Unconditional Validation

Chapter 5

Tyler.

I really wish I could be at home right now. Everyone was still staring at me even as I was sitting down on the stool in the back of the art classroom. I decided to sit by America because of how uncomfortable I was. Hearing only the crickets outside of the school was a severe understatement.

"Why is everyone staring at me?!" I whispered to America.

"Do you think they recognize you?" America whispered back at me.

"I-I don't know!" I stammered silently.

The teacher finally came in by running with copies of booklets of information in her hands. She set them down with a slam.

"I'm so sorry for being late to class! The copy machine was backed up," the art teacher explained.

She turned around to face everyone in the class. That's when America piped up to respond to the teacher.

"That's okay, Miss Parker! We totally understand," America smiled at the teacher.

"Thank you, America!" Ms. Parker smiled with excitement.

Ms. Parker picked up an info booklet and started explaining what we were doing today.

"Today, class, we'll be learning abo-", Ms. Parker started to speak as she scanned the faces until she did a double take when she saw me sitting next to America! When she did, she stared for a second and dropped the info booklet.

"You're-You're..." Ms. Parker stammered a bit, and pointed at me.

Oh no! She recognizes me! I panicked to myself.

I looked around for a second, and then started to slink on the stool to try to hide myself from everyone. I heard her heels clack along the ground towards my direction. I looked up and saw her standing right next to me!

"H-Hi?" I stammered nervously.

"You're the famous Tyler Blackwell! I've seen your magnificent work in the art museum in the city!" Ms. Parker exclaimed with glee.

I looked at everyone else in the room with me. They were all looking at me with wide eyes and some even had their mouths slightly open. I really wanted to run out of the room then and there, but for some reason, I just couldn't. My body was glued to the seat. At first there was silence in the room, and I looked nervously at America. Then, the art classroom just burst into so much chaos with everyone running up to me!

"Oh my god! I love your fashion line!" one of the girls in my class squealed.

"Your fashion blog is such a mood!" a guy with a vintage blue shirt exclaimed.

"The way you paint is flawless!" another girl with glasses on shouts with excitement.

I looked at America terrified. She knew what to do because of her word with Principal Herrera. She stood in front of me trying to block everyone in the class from me.

"Hey!" I heard someone familiar shout from the doorway to the classroom.

Uh oh. I gulped.

I saw Principal Herrera stand in the door frame with her arms crossed. She gathered everyone in front of her. I still stood nervously behind America.

"Yes we have Tyler Blackwell and his triplet Skyler here at this school. However, you guys need to keep this a secret until next week, understood?" Principal Herrera stated sternly.

I heard everyone say some version of "Yes!" and saw some just nod their heads.

"Thank you," Principal Herrera smiled at everyone in the room.