Love Me Harder

Chapter One: Alive

Max flinched as another kick hit their stomach. "You're a fuckin FREAK! " One of the bullies spat with venom. Max (despite bleeding through their nose) smirked "Why thank you!" Max said with a smile. The bully snarled and Max scoffed. "What? Are you a dog now?" Max teased but cried out in pain as the bully stumped on their hand , probably fracturing or breaking a bone. 'Shit!' Max mentally cursed. "Now , now" said one of the bullies. "Don't mess up the little girl to bad". Max flinched , they will never get used to being misgendered. "I'm not a girl" Max protested. "I'm simply a beautiful human being". The most civil (if you can even call it that) bully huffed. "Just say it you are a girl , an ugly one , but still a girl". All of the bullies laughed. "Ha ha so very funny Mark" Max stated with sarcasm. Max slowly got up and stared to walk to their house , the bullies walking away. After walking for five minutes Max broke out into a sprint down the street and didn't stop until they were at their front porch. As Max opened the door they heard a loud bang. Max sighed. They were fucked. "Where the fuck were you?". Max's intoxicated stepfather entered the room. Max gulped. "U-um ,  a-at school s-s-studying s-sir" Max saw the anger on their stepfather's face when they stuttered. "What did I tell you about stuttering Maxine?" Max flinched at the name. "N-not t-to s-" Max tried to say but got cut of by Gorge , their stepfather , slapping them. "Shut up!" he roared. Max let silent tears of fear and pain slide down their face. "You're just like your mother"Gorge said. "Only good for fucking". Max started to sob. "Please not again , I'm sorry please!" Max begged and begged but to only deaf ears. After two hours Max was allowed to leave the room to shower. Max grabbed their favorite razor blade and started to cut their left leg. Once. 'I am me'. Twice. 'I am worthy'. Three times. 'I am alive'.