Unconditional Validation

Chapter 14

"I know", my sister held her head in frustration.

"Wait", the three of us looked at Ryder, "What are you talking about?" Ryder was looking at us with confusion.

"M-Mom and dad told us that if anything bad happened to us at school, or even at Justin's party, they would take us out of school immediately." I nervously fidgeted with my hands while trying to keep my eyes away from Ryder.

"That's fucking stupid!", Ryder exclaimed, "You've worked too damn hard for yourselves, your reputation!"

"Also for our parents as well", I mumbled with slight frustration.

"You guys don't owe them anything!" Ryder's voice was getting a bit louder.

"I-I know", tears were starting to form in my eyes again.

Stop crying, it's unnecessary! I heard that voice from earlier. It was right, I can't let my emotions get to me when I'm not under any scrutiny.

"I'm sorry for yelling", Ryder gently squeezed my hand with a bit of guilt.

"I-It's okay, I understand your frustration, Ryder", I smiled softly at my brother.

Ding!

We all heard Justin's phone go off with the text notification sound. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to see who had texted him. Justin groaned in frustration a bit while texting whoever sent him the message back.

"What happened?" I raised an eyebrow with confusion and curiosity.

"It's my dad, he wants me to come home right now", Justin muttered while shoving his phone back into his pocket.

"Oh, okay," I looked down, a bit disappointed.

"It's okay, man", Justin put a hand on my shoulder and smiled, "We'll hang out together again soon."

"Wait, my music release party is this Saturday night on Halloween!" Skyler exclaimed excitedly, "You should totally come, Justin!"

"Yeah!" I agreed with a smile.

"I'll definitely be there", Justin nodded with a grin.

"Have a safe drive home", I was trying not to blush.

"Thanks, I will", Justin smiled and winked, while heading out of our front door.

As the door clicked shut behind Justin, a heavy silence settled in the family room. The weight of the conversation hung in the air, and I could feel Ryder's eyes boring into me, searching for answers I wasn't sure how to give.

"Tyler," he said softly, breaking the quiet, "I know you're feeling a lot right now. But just remember, you're not alone in this."

I looked up at him, trying to muster a brave face. "I know, it's just... it feels like everything is spiraling out of control. I hate that I let Killian get to me."

Skyler stepped closer, her brows furrowed in concern. "We'll figure it out together. You're not weak for feeling this way. You're human."

Ryder nodded, his earlier anger fading into a supportive warmth. "You've got us, and we're not going anywhere. But we need to take action. We can't just let him walk all over you."

"What do you suggest?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Confront him," Ryder said, his tone resolute. "We can go together. You shouldn't have to face him alone."

I felt a swell of anxiety at the thought. "What if it just makes things worse?"

Skyler shook her head. "We're not letting him intimidate you anymore. Standing up to him could change everything. You deserve to be treated with respect, Tyler."