Therapy [KRISTEN STEWART] (DISCONTINUED)

9

When Kristen came home from dance class that evening, she expected nothing. She thought she would simply take a bath and go to bed, having to wake up early in the morning to stretch and complete homework, as usual.

The minute her parents heard the door slam, they knew it was her. So they called her from the living room. Why were they even there? They weren't usually there. Most of the times, Kristen would find her mother in her office and her father in the kitchen, both of them working on their own stuff.

Whatever was going on now, it had to be important. Nothing was ever discussed in the Stewart family unless it was that significant.

"Sit," commanded Jules, as soon as Kristen stepped her foot in the living room. She noticed her brothers were not present. Where were they? As she was about to ask, her mother spoke again:

"We just had a call from your principal."

Kristen gulped, feeling a lump forming in her throat. She felt strange cold flashes through her body, but soon they were replaced with hot ones instead.

John continued: "He told us everything."

The principal had called indeed to inform Kristen's parents about Marley being excluded from the school for bullying.

"Why didn't you tell us?", Jules finished for her husband.

Kristen, who was now experiencing cold flashes, had wrapped her arms around her body as if she wanted to protect herself from everything, "W-who-who told you?", she stuttered.

John wanted to say that it didn't matter. Jules, as usual, spoke up before her husband:

"Okay, if it matters to you so much, it was some kid, named Anthony! Or was it Anton?"

Kristen gasped. How could Anton do that to her? She swore the next time she saw him, she would confront him. She was not going to let him get away with that easily.

"Anyways," John got the word from Jules, "Your mother and I decided that since this school is not good enough in protecting their students, it's best if you switch back to an alternative form of education. This time, however, you are going to be homeschooled."

"No!", the girl raised her voice. "You can't homeschool me! I want to attend a good school and be a valedictorian!"

Jules and John began a screaming match with their own daughter how homeschooling was the best option at this moment. They couldn't allow their child to be mistreated when she didn't deserve any of that. All Kristen could do was control her breathing and not allow her parents to see the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

When she was able to speak, she said:

"Why one day everyone tells me I am beyond amazing and then the next day they push me in a stack of mats? Or they spread rumours around how they would beat me up? Why is life like this?"

John and Jules were left stunned. So there was more? Now they really had to homeschool their daughter. That couldn't go on. They needed to know more. They needed their child to open up to them.

She was having none of that, however. She ran to her bedroom, where she cried herself to sleep, thinking how much she wanted her old self back - the one who had ambitions and passion. Now? She lived in pure fear.

The truth was that if Kristen got along with her parents better, especially since the previous month, she would have told them everything. She had decided to rely on another adult instead.

On the next morning, at school, Kristen spotted Anton next to his locker. Time to confront him. She took a quick step to him, managing to attract his attention.

"Anton Viktorovich Yelchin!", she almost shouted in his face,"How could you tell the principal?"

"It was the right thing to do!", he defended himself, unable to understand how come she would not see that if he had not done it, Marley would have beaten her up, possibly to death.

Kristen ran her hands through her hair, accidentally tugging on it, "My parents now want to homeschool me!"

Anton felt guilty. If Kristen was homeschooled the next school year, he would not see her. He lived on one side of the San Fernando Valley, while Kristen lived on the other. Just seeing each other around occasionally would nowhere near enough for him. Ever since April, Anton wanted to communicate more with Kristen, like the good old times. 

"I think you will thank me later," was all he could say. Part of him wished he could go to class and avoid Kristen through the day. But the bigger part wanted him to miss classes and stay with her all day.

A few students, probably seniors, passed them, discussing the upcoming prom passionately. That gave Anton an idea.

"How about we go to the prom together?", he asked, curious whether he would get a positive or a negative answer.

Kristen shrugged her arms. She had never thought about attending any social events related to school. Perhaps because she was still a sophomore and mostly kept to herself. "I guess. I mean, why not? I've never really attended any proms. Maybe it will be fun."

Her last words gave Anton hope. Maybe he could fix everything.