Dolan twins little sister

· Adulting Anxieties ·

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Alyssa's POV

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"The PSAT's are very very important...."

I shift my eyes to the clock and groan. Still forty minutes to go, It's Monday and all I want to do is go home and cry. School makes me so upset. The environment, chemistry class and the overall pressure of applying to colleges are putting me on the edge.

A practice PSAT booklet gets dropped on my desk and I look through the first few pages. Panic settles in my chest as the questions seem impossible to answer.

I shut my eyes and try to breathe but I just feel light-headed and sick. Without a word, I pick up my bag and walk out of the classroom. The teacher tries to stop me but I run up to the counselling offices and lose her.

Penelope (the guidance counsellor for my class) calls Grayson and lets him know what's going on.

***

Twenty minutes later I'm in Grayson's car and we're headed home. He tries to talk to me and ask what went wrong but I bury my face in my sweatshirt and refuse to speak.

"Alyssa, honey, you're starting to worry me," Grayson sighs. "If you can't talk to Ethan and I then who? You can't continue like this. Teachers need you in class. It's crucial that you're doing everything you have to do to get into a good college"

"It's hard," I sniff, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "I don't wanna do it"

"It's inevitable, Aly," Grayson says. "You have to do it"

"But I can't! Why don't you get that?"

Grayson looks at me for a second before looking back at the road. He looks surprised at my sudden outburst and I whimper as a wave of anxiety hits me again.

"Alyssa, you're more than capable of getting the highest grades. Your doubt and the fear of failure is what's stressing you out"

"It's easy for you to say, Grayson. You're smart and you and Ethan were straight-A students. I'm the idiot of the family"

"You're not!" Grayson says firmly. "Don't talk down to yourself like that"

"How am I supposed to live up to your expectations? It's been a month since school started and I'm already failing half my classes"

"You're not failing," Grayson says calmly, shutting his eyes for a split second.

"Oh, yeah? Okay, then don't be surprised when you see D's and F's on my report card"

"When we get home you need to lie down and rest," Grayson speaks, using a gentler tone. "You're panicked and irrational right now"

I lean back against the car seat and shut my eyes. I feel tears fall down my face as I bite my lip trying not to make a sound.

Grayson takes my hand in his and squeezes gently.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Ethan and I got you"

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When we get home, I change into sweats and one of Ethan's sweatshirts. I then curl up on the living room couch with Grayson and shut my eyes. I'm exhausted and I could use an escape from my mind.

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Grayson's POV

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I run my hand through Alyssa's soft hair and down her back in attempts to comfort the young girl. I've never seen her so upset before and I'm starting to think that Ethan and I are putting on immense pressure with our rules.