Teaching | Eddie Munson

The Confrontation

Victoria stepped into the trailer, the weight of her heart heavier with each step. She could almost feel Max's judgment before even seeing her—surely, Lucas had already relayed the news. The thought of confronting her sister, with disappointment surely written all over her face, twisted Victoria's stomach into tight knots. Guilt gnawed at her, a constant reminder that she should be guiding Max, protecting her from the mistakes she herself seemed unable to avoid. But instead, here she was, suspended and dragging her younger sister into the mess of her own making.

As soon as Max's eyes locked onto Victoria, her expression morphed from concern to pure exasperation. Her eyebrows shot up, furrowing in disbelief as her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"You were suspended?!" Max's voice rang out, sharp with frustration.

Victoria winced at the accusation, the sting of disappointment visible on Max's face cutting deeper than she expected. She sighed, the weight of her shame sinking into her chest. "Yeah... not exactly my proudest moment." she admitted quietly. She could feel the guilt pressing down on her, suffocating her. The thought of letting Max down felt almost unbearable.

Max scoffed, shaking her head, her fiery red hair spilling over her shoulders. "I can't believe you're the one getting suspended, while that jerk walks around like he's untouchable! I mean, seriously, getting punched by a girl? Is that something to brag about now?" Her voice was laced with indignation, full of the frustration with unfairness of the situation.

Victoria forced a weak laugh, but it sounded hollow even to her own ears.

"Yeah, well, sending 'crazy Victoria' to the shrink again is probably his greatest achievement, so..." she said, attempting to lighten the mood, though the bitterness in her words lingered.

Max's expression softened slightly, but her brows stayed knit in concern as she stepped closer, her arms still crossed. "What do you mean?"

Victoria hesitated, then took a deep breath, her heart sinking as she prepared to tell Max the full truth. "I have to see Ms. Kelley for the next two weeks. Counseling sessions."

Max's features shifted again, the fierce anger draining from her face, replaced by something gentler, more worried. "Shit..." she whispered, her tone softer now. "How do you even feel about that?"

Victoria's throat tightened. The vulnerability of admitting her feelings out loud made her feel exposed. "I feel like I let you down." she confessed, her voice trembling. "I should be better than this. I shouldn't have let him get to me." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she stared at the floor, the weight of her shame making it impossible to look at Max.

Max's frustration melted into fierce loyalty as she stepped even closer, shaking her head in disbelief. "You didn't let me down! Jason's the one acting like a total asshole, and he's the one who should be facing consequences. It's not fair, and it sure as hell isn't your fault!"

Victoria sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping as she finally sank onto the old, worn-out couch. "Still... I just wish I could be the sister you deserve." she murmured, her voice barely audible. "Someone who doesn't get suspended and who doesn't need counseling. I want to protect you from all of this, but I can't even protect myself."

Max's face softened, her anger dissolving entirely as she sat beside Victoria, their knees almost touching. "Vic, you're not the problem here. You're dealing with so much, and it's Jason who's walking around like nothing happened, not you. It's him who's the problem. You didn't do anything wrong."

Victoria leaned back against the cushions, letting out a long, tired breath. "That's just the way the world is. Guys like Jason always get away with it." she said, her voice heavy with resignation. "It's not fair, but what can we do?"