Introduction

Not Built for the Classroom School was never really for me—or for Austin, either. From the jump, it felt like we were being forced into a system that didn’t understand us. Sit down. Be quiet. Do the work. Follow the rules. But no one ever asked what we were carrying on the inside. No one ever saw past the surface. Some days, it felt like we were just trying to survive the hours. School wasn't about learning—it was about making it to the end of the day without snapping, without... Read more...

This story isn’t just about two boys. It’s about pain, loyalty, survival — and the bond that kept us alive when everything else tried to break us. We were never handed peace. We grew up in a world that didn’t care if we made it out. Depression, betrayal, addiction, jail — we faced it all before we even turned 18. While others were figuring out life, we were trying to stay alive, fighting demons most people couldn’t see. I’m Dominick. My brother — Austin — ain’t blood by birth, but... Read more...