning to and other kids poke fun and me and then when I poke back they get offended!"

"You're stronger than the rest of them, that's all."

"Why am I like this?"

His mother took the hands of the 13-year-old boy in her own.

"You have such big hands, you really have grown in the last year. Even so you still cry. It makes me happy to see that you aren't too old for your mommy. I remember when I was your age I killed anyone who would even look at me the wrong way. I had no need for my mommy."

"Mommy don't say things like that! You're not at all like Natalia!"

Mommy laughed and wiped the tears from Ivan's sweet face.

"You were born stronger than everyone else because one day you'll find someone you want to protect."

"I want to protect you Mommy!"

"These are different someones. They're the friends you haven't met yet."

"When will I meet them?"

"Someday. And this strength will help you get there. Not just the power in your big hands but the power in here."

She poked his chest where his heart should be.

"Mommy I love you! Don't ever let me grow up! I don't ever want to not need you!"

He jumped into her arms and cried some more. She laughed and held him.

"You're so kind. Don't worry, even when you grow up I'll be here for you."

Ivan picked up the frame and kissed it, "You'll always be here for me."

"BiG bROtHeR!"

Ivan turned around to hear scratching on his door. Natalia was home. He held back a scream and opened his closet door and hid inside. He wanted her to go away, she was creepy. She was way too doting for a younger sister. Why couldn't she go to college and leave big sister here instead of vice versa.

"Now, now Natalia, don't scare your brother."

"Oh Father! You're home early!"

"Yeah well, it seems I'll be able to come home early sometimes, but I'll be later sometimes too. It'll be a little more random but I'm gonna try to come home early from now on."

"Oh! I will call big sister and tell her!"

"And could you start dinner, I have to talk to Ivan."

"Okay!"

Ivan heard a knock on the door. He knew his sister was gone, so he wrapped himself in a blanket and slowly approached the door.

"Ivan, can I come in?"

Ivan was afraid. His father never went into his room unless he had some bad news to tell Ivan.

"Yes."

Ivan opened the door and his dad smirked, and then burst out laughing.

"You look like a nun! Hahahaha!"

Ivan ran over to his mirror, tripping on his large blanket as he did so. It was true. The hills were alive with the sound of Ivan's humiliation. But this is who he is, and when he's scared or cold he does this. That isn't a crime? Still he was a 17-year-old high school boy. Maybe he was a little too old to be wrapped in a blanket?

"Mommy I love you! Don't ever let me grow up!"

Ivan removed his makeshift hood and just wore the blanket on his shoulders. When he turned back around he found his father had the camera out.

"Christmas cards!"

"Father!"

"Just kidding."

Ivan sighed with relief. His father's face became suddenly serious and Ivan tensed all over again.

"I received a call from school today."

"Who did Natalia try to kill this time?"

"I'm afraid it was for you."

"Yeah, I know."

"You've been hurting other kids again, right?"

Ivan looked down at his hands and then to his father.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because they're my… friends…"

"The friends thing again? You can't hurt your friends like that Ivan."

"They hurt me first."

Ivan's father ran his long white fingers through his hair. He looked like Ivan, but his face was slimmer and his eyes were blue, whereas Ivan's face was rounder like his mother's and his eyes were a purple like his mother's.

"The school recommended you see a therapist."

"No father! Don't make me be that kid!"

"It's that or suspension."

Ivan silenced himself. No one would have to know right? Ivan didn't deserve to be treated like a crazy person. If Mommy were still around she would pat his head and then call the school and swear a lot. But Mommy wasn't there anymore, was she. She died a few days before he began high school. In his sophomore year a Chinese boy made a comment about it and he blacked out. When he came back he realized he was punching that kid in the face. Ivan had pinned the boy under him and broke his nose. He was suspended for the rest of the year, earning himself a name in the gossip circles. Though this was a rumor found to be true, Ivan guessed the school thought there was something wrong with him. Ivan gave it some thought. Was he mentally ill?

"So who's Alfred?"

Ivan looked up at his father, meeting soft blue eyes.

"He's hurting me the most. He says it's in the name of justice and that he's a hero. A lot of the other kids agree with him. Does that make me the villain? You know sometimes he doesn't even call me Ivan, he calls me Red."

"Have you told a teacher?"

"I used to and they always told me they would handle it but nothing ever changed. I want to love everyone, I know people have their faults and I'm no exception. Father, is it possible to love and hate everyone at the same time?"

Ivan's eyes turned red and filled with tears. He hid his face from his father.

"He calls you Red," He mumbled.

"What?"

"Your first appointment will be tomorrow at 4.:30 You'll go everyday for 9 work days and then down to 3 times a week."

"Yes father."

His father left without another word. Ivan ran to the door and called out down the hall.

"Father!"

"What is it?"

"A boy hugged me today!"

Ivan's smile grew and his cheeks turned rosy. His eyes sparkled with the memory. His dad stared at him for a minute, not sure how to take that statement.

"Good?"

"He want's to be my friend!"

Ivan's father grew serious. It was happening again.

"He said that?"

"Yeah!"

His father walked back to him and put the blanket hood back on Ivan's head.

"Don't be too trusting. This has happened before."

"I think this time it'll work out! I think he means it!"

His father couldn't see his son's smiling face and his son couldn't see his worried face. This always happens when Ivan makes a friend. They never stay for long and when they come back they're different and cruel. They poke at Ivan and when he pokes back they get offended and things get worse. He noticed the picture of sunflowers on his son's table. Simple and happy. Ivan was tall, almost as tall as his dad. Even so Ivan is still a child after all.

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

Ugh! Ugh! Ivan! I was never even a big Russia fan, I mean I didn't hate him, but I had other favorites. Actually America is my favorite after Prussia so that fact that he's become a sort of bad guy is a little strange to me? Whatever. Comment! Please! It motivates me!