Hello, This is DMR5Family. This is our first R5 related story. We hope you enjoy it! Thank you to XFeelXTheXLoveX for going over our story! Disclaimers: We do NOT own any members of R5 (no matter how much we wish we did!) We do NOT own R5 or Austin & Ally Songs. We only own the characters of ourselves, Ryder Rain Sun, Lauren, and Jess.
Chapter 1: At the Beginning: "Pass Me By"
Life does not always go according to plan nor does it go as one would want it to go. The Lynch family learns this first-handedly, both from conflict and experience. The Lynch family consists of: Mark and Stormie Lynch and their children Riker, Rydel, Rocky, Ross, and Ryland. Later on Mark and Stormie basically adopt Ellington Ratliff whom they all met when they moved. They had originated from Littleton, Colorado and moved twice afterwards.
Despite age differences, Ryland is extremely protective of his older siblings. He does not want them to get hurt when they were trying to help him; because they were trying to help him. Ryland's older siblings will always try to protect him as that is what siblings are truly for. The main reason for from Ryland and his siblings being protective of each other is from experience, because Ryland has been bullied for unknown reasons for several years now; most of his school life. Throughout the past schools that he's gone to, all of which he went to with his older siblings, either all of the siblings went to the same school, only in different grades than him. Or else only one or two of the older siblings went to the same school, but still in different grades than Ryland.
Ryland hadn't told either of his parents' and wouldn't have told his older siblings, had they not already known of what he'd experienced, from both 1) seeing the bullying first-hand but unable to stop it from happening each time. Second, they saw severe bruising over much of Ryland's skin and body. They knew even though Ryland tried to keep his feelings and pain of being a victim inside, in check, and solely to himself. He wanted to suffer alone, not wanting his siblings to get involved, or get hurt solely because of him. All of the siblings care deeply for the others in their own unique, special ways. Ryland is closest to Riker because of the large age difference between them. It seems a younger sibling is more attached to the sibling who is much older than themselves. Ryland is the youngest member of the Lynch family, but he is very mature for his seventeen years.
Because life is difficult, each member of the Lynch family and Ellington Ratliff, own their own journals. In these journals they write whatever they want. They write without fear of anyone else reading what they wrote, because they all have their own journals and because there is an unspoken rule amongst them that reading one another's' journals' is completely off-limits. The Lynch parents however, have made it known that whenever one of them might need to let go of something, they can read out loud to the others what they wrote. They however, rarely follow through with reading aloud to the others from their own personal and private journals. They would much rather keep everything to themselves, hiding it all until they can no longer handle whatever it is and they might explode if they don't get everything off of their chests'. The siblings already know one another surprisingly well enough without even needing to have read one another's' journals; even if they didn't know as much on one another as they do. They care about each other's private property too much to even think about reading one another's journal. They siblings also care for each other excessively. If they knew about a bad situation they would be quick to get their siblings out of it!
Mark and Stormie wonder about how their children (and Ellington Ratliff) will cope with all of conflict, varying and distressing emotions, all of their children are all going through. They are trying to help their children; they gave them a journal, and writing utensil, and told them to write every day they could. Mark and Stormie also tried to spend more time with their children and pseudo-child, Ellington Ratliff. They made certain to pay close attention to their children's' individual needs. They made sure to encourage them rather than discourage them. They wanted to become more open-minded in regards to their own children and be a larger part of their children's lives.
Mark and Stormie have their own journals and try to write in them every day that they could. They read some of their journal entries out loud, to encourage the others to read their own journal entries to the rest of them. This only works when they actually want to read their experiences out loud. What does each of them write about? This question is one that continuously swarms around Mark's and Stormie's minds. Their guesses for possible answers include memories; they wonder fearfully whether these are good or bad memories. They guess that their children's journals include hopes, dreams, wishes, and memories. These are just a few of the several questioning thoughts that constantly, ceaselessly, swirl around in a near never-ending cycle in their heads when they wonder about what their children could write about, that they would so stubbornly not want to read their journals to their own family. Mark and Stormie find out somehow what their children wrote in their journals. Somehow, whether it be by actually reading the youngster's' journals; even though that is a complete invasion of privacy. Otherwise, they could wait and read the journals if and when, (And only when) the children die. And that they probably wrote things much too personal for their parent's to know.
The Lynch family (not including Ellington Ratliff just yet) moved from Colorado to Richmond, Virginia. They decided to move to have a different perspective. They were hoping that their children would have better experiences in these new places. The real reason for the move; was Ryland. He was being bullied yet again, worse than before AND it was, every single day he had school which he and his older siblings all attended in Colorado. However, the parents' do not know at all about their youngest child being severely bullied every single day. The other children knew, because of this; hoping that things would change and they wanted to move.
The Lynch children also felt like they knew that they couldn't possibly tell their parents' the real reasons, why they so suddenly wanted to move, nor could they tell what was going on with Ryland, that he'd been bullied, and that they meaning the older Lynch children could do nothing to stop the severe bullying neither easily nor quickly, no matter how hard they tried. Ryland's older siblings discovered their younger brother was being brutally harassed and bullied every single day at school, because they still went to the same school. They learned he was being bullied by his own peers and even some teachers whom are supposed to protect him. They learned of this from actually witnessing it. However, they could do nothing to stop it each time, because of always being pulled back, away from the crowd forming around Ryland; in a rough grip by those trying to keep them from intervening.
So, each of them decided they wanted to find, and move somewhere smaller, more family oriented, and somewhere it would be less likely Ryland would be bullied, or at least he wouldn't be bullied as badly or as often. They tell their parents about their desire to move. Their parents tell them they will look into places that fit these details. They discover Virginia and decide to go on a few day trips as a whole family to these areas to find somewhere their children would enjoy living. Days pass and as the Lynch family is sitting down for dinner, their parent's tell them, "After dinner, we will have a family meeting."
The children were worried about what having a family meeting at that moment could possibly have meant, fearing they had done something wrong. Their fear and worry showed on their faces, and their parents', seeing the fear shining in their eyes, told them, "Don't you worry. This is good news, exactly what you'd wanted to hear a few days ago." Stormie stated calmly. "Exactly what we'd wanted to hear?" Riker questioned his mothers' wording. But then he thought back and remembered how he and his siblings had just yesterday, asked their parents about moving somewhere else; somewhere completely new, somewhere that was small and much more family oriented as well. The Lynch children still haven't told their parents' of the real reasons for why they wanted to move; Ryland's bullying experience.
The older Lynch children, thanks to their past of going to the same school(s) as their youngest brother for several years, have in the process of school years learned things their own parents' don't know. They learned, unlike their own parents,' and became very much aware of the severity of bullying their brother endured at the hands of peers. These were children whom should have been more understanding, or at least not so quick to judge or injure people for whatever reason.
The older Lynch children knew of the details and severity of the bullying mostly because of their going to the same school as Ryland, despite them being in different grades because of their ages. They were extremely fearful that the bullying could become even worse, if they continued going to that school. They were rarely able to properly protect their youngest sibling, because of Ryland's classmates stopping them from intervening, which angered them to no end. And so, they collectively decided, including Ryland in decision making, since he was the one most involved; that they wouldn't divulge their true reasons for wanting to leave to their parents.
Their reasons for not telling their parents of Ryland's bullying experiences were the children feared their parents' reactions. The children believed that their parents' would either: a) be angry at their children for not telling the truth earlier, or be angry at the children for not being honest with their parents'.
b) The parents' would be angry at themselves for not realizing or knowing what their youngest child endured every single day. They would learn that Ryland faced this abuse and bullying alone. c) The Lynch parents' would also be angry at the perpetrators and school for not stopping anything; they would likely want to enact revenge on both the school, and perpetrators, once they discover who these perpetrators were; which could cause trouble for them if they stayed in Colorado. Ryland doesn't know the reason behind his bullying or abuse. His siblings are always trying to keep him safe and to protect him. Ryland never told his parents' about his bullying experiences, even when it got really bad.
He was extremely reluctant to tell his siblings the truth even though they saw much of the mistreatment several times. He also told them the truth because of a lack of alternatives and they knew him well enough and saw when he tried to cover up his bruises. He couldn't lie to them, they just saw right through him, and were able to easily decide whether or not he was telling the truth, or lying.
Also they noticed when he began hating being away from them; he became jumpy, and terrified of every little sudden sound. So instead of getting revenge on the people caused the problem, they pack and move from one state to another, moving from Colorado to Virginia.
The Lynch family meets Ellington Lee Ratliff (and Ryder Rain Sun) (*I own Ryder, he is a character of my own imagination). They meet them at The Rage, a Dance Studio located in Richmond (It's really in California). The Rage Dance Studio is where the Lynch's' basically adopt Ellington Ratliff into their family as an officially unofficial member of the family. Mark and Stormie go to great lengths to legally adopt him and gain parental custody over him, even though he was close to being eighteen years old at the time. Ellington himself, just didn't enjoy being alone, lonely, and by himself; so, when he learned he would no longer have to be alone and take care of himself, and that he'd be a part of a family again, he decided to go for it; despite his age. He discovered he loved being with this family because there was never a dull moment in a home with so many people under the same roof! He rarely felt lonely, while he was living with the Lynch family; although he still feels as if he isn't fully a member of the family just yet. When they first met Ellington Ratliff, Ross and Rydel discover they might have feelings for Ellington Ratliff.
At the Rage dance studio, where the Lynch family first met Ellington, they meet another boy, Ryder Rain Sun, who works at the Rage Dance Studio. Ryder becomes a best friend of Riker's. And it is around this time when Riker realizes that he might be bisexual and he discovered at some point he fell in love with Ryder. Ryder and he became inseparable almost immediately after meeting. They become seemingly joined at the hip to the point that where one goes, the other will no doubt follow.
Ryder is a volunteer but professional Dance Teacher, older than Riker by two years, who is working at the Dance Studio in Richmond. He becomes Riker's first in several things. They become close soon after meeting. This close knit relationship which started between the two boys started much too quickly. And when this becomes more apparent, the relationship ends just as suddenly and quickly as it had originally begun. However, the deterioration of the relationship had been a steady fall downhill, but the break off of the whole thing still came as a shock to all the Lynch family members, including at this time, Ellington Ratliff.
Things end poorly for Riker, between him and Ryder when Ryder is reluctant to accept himself as being homosexual and so he tries to force down his attraction to males by being with a female. So Ryder cheats on Riker with a female. Another action that advanced the deterioration of the relationship was his being found out of his cheating on Riker by Riker's siblings, Rydel, Rocky, and Ryland. Ross was away with Ellington Ratliff at the time hanging out with one another. For this reason it had only been those three who discovered Ryder's unfaithfulness.
Then, Rydel, Rocky, and Ryland tell their older brother what they have learned about Ryder being unfaithful to him. Riker doesn't completely believe them, although he partially believes them for the sole reason that his siblings are the ones telling him this information. He knows that his siblings would not willfully lie to him. For this reason he believes what they are telling him. On the other hand, he doesn't fully want to believe that what they're saying is true, and he wants to see for himself that Ryder is cheating on him and he wants to know why he is doing it.
So, as he still doesn't fully believe them, he decided to go to see for himself if Ryder was lying and cheating on him at the same time. Riker finds out where Ryder is based on what his siblings told him. But when Riker gets there, he sees Ryder with a female, which Riker hadn't expected; the reason he was surprised is because his siblings hadn't specified the gender of whom Ryder was with because they could not see the face of the other person from where they had encountered Ryder and that person because Ryder's body was blocking their view of that person.
Riker wants to interrupt the moment the two are having, since the two are making out. Riker also wants to interrogate Ryder, but he decides against both thoughts, and instead runs off. Because of this, Riker never gets the chance to learn Ryder's reasons, especially since Ryder breaks things off with him the day after Riker learned of Ryder's unfaithfulness.
It is about a week later, while still living in Richmond, Virginia, Riker has one more (bad) dating experience, when he is in Richmond. This dating experiences is his second-ever dating experience this time it is with a girl, named Lauren Richardson. (*I own Lauren Richardson, she is a character of my imagination). They met in Richmond, learn each other's' names and get to know more about the other. Then they get together, and learn a lot about one another in their first few years of getting to know each other. The Lynch family actually stayed in Richmond for a few years; but then Lauren learns that she will have to leave Richmond, Virginia, because of an advancement in her fathers' work.
Both Riker and Lauren believe that long-distance relationships don't work out very well. So, Lauren decided to break up with him because she knows that they both believe that long-distance relations do not often work out that well. The end of their relationship was mutual so Riker was not hurt too much. However, it is at this same exact time that luckily, the Lynch family decided to move yet again. This time from Richmond, Virginia to Lynchburg, Virginia, because they decided collectively that they just needed a change; a change in everything, this would include grades, schools, scenery and the change of moving from a city to a country area.
What Mark and Stormie Lynch still don't know, is that even in Richmond, Ryland is still being bullied and mistreated by peers and teachers this being a completely different set of people than those from Colorado; and yet they mistreat him all the same.
The family decided on Lynchburg because for one the name is just perfect for them, they thought. But also because Lynchburg was smaller, and there is more historical significance in Lynchburg than Richmond. The reason for the move was similar to the last, but more because of the family getting bored of daily experiences in the same location after several years.
However, unluckily for everyone involved, it is in Lynchburg where Riker meets Jessica Blunter, who goes by the nickname, "Jess". Riker met Jess in the mall soon after the Lynch's moved to Lynchburg. He and Jessica last surprisingly long even when it became an abusive relationship later on, when the two got to know one another more. Riker somehow gets out of relationship with Jess; and finally dates Mari Asensio who becomes his first ever good, healthy relationship, in the end. The Lynch family, consisting of Mark and Stormie Lynch, and their children are now in Lynchburg, Virginia. The older of the children, Riker, Rydel, Rocky, Ross, (and Ellington Ratliff) are all attending College, their first Day at Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg Virginia.
Ryland is attending a High School nearby, E.C. Glass High School. Ryland is still extremely worried and nervous. Ryland is afraid because he'll be alone at a new school and won't know anyone there, his siblings won't be there and he's never known anything other than mistreatment at school, so he doesn't know what good treatment from peers and teachers feels like, nor does he even know the reasons for his torment. This new school (E.C. Glass) is where he and the others hope that he won't experience bullying, especially since his older siblings are no longer attending the same school as he.
Thank You for reading chapter one. We hope you enjoyed it. More is to come soon! Please review and comment. Tell us what you think. Did we make any grammatical errors or anything? If you notice this, please don't hesitate to tell us, we won't get annoyed. We actually need that sort of helpful criticism!