The Dream Life

Chapter 15

Aries winced in pain as his tutor smacked his hands with a wooden ruler. His tutor, Mister Strauss, looked down at the seven year old with disdain. "Why did you get this question wrong, again? We've gone over it several times," he scolded. Aries was currently studying philosophy, and his opinion on a certain topic was wrong. His bottom lip quivered. He needed to hold his tears in. If he cried, Mister Strauss would spank him. Aries looked out the window and saw Gemini playing in the garden.

Gemini was the son of the Duke's advisor. He was unique because he was born with albinism. He was wearing a straw hat, a plaid shirt, and jean overalls so he wouldn't get sunburnt. Aries watched with jealousy as he watched Gemini enter the building. The young boy was carrying a basket full of ripe strawberries. He scowled. "Pay attention!" Mister Strauss screamed as he smacked Aries's hands again. Aries screamed in pain. He held his hands together and close to his stomach. He could see his hands start to bleed.

"Mister Strauss! It hurts!" He cried. Mister Strauss clicked his tongue and shook his head with disappointment. Aries cried quietly as he ran out of the classroom. His hands were in a lot of pain. Tears ran rapidly down his cheek. It blocked his view, and he was struggling to see. He fell onto the ground when he bumped onto the ground. He cried loudly when his hands touched the cold tiled ground. "Ow! Ow!"

"Are you okay?" A soft spoken voice asked. It was Gemini, but Aries didn't know. Gemini kneeled down beside Aries and started wiping his tears away. Aries sniffled and looked at Gemini. Gemini had a kind smile on his face. He reached into his basket and handed a plump, big strawberry to Aries. Aries looked down at the strawberry. His breath shuddered as he tried to calm himself from crying. Gemini gasped and laughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry! Let's go to your dad!"

Aries shook his head. "He'll get mad at me for leaving class early!" He exclaimed. His father would punish him for not studying. He gave Mister Strauss to punish Aries for getting a question wrong or having the wrong opinion. Aries feared his father. He didn't want to be near his father. Gemini frowned. He nodded slowly. Aries furrowed his brows in anger. "Why can't you get smacked for being an idiot! You should've known that I can't hold anything!"

Gemini gasped. He shuffled away from Aries. Aries despised Gemini. "You get to have all the freedom in the world while I can't! Why?! Why?!" He screamed.

"I-I don't know!"

"Then go through my pain!" Aries screamed. "Get your filthy hands away from me! I don't want a commoner like you near me!" Gemini sobbed and nodded. He ran away from Aries, leaving the young boy alone in the empty and cold corridor. Aries breathed heavily. There was a knot in his chest, and a lump in his throat. Red was all he could see. He started bawling his eyes and covered his face with his bloodied hands. He didn't care anymore. No one loved him. Not his dad or Mister Strauss. The only caring person was his mother, but he was busy taking care of his younger brother.

Aries had no one to nurture him. Blood stained his face, and he looked out the window. Well, there was one person, but he scared the person away. His shoulders shuddered, and he shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry... I'm so, so, so sorry."

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Aries took a deep breath as he looked up at the ceiling. He rubbed his forehead in agony, trying to block that memory out of his head. He looked down at the person beside him and smiled gently. Gemini was sleeping soundly. He had a hand over Aries's chest. Aries rubbed Gemini's shoulder gently and looked back up at the ceiling. He was glad to have confronted his father and Mister Strauss, but he would still have nightmares about his childhood.

He didn't know what else would be needed to deal with his childhood trauma. He bit the inside of his cheek. Gemini slowly opened his eyes. He sat up and looked out the window of their bedroom. A sudden sadness overcame him, and he covered his face. He sobbed quietly as tears poured from his eyes. There was no reason behind his solemnity. He didn't know why he was crying.