Wildest Dreams (Tayvin)

built your walls so high

ADAM POV

I knew something was up when Ali got in the backseat of the car instead of the front. For the last 2 years, since she turned 12, she has basically refused to sit in the back as it made her feel like a child. But today she did straight away when I picked her up. I turned in my seat and saw my gorgeous 14-year-old little girl with her head in her hands and I got why she sat in the back, the windows are tinted so people can't see through. Something happened at school. I had dealt with a few minor panic attacks and insecurities over the last 16 or so years with Taylor, but wasn't sure how similar Ali and Taylor would be.

I started driving and called Taylor on my way.

"Hello?" Taylor answered the phone.

"Hey babe. Could you pick up Danny after his film club today? Ali and I are going to go on a drive and have a little after school adventure." I told her.

"Yeah sure! Let me know if you're home for dinner." Taylor replied, sounding slightly concerned but knowing that I wouldn't be suggesting something like this just offhand.

"Sure thing. See you later! Love you!" I said, getting a 'me too' in reply.

I pulled onto the main road and started talking to Ali.

"So Ali-cat.... Where do you want to go?" I asked, trying to sound as uplifting as possible.

"As far away from here as possible." She mumbled, not really looking up.

I knew exactly where to take her. Ever since she was a little girl she had loved going to get frozen yoghurt so that's where we were heading first, and then we were going to go to a little studio in the middle of nowhere which I co-owned and sometimes used.

"Get whatever you want sweetie." I told Ali as we walked into the frozen yoghurt shop in the little town near the studio.

She smiled a little bit and then went to fill her cup with froyo and all the toppings. As soon as we had paid we drove the 5 short minutes to the studio. Ali and Danny didn't come to the studios, except the small home studio, very often with us as we mainly went when they were in school, so that we were free when they were free.

I carried both of our froyos in and got Ali to sit on one of the bean bag chairs, with me sitting next to her.

"So... do you want to talk about it?" I asked her. She shook her head.

I just nodded and went over to the soundboard.

"Do you want to hear something I've been working on?" I asked her, making her smile and nod enthusiastically. Both the kids loved listening to rough tracks we were working on. I pressed a few buttons and played a new track I had been working on.

Ali gradually stood up and came to sit next to me on one of the spinning chairs we had by the mixing boards. She moved her chair over until it was right next to mine and leaned over so she had her head leaning on my arm. I reached my arm over her shoulders and pull her towards myself a little.

"Daddy?" She asked.

"Yes my darling girl?" I replied, trying to encourage her to speak.

"Am I really ugly?" Ali asked quietly.

"Who told you that?" I said, trying not to sound angry or shocked.

"Some girls at school. They keep telling me that I'm ugly and fat and that you and mommy didn't want me." She said, tears pooing in her eyes.

"Oh, Alice! I'm sorry those girls are being so mean to you! Of course your mother and I wanted you! You are our little girl!" I told her, turning both our chairs so we were looking at each other.

"I don't want to go back to school anymore daddy. Everyone who is friendly to me and only friendly because of you and mom."

"How about this. Tomorrow is Friday. You can stay home tomorrow, have a mental health day, and then we have the weekend. I'll talk to your mom about it all and we will see about making some changes for next term." I told her.

"You will really think about it? Like I could be home-schooled like mom was? Or go to the same school as Leo?" She asked, hopefully.

Leo and James had gone to a smaller private school, whereas Ali and Danny were both in public school because we wanted to keep their lives as normal as possible, but maybe it was a bad decision on our part.

"We'll think about it... now, do you want to record something in the booth?" I asked her, making her eyes light up.

"REALLY?" She squealed.

"Yeah, sure! What do you want to do?" I asked her.

She chose Mean, and told me to record it so we could play it for Taylor when we got home.

While she got set up I texted Taylor: *hi! We will be home in about an hour for dinner. We need to talk about some stuff.*

*from Taylor: okay! Hope Ali is OK? See you soon!"

TAYLOR POV

As soon as Adam said he and Ali were going on an adventure I knew something was up. Ali was always a daddy's girl and recently had been really moody, so I was hoping that she would maybe tell Adam what was up. I headed out soon after to collect Danny from his after school film club.

I didn't hear from them until past 5 o'clock, when Adam said we needed to talk about some stuff. I was hoping it wasn't anything too serious.

I tried to make things as normal as possible when they got home, greeting Adam and Ali who were both (luckily) smiling when they came in the door. We then ate dinner and then Adam told Danny he could play video games in the den, which made him excited and he went off straight away, leaving the three of us alone to talk.

"So..." I said, trying to get the conversation started.

"Ali has been having some trouble at school with some of the girls in her grade...right Ali-cat." Adam said, trying to get Ali to explain.

"They have been calling me names and they are only friends with me because of you guys...." Ali said quietly.

"Oh, darling!" I responded immediately, saddened by the fact my daughter was being bullied at school.

"I don't want to go back mommy.... Please don't make me." Ali said, sounding like a little girl again.

"We were thinking that maybe we could think about changing her school for next term... or figuring out a solution." Adam suggested.

"Would that work for you Ali? If you stay at your school for the next month and a bit, until the summer, and we talk to your teachers, and then we look at changing schools for next year?" I told her as she snuggled into my side and I ran my fingers through her hair.

"Yeah....that might be okay." Ali replied, "Can I still have a mental health day tomorrow daddy?"

"Of course you can darling!" Adam replied, winking at me as I rolled my eyes.

"Do you have the song?" Ali asked Adam.

"It's on the memory card in my jacket pocket... you can get it if you want." Adam told her and she jumped up from the sofa and went to the front hall.

"Mom I recorded a song for you!" Ali said coming back into the living room with a memory card in her hand and taking it over to the living room sound system.

Soon I heard Ali's voice start singing my song Mean. It was sung over the original instrumental track. I could feel tears coming to my eyes.

"It's beautiful sweetie and so are you! Don't ever forget that." I told her, holding her close.