Adam, Bree, and Chase actively tried to include Leo in conversations and activities now. They were constantly following him around, trying to get him to hang out with them, or asking him what was wrong. They don't really care. If they knew how pathetic you were, they'd stop talking to you in a heartbeat. They never left him alone. They don't trust you.

They invited him to parties, to the movies, to after-school activities, to dances, anything. Leo refused every time. He gave up on giving them excuse after excuse, instead deciding on ignoring and avoiding them as much as possible. But avoiding bionic teenagers was a lot more difficult than Leo had thought.

Adam could burst into his room at any moment, leaving Leo vulnerable. He could only cut in the bathroom, now, without being worried about being interrupted. Bree could easily catch up to him or cut him off if he attempted to run. Chase was just persistent, never leaving Leo alone.

Leo finally snapped at them once, shouting at them about how he needed space. He was tired of pretending to be okay with being babysat – because that's what it was – and he just wanted to be alone. But you're never alone. Not with me.

Of course, yelling at the others only made them more determined to find out what was wrong. Leo hated them, but he hated himself even more. He still felt guilty and angry, but overall, he only felt self-hatred and numbness. Just utter numbness. He didn't care what he looked like to anyone else. He was barely living anymore, so why hide it? The only thing he had to hide was his dangerous habit of cutting himself.

3 years ago

Leo: age 11

Leo made his first friend at his new school. They hung out together and played video games and ate pizza and cheated off of each other's spelling tests. Leo liked his friend. He was nice and Leo began to move on from the past. He still had to draw flowers sometimes, and he still washed his body way too much to be normal, but it wasn't that bad.

Halfway through the school year, though, his friend started teasing him more and more. And soon, that teasing turned into bullying. Leo was pushed into lockers, made fun of for the flowers that sometimes could be seen when his long sleeves rode up his arms. Food was thrown at him, and the occasional wedgie was not uncommon.

Leo's happiness and optimism turned sour, and soon the Voice was back. Leo had stopped taking the pills, and the flowers just didn't help very much anymore. He started hurting himself again. It was his fault that his friend became a bully. Obviously, there was something wrong with him if no one wanted to be his friend.

His mom found out about the cutting quickly, but then, Leo wasn't trying very hard to hide it. He was quickly given more pills and taken to therapy once more. Recovery wasn't as bad as the first time, but the Voice and the urge to hurt himself were more difficult to get rid of. By the middle of the summer, though, Leo was cut-free and had his arms and legs covered in flowers.

He admitted to his therapist, though, that he couldn't handle the bullying. He was just too weak and a coward and quiet and a bit shy to fight back. So his therapist helped him to change his attitude. They practiced in her office. She would pretend to throw his books on the floor, and he snap a witty comment. She would call him a name, and he would call her one back. Eventually, he was able to become sarcastic and witty and come across as a bit cocky. He liked being this new Leo. This new Leo would be able to handle school and bullying.

Because of this new Leo, he refused to let him and his mom move again. He was better, and he was a changed person. He wouldn't cut again. He was sure of it.