(To those of you sensitive about bullying and anything relating to bullying or depression, read at your own risk or skip to the end. Thank you.)

Nerd.

Teachers' Pet.

Midget.

The words were swimming around in my head, but they were there because scraps of paper had been rolled up in a ball and were thrown at my head.

I felt another one hit me and land on the floor. I hesitantly reached for it, and opened up as quietly as I could.

Freak.

I quickly stuffed the paper in my pocket and faced forward the rest of the class period. I felt another ball hit my head and I ignored it.

"Mr. Brown!"

I looked at my teacher, who was staring at someone in the back of the classroom. Heads turned, and they focused on Vince.

"What?" Vince replied innocently.

"You know what. Apologize to Rafael," she scolded.

"Uh, sorry," Vince shrugged, looking at me. I nodded, turning back to the front.

Another ball hit my head when the teacher's head was turned. I ignored it again.

Luckily this was the last class of the day before I could go home. Another ball hit my head.

The balls tempted me. I looked at the last one.

You little twerp.

I bit my lip and shoved it into my pocket. I gathered up the remaining paper balls and shoved them in my pocket too.

I wrote some notes down until the bell rang, and I let out a sigh of relief. I gathered my papers and neatly placed them in my binder, and grabbed my laptop. I dropped the paper balls in the trash bin on my way out.

Vince rushed past me, purposefully shoving me aside and making me trip over myself. My backpack, my laptop I was carrying, and my glasses all skidded to parts unknown.

"Oh, sorry, that was an accident. I can't help it if you're just that clumsy," he said smugly, and I frowned, squinting as I tried to find my things. Vince walked away then, and I heard something expensive being kicked across the floor. My laptop.

I walked around looking for it, eventually making out the blurred image of school tile and the silver rectangle that was my laptop. My glasses were next.

"Raf?"

Jack's familiar voice rang in my ears.

"Oh, hi, Jack."

"You okay?" he asked, and I could make out the look of worry and confusion on his blurred face.

"Yeah...I'm fine...I just tripped, that's all."

"Oh. Well, I found your glasses," Jack replied, offering them to me. I took them, giving him a nod of thanks. I turned around, looking for my backpack after my glasses were placed back on.

"Raf," Jack suddenly said behind me, and pulled something off the back of my shirt.

"Did you know this was here?" he asked, showing me a post-it note with the words 'kick me' on it.

"Uh...no?" I replied, confused.

"Vince, right?" Jack frowned. I shrugged.

"Seriously, a 'kick me' sign? What are we in, 4th grade?" Jack muttered, ripping the post-it note up. I shrugged, finding my backpack in a trashcan.

"Raf, you can't continue to deal with Vince's bullying. You gotta do something," Jack sighed, noticing my backpack.

"It's okay, Jack, really," I replied, walking out of the school. "It's not that bad."

"But if you don't do anything about it, it could get worse," Jack replied.

"Or it could go away," I pointed out. "Jack, it's okay. It's only been going on for a few weeks and-"

"A few weeks?" Jack exclaimed. If Arcee and Bumblebee hadn't taken interest in our conversation, they sure did now from Jack's sudden outburst. Miko and Bulkhead had already left.

"Scrap," I whispered to myself. I cleared my throat, feeling awkward talking about this with the Autobots in hearing range.

"Jack, it's fine, really. It's died down already."

"You got shoved in the hallway with a 'kick me' sign on your back. Someone nearly trampled on your glasses, but I got to them first. Your computer was kicked across the hallway, and your backpack was thrown in the trash, and you're saying it's died down? What was it like before?"

"Jack, I think you're overreacting. I'm fine," I said slowly. Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry Raf. I'll...see you at the base."

I nodded, watching him get on Arcee and put on his helmet.

"Sometimes I think you're more protective than your mother," I heard Arcee say as they drove off. Bumblebee opened his door for me.

"Hey, Bee. How was your day?" I asked cheerfully, wanting to change the subject.

::I fought Decepticons. What were you and Jack talking about?::

"Nothing. Did you fight Knockout or Starscream? Or just drones?"

::Drones. It didn't sound like nothing. Jack was getting worked up over something.::

"Were they easy to beat? And it was really nothing. Why is everyone getting worked up about this?"

::Can we have one conversation, please?::

"Sure...so, were they easy to beat? Where did you fight them?" I asked, hoping he would change the subject to Decepticons.

::Yeah, and it was in an energon mine. And we get worked up about it because we care about you,:: Bumblebee warbled in a caring tone. I nodded, and we drove in silence for a while.

::If something is going on, Raf, you can tell me,:: Bee warbled quietly as we reached the base.

"Okay, Bee. Thanks," I said quietly as I got out, and Bee transformed behind Arcee.

"Guys! You just missed it! Bulk and Optimus are going out to do...what were they doing again, Ratchet?"

"Exploring an energon mine," Ratchet replied flatly.

"Do they need backup?" Arcee asked.

"Not yet. The mine looks abandoned," he answered, turning back to his work.

"Raf! You want to play a racing game?" Jack offered, holding up a controller.

"Uh, I think I'll get a head start on my History project, thanks," I declined, and Miko made a face at the word 'history'.

*

Bumblebee slowed to a stop in front of my house. I was taken home early at my request.

::See you tomorrow?::

I smiled, slinging the strap of my backpack over my shoulder. "Yep."

I walked in and headed straight for my room, opening my laptop and plugging it in to charge it and continued working on my project.

Eventually the sound of a notification sounded throughout my room. I checked my laptop and noticed someone had messaged me.

No matter how hard you try, you're never going to fit in. You're an outcast. And a nerd.

I ignored the message and closed my laptop. Another message popped up. I dared to look.

Don't try to pretend you didn't see that.

I looked at the screen, my hands hovering above the keys.

Just leave me alone, Vince.

Who said this was Vince?

I stared at the answer in confusion.

This isn't Vince?

Guess again, genius.

I didn't know who to guess.

It starts with a J. I thought you would've gotten it by now.

Jack? I typed, hoping I was wrong.

Bingo.

I shook my head. No, this wasn't Jack. Jack wouldn't do this.

Quit trying to manipulate me, Vince. I know it's you.

Oh, really, Raf? What makes you say that?

Jack is my friend, and he wouldn't do this.

You're wrong. You don't have any friends.

I knew it wasn't Jack. It couldn't be. But just in case, I ran an I.P. scan. It wasn't Jack.

That's where you're wrong, Vince. I smiled to myself.

It's amusing how you keep thinking it's Vince.

It's amusing how you keep denying the fact that I'm talking to you, Vince.

Alright then. Ask me questions only Jack would know.

Well, that limited me. Those questions would be about the Autobots. And if it was Vince, I certainly didn't want him to know about the Autobots.

What's your motorcycle's name?

Arcee.

My car's name?

Bumblebee.

Miko's?

Bulkhead.

Your mother's full name?

June Darby.

I smiled. Jack had told me his mother's full name, and it was June Elizabeth Darby. Besides, if this was Jack, he wouldn't be so eager to say so.

Why am I even playing this game with you, Vince? I'm only encouraging it. Just leave me alone, would you?

Like I said...I'm not Vince.

I shut my laptop rather hard and continued working on my project. My phone buzzed.

You're really not smart, you know. You're just a freak.

I blocked the number and tossed my phone onto my bed.

I got an E-mail a few minutes later, on my actual computer.

You're alone.

I blocked the address after checking it. This guy really didn't give up, did he.

After another E-mail was sent with a different address, almost as if it answered my statement.

Nobody cares about you. You're nothing. You're a nobody. You just take up space. Or, I'm sorry, let me put it in your nerdy terms.

You take up a lot of matter.

And other people need it more than you.

I shut off my computer and laptop and turned off my phone to finally have some peace.

Only I didn't. All the words swarmed around inside my head, keeping me distracted.

I eventually just decided to give up for the day and went to sleep.

**

Someone was honking outside my window, and I saw the black and yellow sports car. I smiled, getting dressed and running out, shouting a quick goodbye to my family, who didn't hear me anyway.

"Hey, Bee."

::Morning. You overslept. You okay?::

"Fine," I shrugged, watching the scenery pass. Eventually Bee parked, and I got out. Jack and Miko greeted me.

"Hey." Jack waved.

"Hey, Raf!" Miko called, giving me a hug that seemed to last a few seconds longer than it should have.

"Uh...hi? Did Jack talk to you?"

"Yeah," Miko admitted. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

A few hours later of being shoved around, things thrown at my head, and being tripped in the hallways, not just by Vince, but his pals, too, School was again over. And it was a Friday, which meant harassment could be over for a few days.

Unless Vince kept making up E-mail accounts.

I found myself in Bee's passenger seat again, Miko and Jack behind us, en route to the base. My phone buzzed, and I checked it cautiously. It was a different number than before.

No one likes you. I'm just saying what everyone is thinking, you know. Your family ignores you because they don't like you. You only have 'friends' because they take pity and feel sorry for you. Really, you're just a lonely outcast with no purpose in life but get straight A's.

"Uh, Bee? can you roll down your window for a second?"

::We're nearly there. Why?::

"I...want to throw my phone out the window." I realized how ridiculous it sounded as soon as the words left my mouth.

::...Why?::

"Never mind."

***

This kept going on for a few weeks. I get harassed at school, then it followed me home. I eventually deleted any IM accounts or E-mail accounts and started new ones, saying there were bugs in the system. My parents wouldn't let me change my phone number, and I wouldn't tell them the real reason why I wanted to. They didn't need to know.

My rides with Bee have noticeably become quieter, even though Bee does try to start conversations. I'm quieter at the base, even so much that Optimus commented on it. I'm even quieter at school.

Whether it was Vince-or one of his pals-who sent the texts, their words really effected me, even though it didn't really in the beginning. I...started to believe them. I was distracted enough that I nearly cost the Autobots a battle that would've tipped the scales in the 'cons' favor, all because I couldn't focus on hacking. I kept getting E-mails (My E-mail address had somehow gotten out again).

The harassing just wouldn't stop. Eventually my behavior got to my friends, or, the people who were pitying me, I didn't know anymore.

Miko had lost her patience one day and called me an idiot. I won't go into detail, but it really shook me, even though she apologized. Jack just didn't talk to me much. And when he did, it was because of the Autobots.

My situation with my family was still the same, barely be acknowledged, then be ignored, you know.

Arcee and Bulkhead really just stuck with Jack and Miko, and Ratchet was always working, and Optimus was hardly around, and when he was, it was because he had business to do of some sort.

I guess...Bumblebee and I talked, just not like we used to. I missed it, but I didn't really see that I was the one that had changed, not them.

Eventually weeks turned into months. Nothing really changed, until one day.

Jack had gone to work, and Miko had gone to Japan for a week to visit her parents. I had a test to finish up after school.

Once the last question was answered, I walked out to see Vince coming up to me.

"Hey twerp," he said, shoving me roughly onto the stairs. I said nothing or did nothing, knowing that going along with it was the best thing to do.

So I let him punch me.

Vince seemed to be getting more violent each day, both physically and verbally. I just went along with it each day, taking the punch and letting the words sink in. I felt like I was long past the point of help. But it was still fine. I guess.

Bumblebee arrived a few minutes after Vince had left.

::Raf? Rafael, what happened to you?::

"It's nothing Bee. I'm fine," I replied quietly.

::You have bruises all over you!::

"Just take me home, please."

Bumblebee complied, and another text was sent to me.

You don't deserve to live.

I shoved my phone back in my pocket and kept my eyes focused on the road ahead of me, until Bumblebee slowed to a stop in front of my house.

"Thanks, Bumblebee, I smiled at him. When I got out, I patted his hood.

::You're...welcome.::

I smiled, before going inside and heading for the bathroom, getting a bottle of sleeping pills.

I stared at them, thinking over everything.

Nobody likes you.

You're alone.

You're an outcast.

You're a nobody.

You're just a freak.

Even your friends don't like you.

Your family doesn't like you.

You take up matter. And other people need it.

You don't deserve to live.

There were others, much worse than those, but I would rather not repeat them.

Did I really want to do this?

I stared at the bottle.

Yes.

I opened it and downed the entire thing. A few minutes later, I blacked out.

***

I woke up in a hospital room, where I was connected to dialysis. I don't know how long I was out, or how I was even here right now. I looked around, seeing flowers and cards and balloons and whatnot around my room. I sighed, going back to sleep again.

When I woke up this time, Nurse Darby and my parents were in the room. I was hugged, and I don't remember much else aside from that.

Jack and Miko came by (Ratchet had GroundBridged her back for a quick visit) and they told me how much Bee worried, and how much the others worried. (And I found out later, at Ratchet's request, Agent Fowler had given him my phone and laptop, and Ratchet and the others went through the messages that were sent to me. They were stunned, and Bumblebee had a fit.)

Eventually, I was back to my old self, though it took a while (About 6-12 months). I was back hacking away with the Autobots. Vince kept his distance from me, and I was glad he did, as long as he didn't hurt anyone else, either.

~~~

Explanations.

Okay, so, this one may have been over the top a little, and it changes from present-tense to past-tense somewhat, (I wrote most of this at 2 AM, but that's no excuse for crappy writing. I edited a lot this morning.)

But the entire reason I did this chapter was because of bullying. (Hence the title)

I don't like it (Hate is a strong word).

None of you should be treated this way. Not. At. All.

Kids and teens get bullied and cyber bullied every. Single. Day. And their story might not end as well as Raf's did. Or as badly Raf's did. That is a matter of perspective.

But with bullying, I am not okay with it. At all.

And I'm not proud to say that I've been a bystander a few times.

If you're being bullied, talk to someone. Don't try to cover it up, because what's going on isn't fine. Get help. Talk to someone you trust. Don't be afraid to reach out.

If you're the bully, think about what you're doing. Really think about it. You're hurting another person, whether it be physically or emotionally. And that's not okay. Whatever your motives are, you need to fix them. Apologize to the person(s) you've been bullying.

For this one-shot, it may have gotten slightly unrealistic. I didn't want it to turn into a novel, so I had to cut out some details.

If you have Q's about something in the one shot, go ahead and ask in the comments, I'll do my best to answer them.

But that's beside the point.