The Opposite of Lined Paper

Hayden Peak is a 17 year old schizophrenic boy living in New Jersey. Although he prefers to refer to himself as a burden to his abusive father, something his dear mother worries about too much, and not good enough for his older brother. Then he meets Cassie. Nothing changes. There's no amazing plot twist in his life. He doesn't feel any better, his father doesn't stop beating him, and his mother still asks him if he's okay. Though he is skeptical of Cassie. Nothing more, nothing less. But skeptical nonetheless.