Ethan woke up in his room at noon the next day. He had missed school, and no one in his house bothered to wake him up. Ethan sighed and stood up from his bed, then walked to his bathroom. He splashed cool water on his face and wiped the dirty mirror. He caught a glimpse of himself, and nasty thoughts flooded his mind, ugly he thought. I am so ugly. How could anyone love him? Not even his own mother cares enough to check up on him, but Ethan was beginning not to care, and was starting to get used to the neglect.

He realized that no one cared about his well being because if they did, they would make an effort to help him. Ethan buried his face in his hands and wondered what it is he did wrong; what was so wrong with him that not even his own family was there when he needed them?

All he does is cope. He copes with the pain, the humiliation, and the emotional trauma.

All he can do is cope.