34 | Therapist

                                    

                                          


As Ryder's car disappeared down the road, Levi shook his head, frustration tightening his jaw. He glanced over at Dr. Quinn, who was still observing the scene with quiet contemplation.
"Don't worry about Ryder," Levi muttered, crossing his arms. "He won't be here for too long anyway."
Dr. Quinn raised an eyebrow, catching the edge in Levi's voice. "I see," he said carefully. "Sounds like there's a lot of tension there."
Levi gave a small, dismissive shrug. "He's complicated, sure, but I've got bigger things to focus on—like my brother, Kai. He's the one who really needs help, and it's been... a struggle to get him to even consider talking to someone."
Dr. Quinn nodded thoughtfully. "That's common with trauma survivors. The idea of being vulnerable, especially in front of a stranger, can feel impossible."
Levi and Elias stepped into the house, the comforting aroma of breakfast lingering in the air. 
As they made their way into the kitchen, they found Kai seated at the table, picking at his food absentmindedly. 
Across from him, Kaleb was animatedly recounting a story, his hands gesturing widely as he talked. 
But it was clear Kai wasn't fully tuned in—his gaze was distant, his fork moving slowly, as if he wasn't even aware of the food in front of him.
Kaleb noticed them first and waved. "Eli! Didn't expect to see you here so early." He grinned.
"Morning, Kaleb," Elias greeted with a friendly smile, then turned his attention to Kai, who glanced up from his food as if noticing them only now. 
Kai's expression was blank for a moment, his guarded eyes flicking between Levi and Elias.
"Hey, Kai," Levi said, keeping his tone casual as he took a seat across from him. "This is my friend, Eli. He just stopped by, thought he could join us for breakfast if that's alright with you."
Elias took a seat beside Levi, giving Kai a warm, unassuming smile. "Nice to finally meet you, Kai. Levi's told me a lot about you."
Kai's gaze dropped to his plate, and he shifted uncomfortably, his shoulders tensing. "Yeah, you too," he muttered, barely glancing up.
Kaleb, sensing the tension, jumped in. "Eli's pretty cool, Kai. He's been friends with Levi for a while." Kaleb leaned forward, offering Elias an encouraging smile. "He's not as boring as some of Levi's other friends."
Elias chuckled softly, catching the slight edge in Kai's posture. "I'll take that as a compliment, Kaleb,"
As Elias laughed, Kaleb leaned in with his usual easygoing grin, directing his comment at Kai. "You know, Eli and I used to hang out all the time back when I didn't have school to worry about. Must be nice not having to stress about exams and classes, huh, Kai?"
Kai's hand stilled on his fork, and his jaw tightened as he looked up at Kaleb, an uncharacteristic sharpness flashing in his eyes. He let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Yeah, I guess it is. Must be nice to live a life where your biggest worry is a test."
Kaleb's smile faltered, a hint of confusion crossing his face. "I didn't mean it like that, Kai. I was just saying—"
"Of course you didn't," Kai snapped, his voice low but laced with anger. 
"You never mean anything. You live in some perfect little world where everything is handed to you, where your only problems are school and friends. You don't know anything about what it's like to actually suffer."