I know everyone is waiting for 'Dear Ariel', but this time I'm sticking to a very strict posting schedule for a few reasons. First of all, the chapters are longer and take more time to write, so I want to stay 2-3 weeks ahead so I don't run myself into the ground. Second, the editing takes time, and thirdly, I'm chronically depressed and sometimes need to go outside and scream at the ocean. I live in Michigan though so...there's no ocean.

In any case, there are a lot of Ariel scenes in Dear Ariel, but today I'm going to share a Rylee scene with you. Enjoy

Rylee watched in the mirror as Tori slid into the bathroom behind her and studied her reflection. She’d done her hair in the same way as always, even though Tori always told her to try something new. Now, she stood in front of the mirror, scrubbing her teeth with the pink toothbrush Tori’d just gotten her. The bathroom was silent, save for the regular brushing sounds; Rylee threw an occasional glance at Tori as she ran her fingers through her newly-brunette hair and scrutinized her outfit choice in the mirror.

“You really have to try something different,” Tori remarked. “We buy you so many outfits and somehow you always manage to go the conservative route. She nodded to Rylee’s outfit which consisted of a lightweight maroon hoodie and a knee-length black skirt atop a pair of leggings. “Always the leggings…”

“I have more to hide than you do,” Rylee muttered; a stark reminder to Tori that she was transgender, and hiding her identity, especially in a high school, was paramount.

“You pass better than you think, Rylee,” Tori reminded her. “If you could fool me for two months-”

“I wasn’t fooling you!” Rylee suddenly snapped, spinning around, and then stumbling back into the vanity as her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry, Tori, I didn’t mean to-”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay!” Tori smiled widely and reached a hand out, lightly rubbing Rylee’s arm. “You’re allowed to get mad, okay? I said something stupid; you weren’t fooling me, this is who you are, okay? I’m glad you corrected me.”

“You’re stressed, you’re nervous, you’re in a pretty scary situation; high school is hard enough for normal people, Rylee. If you weren’t freaking out a little I’d think you were a sociopath or something.”

Rylee’s knees wobbled and her vision blurred as she stumbled again, saved only by the vanity behind her. Tori grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, embracing her in a comforting hug before guiding her out of the bathroom and toward the living room. She didn’t quite make it; her knees buckled and Tori carefully guided her to the floor, leaning her against the wall as she drew her knees to her face and wrapped her arms around them. She rocked back and forth, whimpering into the folds of her skirt while Tori crouched down beside her and lightly touched her shoulder, careful to give her space.

“Rylee?” She said softly. “Sweetie?”

“I thought I was going to get hit,” Rylee’s voice was muffled by the cotton material; Tori could tell she was on the verge of tears. “When I yelled at you I thought…”

“Those days are behind you, Rylee,” Tori reminded her, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “No one will ever hurt you again.”
It wasn’t something she could believe; wave after wave of violent flashbacks invaded her waking mind as she sat there gripping her shins and rocking against the hallway wall. That time in her bedroom when she’d slammed the door, that time when her father had stormed into the bathroom, pinned her behind the bathroom door and shaken her until she screamed. The same faces, the same locations, years apart; the same open palm coming down across bare skin, the same voices screaming. Years removed but still fresh in her mind. Finally, she managed to look up and to her right, into Tori’s softened eyes as her breathing normalized.

“Sorry,” She managed to choke out. Tori shook her head.

“Never apologize, sweetie,” She pulled Rylee into a tight hug and planted a kiss on the top of her head. “Do you want to stay home today?”