She continues seeing this boy and makes Charlie promise not to tell anyone about the abuse. One night, when Charlie’s sister criticizes her boyfriend for not standing up for himself, he hits her in front of Charlie. His sister receives mix tapes from one boy in particular, but she gives them to Charlie, and he loves the music. Charlie’s sister is a senior at his school, and he feels bad for the boys who like her, claiming that she’s mean to them. He feels isolated at school, but one day in his Advanced English class, Charlie’s teacher asks Charlie to call him “ Bill” outside of class, praises his literary abilities, and gives him extra books to read. He explains that his brother taught him how to fight, so he ended up hurting the bully pretty badly and immediately started crying afterwards. In the first few weeks of school, Charlie gets into a fight when a bully starts hitting him. Charlie then describes his family and explains that his Aunt Helen was his favorite person, and she came to live with his family before she died. Thinking about the reasons behind Michael’s suicide, Charlie wonders if Michael had “problems at home,” and then wonders if he, too, has problems at home. His best friend Michael committed suicide at the end of the previous school year, and Charlie feels lonely and afraid starting high school without any friends. Writing a letter to an anonymous “Friend,” Charlie confesses that he needs someone to talk to.
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