Hi my name is Alec Ryder and this is my story. I'm not the same as the other kids in my school; I'm skinnier, poorer, and down right less privileged. Anyways you're not here to hear me babble on about myself so lets start the story. "Alec Jayden Ryder get up right now or you'll be late to school!" My eyes bolt open to my moms annoying voice. School, the one thing every normal teen dreads, but this being my Senior I'm used to it. I walk through the school doors doing my normal morning routine, heading to my locker. "Lucky" for me, my locker is surrounded by jocks who reek of cologne. "Alec buddy." Before I could turn around I was slammed into a set of cold, dirty, lifeless lockers. "Watch out twerp I'm walking here! Oh geez now I have to step on all of your precious books, what a bummer ha!" I knew who it was, yet I still decided to turn around and confirm it. I was right. Jace the owner of the harsh voice stood straddling over me.   

     Again with the "luck" I was late so the school bell already rang leaving just Jace, Taylor, Logan, and I in the hallway. I grabbed onto the locker door and slowly but surely pulled myself up. "Aw Alec, buddy are you trying to stand up for yourself? How cute is that!" His words brake off as his fist meets my torso. Between the coughing and heavy breathing I manage to say "Wh.. What have I ever do..done to you?" I looked up to see a flame in Jaces eyes,  apparently he didn't like the question I asked. Jace picked me up by my wrists and slowly pushed me high enough to where my feet were no longer on the ground. One thing I failed to tell you guys is I'm not the weight of the other guys in my school. Jace glared at me with a smirk on his face "Take a moment and think about what you did to me." My mind circled and circled trying to find an explanation to why he hates me but each time my mind ended blank.  After a few more seconds of silence just pushed me up harder against the lockers motioning for his friends to take me by the wrists instead. Meanwhile he reached into his back pocket  and pulled out his pocketknife, teasing me by tracing my ribs with the sharp blade. His friend Taylor covered my mouth with his big sweaty hands. God knows what's gonna happen next. Finally getting annoyed by my helpless expression Jace pulled down my long sleeves revealing my many scars, old and new.

     It shocked him for a second until he finally snapped out of the trans and forcefully dug the knife into my skin creating an even fresher cut. Keeping the blade dug into my skin he traced my cheek until reaching my lip. "Times up Ryder. Thought of what's wrong with you yet?" I averted my eyes to the ground where a pool of my blood sat and shook my head in surrender. Jace handed Logan the knife and took his place in holding me up only this time I wasn't being held up by my wrists, but by my neck. "Now listen closely cuz maybe if you can imprint this into that tiny little brain of yours, you can fix the problem." Getting annoyed I shook Taylor's hand off my mouth and said "God just tell me already I swear I'll do whatever I can to fix he problem!" Jace looked at me with a smirk on his face and said in a cold tone "You were born." Instantly he let me go and I crashed onto the ground. Jace gave me a playful wave and took off running to the nearest classroom door slinging it open. Having no clue what he's doing Taylor and Logan look at each other puzzled. We were all puzzled until we heard Jace screaming "Mrs. Wade Alec Ryder is in the hall trying to kill himself! We tried to stop him but he had already managed to cut his wrist. Luckily Me, Logan, and Taylor got to school late in order to save him. Taylor grabbed the knife from his hand and Logan is holding his hands on his wrist trying to stop the bleeding." Catching the vibe the two boys did as Jace had said just in time as Mrs. Wade bolted out of her classroom and into the hallway. She took a moment and examined the situation seeing Taylor holding the bloody knife in his hands staring at it looking traumatized as Logan had one hand supporting my head and the other on my bleeding wrist. I have to admit they are all top notch actors. Logan let out a couple fake tears sealing the deal for Mrs. Wade. She motioned for the boys to move away, grabbed my hand, and said "Hey sweetie lets go to the nurse okay?" Without objection I grab her hand and walk off with her. I look back one last time to see Jace staring at me with warning eyes. Honestly the only thing I'm positive about right now is that if I tell anyone what really happened here today Jace will make my life a living hell! Still looking at the ground with my raven black hair in front of my eyes I step into the nurses office departing my hand from Mrs. Wades. As soon as Mrs. Wade leaves I lift my head and  immediately Nurse Allen sprung into action and ran over to the bar got alcohol, a needle, and thread. Nurse Allen has always been very fond of me so being in here I surrender to the pain and let out small and quiet sobs. I've always felt safe in here. My thoughts we're interrupted by something cold being pressed against my wrist and Nurse Allen saying "This is gonna burn a little sweetie but it'll all be over soon. So do you wanna tell me what happened?" As soon as that question escaped her lips my eyes promptly fell back to the ground as I shook my head in indication that I didn't really want to say. She put her hand under my chin raising my head up to look at her as she said "God never gives us more than we can bear." Shortly after she finished my stitches my mom showed up to bring me home. Walking through the hallway was the hardest part though. Everyone had heard of what had happened and were whispering and staring at me. I feel so alone. Well I did until I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Principal Cooley staring down at me. "Hello Mr. Ryder I am fully aware of what happened and if you don't mind I would like to have a conversation with you in my office." I cut him off by pretending I don't hear him and just walk away. But that wasn't good enough because as I walked down the hallway with my hands stuck in my jacket pockets Principal Cooley just yelled after me. But with all I've been through today I put in my ear puds and left school without the bell releasing me.

    By the time I walk off my anger and resentment it's well past midnight as I walk in the house. Mom sees me and walks by my side until I take a seat at the diner table and rubs my head messing up my hair just like she does every morning, afternoon, and night. Once I recall all that's happened today I have no doubt that mom has gotten a few calls so I decide to wrap things up. "Goodnight mamma love you." I started walking to my room until my mom grabbed my arm. "Not so quickly little boy. I got a rather interesting call from the school. You wanna tell me what's going on?" "Nothing's going on, I just got a little scratched up." Once again I started walking off, this time blowing mom a kiss. "Alec I'm sending you to your dads house. Look I know that's not you, you haven't self harmed in months so you wanna tell me what really happened?" I stopped in my tracks deadly silent. "Mamma I'm sorry it's just some dumb bullies. Goodnight mamma." I didn't wait for her to reply, I kissed her on the cheek, walked into my room, and shut the door. Wow dads house. Dad beat me and my mom for a whole year before they separated. He's been an alcoholic for as long as I can remember, I haven't seen him in five years me and mom left him when I was thirteen. Maybe he's changed... Let's hope for the best. I walk to the bathroom connected to my room and immediately peel off my jacket and look at the scar on my wrist. Maybe after I take a shower I'll come out in Narnia or something and I won't have to live in this mad world. COLD COLD COLD COLD!! Dang no matter how many times I take a shower I never remember to turn the knob to the right NOT the left. After about fifteen minutes of standing in the shower thinking over everything that happened today I grabbed my towel, wrapped it around me, and push the bathroom door open to walk into my room. I've lived here so long that every time I take a shower I don't even open my eyes, I just know the path to my bed. Following the map of my room engraved in my mind I hobble over to my bed and collapse. My mind went blank and my eyes sprung open to see my best friend Rachel lying under me. I instantly jump and say "Oh my God Rach! What are you doing here?" Rachel sits up and says "Good to see you too. Hey... you mind putting some clothes on?" I grab my black and white galaxy basketball shorts and head back into the bathroom slipping them on. Right before I turn the hairdryer on I peek out of the door and say "So your hairs still blue?" Rachel frowns and screams in reply "Your hairs still black?" Rachel is by far the best friend anyone can have. She has bright blue eyes to match her bright blue hair. She has always been like a sister to me, I can turn to her for anything. I finish drying my hair and head out to sit by Rachel on the bed. But before I could make it on the bed Rach stands up and scoops me into a hug. Yea this definitely isn't Narnia, but I think I can live with it as long as I have her. "I heard about you moving... I'm so sorry Alec! If I could go and live with you I would." Rachel brakes off into tears. I tighten my grip on her, easily picking her up and as she wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck still crying. I lean against the wall and whisper "Rach I'm gonna be okay I can handle it." Rach looks up at me and says "Danny is abusive. You are like a brother to me...  If anything happens to you I will kill him." I drop Rach on the bed and head out of my room. To see my mom and Rachael's mom Kaycie sitting around the island bar talking. As they see me walking in mom looks at me smiles and says "Thought you were going to sleep." I shake my head and say "I was until Rach started griping about me not wearing clothes." Mom looks up in shock and screeches "Alec Jayden Ryder what on earth were you doing without clothes on?" I smirk and say "Rach likes me better that way ma." "Ewe you perv!! He had just gotten out of the shower and HAD his towel wrapped around him." Rachel slaps me on the arm at the end of her speech. "Haaaa you guys take stuff too seriously. Goodnight Mom. Goodnight Kaycie." I kiss mom and Kaycie on the cheek and head to my room closing the door behind Rachael and me. Rach is practally part of this family so every time she comes over she ends up on my bed and I end up on a palet on the floor. Once I got settled on the pallet I pick up my phone to see I have three new messages. Rach: Hey Alec me and mom are headed to you house. Rach: I knocked on your door about two times too many so I'm just coming in. Rach: Idk where you are so I'm gonna chill on your bed till you come back.  Once I put down my phone my A.D.H.D kicks in and basically, one sheep, two sheep, cow, turtle, duck! Ol' MacDonald had a farm. EEHHH MACARENA! Bleep Bleep. A littlw while after I drift off to sleep I hear a faint Bleep Bleep it's four a.m who is texting me? It's an unknown number... ?:Be at the airport at exactly twelve o'clock Saturday. I will come pick you up. "Dad?" is my only response. It's only a couple seconds until Bleep Bleep. ?:No but I'm your dads chauffeur. I don't reply and once again i turn my phone off and drift into sleep.

    "Morning Rach" I yawn as I get up and rub Rachel's hair playfully. Apparently that scared her because she screamed and fell off the bed." "God are you trying to give me a heart attack you jerk?" I snicker at her response and walk into the bathroom close the door with my clothes in  hand. I mean sure she's like my sister but I'm NOT gonna change in front of her, that's just nasty. "So you goin to school with me today or are you just gonna lounge around the house all day?" Rachel and her mom live in New York so when they come all the way to Texas to visit us they usually stay for like two to three weeks. And since my school doesn't really keep track of what we do she just always goes to school with me since were in the same grade. "I would go but your gonna spend forever in the bathroom and I won't have time to get ready. But hey don't come out yet I gotta change." I frown as I rinse out the remaining toothpaste in my mouth as I say " So your griping about me taking up the bathroom yet your telling me not to come out?" I can hear Rachel's snicker from the other side of the door as she says "I'm done you can come out now." I open the door to see Rachel sitting on my bed wearing a black t-shirt with the words LACUNA: A blank space, a missing part printed in bold white letters, a pair of black skinny jeans, and a black and white pair of Vans. "Well don't you look fancy." She smiled at me and said dido. I'm also wearing a black t-shirt with bold white letters except mine are song lyrics "What a shame beautiful scars on critical veins" by All Time Low, a pair of black skinny jeans as well, and a pair of ocean blue Vans.

    I head to the kitchen and eat a bowl of cereal in a rush so as soon as Rach gets done we can leave. "Hey kiddo your mom already left for work and I don't have anywhere to go so you can take my car to school." Kaycie rubs my head, hands me the keys and screams for Rach to hurry up. I look up at her, smile and say "Are you sure you don't have anywhere you need to go?" She smiles back at me and nods. As I scoop the last bite of my cereal into my mouth I hear a crash followed by a laugh tinged with pain. I look over to see Rach lying on the ground rubbing her elbow. Not having time to baby her, I offer Rach my hand to help her up and she takes it. "Bye Kaycie see you after school." I say not letting go of Rach's hand until we get to the car because I kow if I did she would walk really slow. I unlock the black 1964 Mustang and climb in. School is only seven miles from my house so it won't take long to get there by car. I usually ride the bus to school and walk home so it'll be nice driving a car for once. As we pull into the school parking lot I start regretting coming because of everything that happened yesterday. I start doubting why I came, wondering why I even bother when I know everyone hates me. "Hey do I look good in this?" I look over to see Rach wearing a purple scarf, a clown nose, and a blonde wig. Looking at her I start to laugh. That's why. I'm here because of her. Because she would do anything for me so I have to do the same. "Geez your such a dork. And why on Earth do y'all have that stuff in y'alls car?" She take off her newly found fashion and steps out of the car. Wow I didn't realize we were at school and I was the driver. Rach hooks her arm with mine and we begin walking towards the doors. Something I'm not but Rach is obviously used to is all the guys staring at her. As always the guys whistle and she just ignores it. We walk into the school doors and head straight for my locker "Hey babe why you waistin your time on him when you could have me?" I turn to see Jace reaching for Rach's waist. Before I even realized what I was doing I was standing in between Rach and Jace with Jaces hand tightly gripped in between mine. Oh crap… OH CRAP! No literally I'm gonna get the crap beaten out of me! "Don't lay a hand on her!" I scream and to my surprise Jace actually winced. "You got a problem twerp?  Do you really think she'll pick you over me?" He screams back stepping so close to me that I'm inhaling his exhales. "Actually I do pick Alec. I'm his girlfriend weirdo plus he's way cuter than you!" Jace was obviously really phased by that because he took a couple steps back trying to comprehend what Rach just said. "He may have the looks but babe look at me I'm fearless, strong, and the captain of the football team! What can be better that that?!" A devilish grin spread across Rach's face and she steps EXTREMELY close to Jace running her finger up his chest. She leans in and whispers in his ear loud enough for all of us to hear "He has a heart." "Whoa there cowgirl. Don't hurt little Jace's feelings." I say laughing and leading Rach away by her hand.  Once we were far enough Jace couldn't hear us I smacked Rach on the forehead and said "GOD WHAT WAS THAT YOUR GONNA GET MY BUTT KICKED!" "He won't mess with you while I'm here. Plus this is your last day at this school. Your moving in with your dad remember?" Rach replies and reaches to smack me on the forehead and I dodge it. "Sweetie I'm like ten feet taller than you. There's no way you can touch my forehead."

    The rest of the day went by without a hitch. Basically Rach tried to start trouble and I kept her out of it just like usual.