Unconditional Validation

Chapter 6

"N-No, why would you think that?" I nervously denied the obvious truth with a fairly noticeable tremble in my voice.

I became even more nervous when I noticed the scowl on Killian's face. He put his left arm on the wall by my right shoulder. What I didn't expect was a stinging and burning sensation coming from my left cheek! Killian had slapped me so hard that it stung! I was fighting back tears from the pain, I didn't want to break down in front of this douchebag. He smirked at my weak state.

"I hope everyone finds out who you really are," Killian said softly in my ear while laughing.

Before I could defend myself, he just walked out of the bathroom. I stood there for a bit, with a really shocked stare. Slowly sliding my back down the wall, I held my left cheek in pain. The tears kept flowing down my face like a waterfall, so much that the bathroom looked blurry. I kept sobbing to myself, allowing me to cry out the physical and emotional pain that has happened this past week altogether.

"Why...Why me?" I quietly sobbed to myself while trying to wipe the endless tears from my face.

I guess my sobs were too loud because I heard someone walk towards the men's bathroom. Their steps were slow and hesitant, unsure if they should enter.

"Hey, who's in here?" a voice called out into the bathroom.

That voice sounded really familiar! I started to panic because I didn't want him to see me like this. I tried to get rid of the tears quickly, but I failed to do so. They just kept coming with the sobs.

He can't see me like this! I cried internally.

"Are you okay? I'm coming in," the familiar voice said while getting closer.

No! Don't come in here! I panicked in my thoughts.

I saw the person turn the corner, and I almost lost it again. It was the one and only Justin. Everyone knows that it's really embarrassing to show weakness in front of your crush. I just wanted to get up and run out of the bathroom, but my body felt heavy. He saw me and rushed over to crouch right in front of me. My heart sank knowing that he has now seen me at my worst, yet we barely knew each other.

"What happened Tyler?" Justin asked me softly with concern.

I couldn't respond because I didn't want to cry again. The best I could give him was a broken sob and a few sniffles. However, he knew the answer when he looked at my bright red cheek. What had me taken aback was when he cupped my left cheek that was in pain, and started rubbing it softly with his thumb.

"Who did this to you?" Justin asked me in a soothing voice, still cupping my cheek.

I didn't want to tell him who actually did it because Killian is in the same friend group that Justin and my brother were. It didn't feel necessary to start trouble after trouble found me on the first day of school. I just wanted to be alone, so I could get this year over with. I needed to make up a story quickly.

"I-It was me. I accidentally slipped and fell from a paper towel on the ground," I lied to Justin in between sniffles.

"Hey it's ok, it was just an accident," Justin smiled softly and paused, "Even though you slipped."

Next thing I knew, Justin sat down right next to me on my right. I was blushing and I was also screaming internally with joy.

"Come here man," Justin quickly wrapped his arm around my shoulders and brought me right next to him. My head was resting on his shoulder.

I wanted to become like your typical high school girl crushing on a guy with a ton of blushing and giggling, but I knew I couldn't. I didn't know if he would like me back, so I held all of my thoughts to myself. There was a short bit of silence during this whole ordeal of Justin comforting me, until he asked me a question.