Tayler walked up to the car and shrugged at Kelianne before getting in and leaning back against the seat with a sigh.
Kelianne: "Is he coming?"
Tayler: "Nope. I tried and he doesn't see a point."
Kelianne: "So he's just going to give up and lose everything?"
Tayler: "He knows he already has lost everything."
Kelianne: "You and I both know that's not true. You're going to forgive him eventually. He's your best friend, Tay."
Tayler: "He was sneaking around behind my back to hookup with my sister."
Kelianne: "I think they actually have feelings for each other is the saddest part."
Tayler: "He just told me that he's in love with her..."
Kelianne gasped in shock: "Tay, you have to give this kid a break. He's never had anyone in his life give him that."
Tayler: "Fine. I'll talk to the principal, but I can't let him near her. He's determined to lose himself and I can't let him take her with him."
Kelianne kissed him with a smile: "I knew the man I loved would do the right thing."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Principal: "Mr. Hall isn't joining us today?"
Tayler: "You have to listen to the whole story. No one attacked that kid unprovoked. He drugged my sister at a party and tried to-"
Principal: *interrupting* "I'm sorry, but I can't make my decision based on things that happened off school grounds."
Kelianne: "He isn't even a student here. He showed up with the purpose of assaulting her here on school grounds and that's what he did when the boys stopped him."
Principal: "I'm sorry but without proof of that my hands are tied. We have a strict no violence policy and maybe if the charges end up getting dropped then I'll have a chance with the school board since all the student witnesses told the same story you did."
Tayler started to fess up and Kelianne squeezed his hand to silence him. Him confessing wouldn't get Bryce out of trouble and their best shot at helping him was by being in good standing with the school.
*Later that night*
Kelianne: *walking down the stairs* "I tried. She won't come down."
Josh: "It's movie night, I even rented her fav."
Nessa: "Has anyone talked to Dixie? Maybe she could-"
Josh: "Dixie was just here this morning and she wouldn't even roll over and acknowledge it."
Tayler: "I'm really worried about her, I just wish there was something we could do."
Nessa: "Well that's BS. You know exactly what she needs but no offense, you're just being too selfish and foolish to stop keeping it from her."
Tayler: "How in tf would Bryce help anything? He's so messed up he can't even help himself?"
Josh: "Maybe we should call and see if he would at least talk to her."
Tayler: "Absolutely not."
Nessa: "Maybe it's time to tell your parents the truth that she's not just sad because her and Nick broke up. She needs real help to get through that kind of assault."
Josh: "No, I know her. If we brought them in on the truth she would never forgive us and then no one would have a chance to reach her."
Kelianne: *finally speaking up* "Has it ever occurred to you boys that they need each other and all the bad is coming from keeping them apart."
Tayler: "That's the dumbest th-"
Josh: "Dude..."
Tayler: "What? No. None of this would have ever happened if he was as capable of protecting her as you all seem to think."
Josh: "She's our sister. It's our job to keep her safe, not Bryce's. If we can't do that without making her this miserable then we're no better than any other dude that hurts her."
Tayler: "WTF, I thought you hated him."
Josh: *grabbing Nessa's hand* "Yeah, well maybe I'm too busy being happy to hate anyone anymore."
Tayler gave up and exhaled a deep breath before heading up the stairs with Josh right behind him. His sister laid in her bed, wrapped in blankets clutching the stuffed animal he'd given her for her birthday. She was wearing a hoodie he recognized as Bryce's. He thought about turning around and letting her sleep but Josh pushed him forward.
Tayler: "She's finally getting some sleep, I don't want to wake her up."
Josh sat down next to his sister and shook her awake as Tayler sat on the opposite side of the bed and sighed in defeat.
She shot sitting up: "Is it Bryce? Is he okay? Did something happen?"
Tayler: "Nothing happened. I met with the principal and he isn't willing to reconsider expelling Bryce right now."
She laid back down and covered her face with her blanket and started to cry again.
Tayler: "Is there anything you can think of that might be able to get through to Bryce?"
Josh rolled his eyes at his brother and added: "What he means is do you think YOU might be able to get through to him?"
You: "What could I possibly say if the principal made up his mind?"
Tayler: "If you're willing to tell the truth about what Ryland did to you then we could get Bryce's charges dropped and if those are dropped the principal will petition the board to reverse his expulsion."
