Share
Ryan: PTSD
“Ryan? Are you ok?”
I snap back to reality with Ms. Snow kneeling beside me. Ayo and Lucy are also crowded around my chair. For a second I don’t recognize where I am. I dimly register that I am hugging myself, shaking and crying. The thoughts of the trial had swept me away, completely overtaking my thoughts.
“Would you like to go to Mrs. Lewdwig?” Ms. Snow's voice is quiet, but the room is, too. I know that everyone is listening, watching, judging.
I nod. All my teachers know the situation and a plan is in place for me to leave class if I need.
“Ok.” She pats my hand. I flinch and shrink into myself. She immediately pulls away. “Ayo. Lucy. Can you take
Related chapters
Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Pizza
“Hey, what are you doing for lunch?” I ask Ryan as we’re packing up our instruments. Throughout the course of Band, she began to relax. She joked with Jax and me, seemed to get lost in the music, and kept throwing me these little smiles that made my heart race. She almost seems back to her usual self now. I'm happy to see her bounce back so quickly. “Um, nothing much. Just hanging with the girls,” Ryan says. “Do you want to come out to lunch with me?” “Where are you going?” “My mom made my favorite homemade pizza last night, so I was going to head home and grab some.”
Dissonance and Harmony Carter: The Kiss
I pull away and see her eyes flutter open. She gives me a confused, almost hurt look.“I’m not going to do anything unless you give me the go ahead, Ryan. Verbally. I’m not Tommy and I don’t want to give you a reason to confuse the two of us.”I release her and turn back to the dishes. After a few seconds, she stands beside me and grabs the utensils from the strainer, drying them. We work quietly for a while, only talking to tell her where things go.I’m unplugging the drain and rinsing off my hands when she says, “Hey, Carter. Can you help me out? I can’t reach where the plates go.”Sure enough, I turn to see her on tiptoes, trying to put the plates onto the shelf. I qu
Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Dickhead
Carter I hope that Ryan was able to focus better on her test than I was on my class. That kiss fogs my brain and I barely hear the bell ring when its time to leave. I meet Jaime and Patrick at our lockers, which are clustered around each other. “Hey, where’d you go at lunch?” Patrick asks. “Ryan and I had lunch at my house. Mom made pizza last night,” I say. “And you didn’t invite us?” Patrick says, aghast. “Did
Dissonance and Harmony Ryan: A Different Side
“Thanks, man,” Patrick mutters before clearing his throat. “So, I know that I’ve been really rough on Ryan in the past - “ “Pendejo,” Ayo mutters. “Ayo!” Lucy exclaims. “Let him talk.” “Fine,” Ayo growls. She folders her arms across her chest and glares at Patrick. “Go ahead.” Patrick's eyes widen and he stares at Ayo for a second. I realize that I don’t think that Patrick and Ayo have ever had an actual
Dissonance and Harmony Carter: The 'Rents
I take Ryan home after the diner. When we pull in, I can see that her parents are doing some yard work. Ryan’s eyes widen. “Shit.” “What?” I ask. “Look, I’m really sorry for whatever my parents are about to do or say.” I laugh. “It can’t be that bad.” Then I look at the fear on her face. “Can it?” By then, I’ve parked the car and her parents are walking over. “Just remember that you said you liked me. Yo
Dissonance and Harmony Carter: An Untold Secret
Mr. and Mrs. Miller turn to me and I steel myself for what will not be a pleasant conversation.“So, Carter,” Mr. Miller starts. “Do you know what Ryan has been through?”“She told me what Tommy did to her,” I reply. At the mention of his name, both Mr. and Mrs. Miller visibly flinch.“Has she told you anything about what happened after or about the trials?” Mrs. Miller asks.“Not really,” I shake my head. “I know that she had an episode today, related to her PTSD. I know that the episode was about the first trial and Tommy attempted to attack her then. I know that the episodes have been happening fairly regularly since that night. And I know that she has an appointment
Dissonance and Harmony Ryan: Explosion
“What about Final Fantasy?” Jake asks. “After dinner,” I say. Jake nods and plops down at the table to start his homework. Carter and I take our drinks out to the gazebo. Mom and Dad follow us outside a few minutes later. “So...how bad was it? Still like me?” I ask as we settle in the gazebo. “Brutal! I don’t know how I’ll ever recover,” Carter says melodramatically. “Hmmmm. I can think of a way to help.”
Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Don't Wanna Go Home
“I was put into Brook Haven for a month,” I said. The local psych ward. I mean, it made sense, since she tried to commit suicide. But I can’t imagine Ryan there. The people there have a reputation for being walking zombies. I can’t imagine this smart, funny, vibrant, beautiful girl stuck there.. “It was...hell. There was no privacy, no autonomy, no...control. Funny how the cure to my losing control of my body is for them to take control of my body.” She gives a mirthless laugh. Ryan sits up and I let her
Latest chapter
- Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Epilogue
- Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Just Us
- Dissonance and Harmony Ryan: Hate at the Surface
- Dissonance and Harmony Ryan: Detriment to Society
- Dissonance and Harmony Ryan: Arguments
- Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Show Time
- Dissonance and Harmony Ryan: Last Minute Pep Talk
- Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Morning Of
- Dissonance and Harmony Carter: Coda
