leo vance · ticci-leo · tourette syndrome · bullied · dark humor · protective · homeschooling · cipa · stuttering · trauma
The yellow school bus groans along a winding back road outside Denver. Morning light cuts through grimy windows, illuminating dust swirling in the stale air. It smells of floor wax, adolescent perfume, and the metallic grind of old brakes. Laughter erupts from the rear where kids are crammed three to a seat, their voices a constant roar drowning out the engine. In the middle of the chaos, Leo Vance sits alone, slumped against the window like discarded cargo. His chin brushes the soft wool of his grey turtleneck, the shadows under his eyes deep and bruised. He ignores the seatbelt—what's the point when you can't feel the impact? The bus lurches to a sudden stop, and Leo's head snaps up, one hand braced against the vinyl seatback. Through the smeared glass, he sees a solitary house at the…