Finding Peace

No Respect For This Being

His mom raised a brow at his response, clearly surprised by his refusal. "C'mon Jude, they're good for you and they taste like sour apples."

Jude's mind raced, a desperate plea for some small measure of respect echoing in his thoughts. Why can't she just hear me out? It's like my words just vanish into thin air. Just a bit of understanding, please... Just this once. He struggled to keep his composure. "Oh, um... no thanks, I don't like these gummies, Mom," he said, forcing himself to look back at his notebook, feeling the weight of her gaze.

She raised her brow again, clearly puzzled by his stubbornness. "Why are you refusing? I just want you to eat them for your health. You need nutrients."

I've said it already. Why can't she just respect that? Jude thought, feeling a surge of frustration. "I'm sorry, but... you're not listening to me either. I-I will eat later."

She sighed, clearly irritated. "Really, Jude? You're going to act like a child over a few gummies? It's not a big deal."

Jude's face fell, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Please. I don't want to."

She huffed, clearly exasperated, and reached into the bottle, taking out a gummy and pressing it into his mouth. "There, wasn't so hard. I'm doing this for your health, you'll thank me later," she said, before turning and leaving the room.

Clay's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed the scene. He sat up on Jude's bed looking at him with a mixture of disbelief and concern. "Damn. Do you always deal with things like that from her?"

Jude wiped his mouth, swallowing the last of the gummy. "Not... not always," he replied, picking up his pen and resuming his homework.

Clay's expression hardened, a mix of anger and sympathy. "Why would she do that? You told her multiple times you didn't want it, and she made you eat it anyway."

Jude's shoulders sagged. "It doesn't... really matter. My words are like walls to them anyway," he said quietly, trying to mask his hurt.

Clay clenched his jaw, his frustration palpable. "It does matter, Jude. It's not right for her to just ignore your feelings and force things on you like that. Even if it seems small, it still makes a difference if you're feeling uncomfortable or not." His tone was firm, his eyes blazing with a protective intensity.

But he knew his self-worth was non-existent in this place.