𝒀𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓♡︎ //𝐊𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧

03| 𝑶' 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏

March 6, 2028
Ryan's POV

Mom and Ric stayed back at school for a teacher's meeting while I drove the twins home after school.
Now we're all scrammed across the kitchen. It's Josie's turn to cook tonight and she's making me and Lizzie help her with it.

The entire day, I couldn't get the Mikaelsons out of my head. They're back in town and from the looks of it, mom and Ric have known for a while. Why didn't they tell us?
And Hope is a Mikaelson? Does she know her dad's history with mom? Didi she know who we were when we met at the Grill?
I wonder the twins know the full story or even any of it. Mom never talks about them, even when Lizzie and Josie would ask her questions about Uncle Kol's family and what not. She barely talks about them and even when she does, its precise and non-informative. I, however, know the entire story because Ric and Uncle Damon thought I was old enough to join them on their adventure trips and on one such trip, they started talking about the Klaus Mikaelson, his family and how they had hurt mom in the worst way possible back when she needed them the most.

"Earth to Ryan!" Josie yells, to get my attention.
I shake the thoughts out of my head and turn to her, "yeah sorry, I phased out. What were you saying?" I ask.
"I was telling you that Josie's performance is at 6 so don't miss it!" Lizzie answers.
"Yeah don't worry I won't miss it."

Just then, we hear the main door open. Guess mom and Ric are finally home. They walk into the kitchen and mom sits down on a stool on the opposite side of the counter, greeting the twins. She doesn't even spare me a second glance. Great, she's mad!
I look at Ric for her but he just gives me a sympathetic smile.

"Okay mom, enough with the silent treatment!" I interrupt Lizzie, who was rambling on about the shows decorations.
Mom turns to look at me but doesn't say anything.
"I'm sorry for the way I behaved today, okay? I mean, yeah they deserved it. You can't deny that but I know you didn't raise us to be rude and
I am sorry for not listening to you," I apologize.

"Ooo, did Ryan mess up this time?" Lizzie chimes in with a teasing tone while Josie glares at her.
I ignore her remark and wait for mom to say something.
"Okay," is all she says.
"Okay? That's all you're going to say? No screaming or grounding?" I ask her, surprised.
"You're 17, Ryan. I can't ground you anymore. And you're 17, you should know better than lash out on someone the way you did when you had to right to. But I can't change what has already happened. So I'll wait for you to learn from your mistakes," she replies nonchalantly.

"I had no right to? How could you say that? They're the Mikaelsons, mom! We all know what they did to you and you're telling me I had no right to hate them?" I exclaim.
The twins wear a shocked look on their faces, especially Lizzie. Mom looks frustrated while Ric just stands and watches the scene unfold.

"The Mikaelsons? As in Hope's family? Mom, you knew them from beforehand? Why didn't you tell us that? And what does Ryan mean by 'what they did to you'?" Lizzie throws in one question after the other.
"Lizzie maybe this isn't the right time to talk about this," Josie tries to stop her but mom speaks up just then.

"Look. I don't know how you kids know so much about this situation, although my money is on Damon. But I want you to remember something very clearly because I'll only say it once: you do not have to fight my battles for me! I get it, you're protective over your mom and I'm lucky to have such amazing kids as you three but you can't go around carrying my hate. In fact, no I don't hate them. Whatever happened is in the past, my past, not yours. How I behave with them is my choice and rest assured, I know how I will handle these situations by myself. You don't have to hate them and you shouldn't, especially not Hope. She's innocent in this and doesn't deserve to get caught up in the middle. None of you kids do. So I expect you all to be civil towards them and let me handle the rest. Is that clear?" mom asks in a stern manner.