Discovery. Flower Crowns And Stars Prequel

Chapter 13

Dan didn't want to go home.

The sun was rising, creating a soft red/pinky glow. It was absolutely beautiful but it meant school started in a few hours.

Maybe he could just stay outside and skip school.

That probably wasn't a good idea if he had just almost got excluded. So, he pulled himself up and wandered back down to the base of the hill. There was a patch of flowers at the bottom which were extremely pretty. Although common, they were beautiful. Dan wavered a smile and he walked down the road, taking in the natural beauty of the world.

He got home to find his parents were already up. Both were in the kitchen, frowns on their faces as they talked away. They hadn't noticed Dan trying to sneak past so they carried on their conversation. Dan's head lifted up as he heard his name. As bad as he felt, he edged closer in curiosity and pressed his ear against the wall.

"We should force Dan into seeing a therapist." Dan's dad said, making Dan's eyes widen.

"I agree. He obviously needs to talk to someone. He's too secluded." The colour drained from his face at his mum's response.

"And we can't have him hurting anyone else. Just because yesterday was the first time it happened, doesn't mean it will be the last."

"Yeah, maybe he needs more than a therapist... He could..." Dan's mum choked out a sob, making tears fill Dan's eyes too. "...Hurt himself."

"He won't do that."

"He might... How do we know he hasn't already? He never talks to us about anything."

"I know-"

"Are we bad parents? Is this our fault?"

"No, it isn't. We did nothing wrong."

"Then why doesn't he trust us?"

When his dad didn't respond, Dan wanted to chip in and say that it wasn't their fault- he was just scared! but all he could do was stay silent as quiet tears fell down his cheeks.

Maybe Dan was just a burden to his family. He was upsetting them, wasn't he? If he didn't exist, they wouldn't be crying. Dan looked at himself: his knees against his chest and tear tracks down his cheeks. He was pathetic, wasn't he? He was weak too.

Dan was so busy crying that he didn't notice his parents leave the kitchen.

"Dan?" His mum gasped once she saw her son.

"I'm sorry, mum and dad." Dan wailed, more tears falling down his cheeks. "I'm just a burden and I'm in your way... I'm so sorry." Dan couldn't stop crying and he was hyperventilating like crazy. "You would both be better if I wasn't here." Dan's mum bit her lip, bending down to Dan's height and looking into his shiny eyes.

"None of what you're saying is true. We love you so much, okay?"

"I'm sorry." Dan was a mess, wasn't he? Here he was, wailing as he rocked back and forth.

Maybe he did need a therapist.