Mr. Henderson stopped mopping and leaned on the handle. "You know, there’s an old song that says we’re all just 'big kids' trying to find our way. Some people wear their scars on the outside, and some hide them in their hearts. But the laughing? That’s usually because they’re afraid to look at their own cracks."
"I just wish I was different," Leo muttered. "Maybe then they’d stop laughing." Mark Wills - Dont Laugh At Me
That afternoon, when a group of boys started snickering at his mismatched socks, Leo didn't look at the floor. He remembered the song. He looked them in the eye and gave a small, sad smile—not out of anger, but out of a new understanding that they were struggling to be "cool" just as much as he was struggling to fit in. He walked away, the melody playing in his head, finally realizing that his value wasn't up for debate. Some people wear their scars on the outside,