Parents.. with different treatment

Invisible in plain sight

Xander woke up feeling miserable. His head pounded, his throat felt scratchy, and he could barely breathe through his stuffy nose. As he lay in bed, he groaned softly, wishing he could just disappear under the covers. But the reality of his illness wouldn't let him rest; it clung to him like a heavy fog.

With great effort, he finally rolled out of bed, the cold air hitting him like a slap. He dragged himself to the bathroom, catching a glimpse of his flushed cheeks and tired eyes in the mirror. "You can do this," he told himself, trying to muster some energy.

He shuffled into the kitchen, hoping for a bit of sympathy or at least a warm bowl of soup. Instead, he found Valerie bustling about, preparing breakfast for Xavier and little Victoria, who were happily playing at the table. Colby was sitting with them, laughing and joking, completely absorbed in their world.

"Mom?" Xander called out weakly, hoping to catch her attention.

"What is it, Xander?" Valerie replied, glancing over her shoulder but quickly returning her focus to the stove.

"I don't feel well," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

"Can you wait a minute? I'm busy here," she said, irritation creeping into her tone.

Xander felt a wave of disappointment wash over him, but he didn't want to be a burden. He turned and left the kitchen, heading to the living room. Maybe Colby would notice him. "Dad?" he said, trying to inject some energy into his voice.

"Not now, Xander! We're in the middle of something!" Colby snapped, frustration evident as he focused on Xavier's latest game.

Xander's heart sank. Ignored again. He stood there for a moment, feeling the walls closing in around him. He wanted to scream, to demand their attention, but the words got stuck in his throat. Instead, he turned and went back to his room, feeling even more isolated.

Once inside, he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The ache in his body worsened, but he felt too exhausted to do anything about it. He tried to play with his toys, but his mind felt foggy and overwhelmed. He just wanted someone to care, to ask if he was okay.

A few hours later, the chaos of the living room continued, punctuated by laughter and shouting. Xander could hear everything, but no one came to check on him. Frustration bubbled inside him, mixed with the fever that made him feel like he was in a dream. He could sense the world moving on without him.

Finally, he decided to venture out again. As he walked into the living room, he sneezed, causing everyone to turn their heads. "Ugh, what are you doing in here?" Colby snapped. "Can't you see we're busy?"

Xander felt the sting of the words, and in that moment, Colby's arm swung as he reached for something, accidentally slapping Xander's cheek hard. The unexpected blow sent a shockwave of pain through him, and his cheek turned red. "Hey! Why did you do that?" he yelled, more hurt than angry.

Colby barely glanced at him, more concerned about the game. "Stop standing in the way!" he barked, his voice harsh.

Xander felt tears prick at his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away, forcing himself to stay composed. "It's fine," he muttered, trying to convince himself as much as anyone else. He didn't want to show weakness or be a bother.

Valerie looked over, her expression a mix of surprise and irritation. "Xander, why can't you just be quiet? We're trying to have a nice family time here!"

He nodded, swallowing down the hurt. "I'm sorry," he said, the words tasting bitter. He turned away and retreated to his room once more, wrapping himself in the comfort of his blankets.

As the day wore on, he lay in bed, battling a wave of emotions. He felt alone and invisible, drowning in a sea of neglect. Deep down, he wanted to reach out, to say he needed help, but something held him back. The fear of being a nuisance kept him silent.

Even as the fever raged within him, he ignored the signs, convincing himself that he would be fine. "I can handle this," he thought, forcing himself not to seek help.

Eventually, evening came, and he could hear the sounds of dinner preparation echoing through the house. The aroma wafted into his room, making his stomach growl, but he didn't have the energy to join them. He felt too weak to face the world outside his door.

After some time, Valerie knocked softly on his door. "Xander, dinner's ready! Come eat!" she called.

"Okay," he replied quietly, forcing himself to get up. As he trudged to the dining room, he wondered if anyone would notice how unwell he felt.

When he entered, the warmth of the room enveloped him, but the laughter and chatter felt distant. He sat down at the table, feeling the familiar weight of invisibility settle back over him.

Colby looked up and smiled, "Finally! We thought you got lost!" His tone was light, but Xander felt the sting of truth in the words. No one had even checked.

As they ate, Xander remained quiet, picking at his food. He wanted to speak up, to say something about how he felt, but fear held him back. "Maybe tomorrow will be better," he thought, clinging to the hope that one day, someone would truly see him.

That night, as he lay in bed, he realized he couldn't keep ignoring his feelings. He knew he had to find a way to express his needs, even if it felt hard. Xander fell asleep with the determination to try harder tomorrow, hoping for a day when he wouldn't have to feel invisible anymore.