BRINK OF DAYLIGHT - b.madrigal

2.

Bruno and I had gotten closer as friends after his gift ceremony.  And it was true, we got older, we stayed friends. However, Bruno had gotten sadder as time went on. It turns out, I was his only happy customer. Everyone would blame their fortune on Bruno, and that he made their future bad. I would stick up for him, as would Julieta, but it didn't do much. People would continue to be mean to Bruno yet practically worshipping his sisters. Pepa wouldn't say much, because she didn't want a tornado to sprout if she even thought about yelling, but it would definitely bother her. Everything could bother her, it was obvious due to her gift. Julieta would be irritated by it to, but was more a voice of reason when they'd try to get physical with Bruno. Then there's me, arguing with anybody who even dared to say anything to his face. 

There was a time I was walking with Bruno, and a group of people were walking the opposite direction of us, and quickly scurried to the other side of the walk way. I was going to chew their ear off at how rude that was, but Bruno stopped me. I will never understand how he hated standing up for himself.

I'd try telling him that he needed to let people know that it's not his fault, but he'd dismiss it entirely, or agree just to appease me and get me to stop talking about it.

"Julieta!" I called out, running towards her food stand. She was busy feeding the hurt neighbors.

"[Name], I can't really talk now." She said softly, giving a man with a cold a galletas. 

"I know but I was just wondering where Bruno was, he wasn't in his tower!"

"He could just be hiding somewhere in the forest, he's been doing that a lot lately to avoid people asking for visions."

"Ah, thank you!" I said, turning on my heel to run off.

"Wait, [Name]" She said before handing her a couple of galletas. "This should make him feel better, he has been very sad lately- and you and a couple treat should make his day."

I smiled and headed off to the forest. 

"Bruno?" I called out. Nothing. I continued to venture deeper until I heard shuffling. Turning I saw a sad Bruno, hugging his knees while staring at the river below.

"Bruno!" I smiled, sitting down with him. 

"Oh! Hello [Name].." He said, giving a somewhat forced smile.

"What's on your mind?" I asked. 

"Nothing, just my last customer said some very cross things to me when I told him his vision." He huffed, turning his head to me.

"Oh.. what was the vision?" I asked.

"He'd gain a gut. That's all." He sighed.

I hummed a laugh, holding my knees too. "Well.. maybe this will make you feel better.." I grabbed a biscuit from the napkin and handed it to him. 

His eyes shimmered at it and began eating. "You know.. I don't understand why you're so nice to me."

"What? You're my friend! Why wouldn't I be nice to you?" 

"I-I know, it's just.. I don't know. You're just.. I don't deser.. Nothing.." He rested his chin on his palm.

"You seem like you have more on your mind than just clients.. I'm all ears you know.." I scooched closer.

He stared at me for a second before clearing his throat and looking away, obviously flushed. "It's nothing.."

"You sure?" 

"Yeah.. yeah I'm sure."

"Well.." I leaned my head on his shoulder, "You're pretty great.. I don't care what they say." My heart began to beat faster.

"Yeah?" He said softly, leaning his cheek on the top of my head. "You're pretty great yourself.."

"Oh! Have you made any new plays?" I asked, looking up at him. 

"Oh..? Oh! Yes actually! Okay, so, it's a story about two brothers who are murderers, and they love the same girl, so they fight to the death- and the girl tries to stop them mid-fight and gets murdered in the process... It's a lot more dramatic than I described it..."

"No-no! I like it! Tell me more!" I smiled with flushed cheeks, holding onto his hands.

And we spent the whole day like that. Talking and talking. The more he talked, the more my insatiable crush grew. There was just something different about him that nobody in our village could amount to. I truly cherished him.

Once the day set and the moon began to creep up the horizon, we had to return home, but we didn't. We'd spend the entirety of the late evening talking and laughing amongst ourselves.  

After a while we both started getting tired, leaning against each other and looking up at the stars. 

"You know, I don't think this whole gift thing is working out.." He said sadly.

"You think?"

"Yeah.. I try telling Mama about how I like theatre but brushes it off like I never said anything."

"She's been doing that lately hasn't she."

"Yes!" He quietly exclaimed. "It's like she doesn't even recognize how unhappy I am.."

"I'm sorry, Brunito.."

"Sometimes I just wish I'd wake up with no gift and I could pursue being an actor or something.."

"I think you'd be an amazing actor.." I yawned, looking over my shoulder to him.

"You think?" He grinned in surprise.

"Yeah! Who says you have to make everything about your gift? You can be anything you want, and you're extraordinary at everything, Bruno."

We both continued to stare deeply at each other. 

"[Name], I...I-"

"[Name]!" The sound of my father erupted through the forest and I quickly got up.

"That's my father, I must go!" 

"So soon?" 

"Bruno, It's dark out!" I giggled as he smiled. 

"I will see you tomorrow, I'm sorry to cut our conversation short!" I exclaimed while Bruno watched me run off.

My father rushed to me as I appeared out of the shrubbery, "Where were you?!" 

"I-I was just watching the river and I fell asleep!"

"Uh-huh, sure." He gave me a scorn look before walking home. I quickly followed.

The thought of what Bruno was going to say before my Father interrupted. It appeared in my mind again and again. Lord, help me. His fidgeting and blush was so cute. I can't help but be enraptured just by the tiniest things he does.  I hope that one day he views me the same way.