The Deafening Dark

The Light

Stereo-typically, it was a normal day ; Like every other day in my life.  I was out in the meadow, dreaming my life away.  The wind sang in the grass and the trees while the rhythmic beating of wooden swords stayed steady and strong.  Almost everyday, my brother would go out into the meadow to fight and practice with his friends.  And almost everyday I went out and watched.  It intrigued me.  I thought I couldn't have ever dreamed of being someone half as great as him.  I enjoyed watching all of the fights.  Our cousin, Mason, would come over and participate in a few matches with Skylar.  Mason and Skylar were very alike. Although Skylar was a little taller and buffer, Mason was older and wittier.  It was a fairer fight whenever they went head-to-head.  My favorite matches were probably those in which Dae and Sky went up against each other.  Dae was smaller than Skylar.  Even though Dae was slightly less skilled I still enjoyed watching and voting for him nonetheless.  Skylar was always focused and boring when he fought.  But Dae had fun.  He'd call out each move whether it was his own or Skylar's.  He'd even call me out turning a page or scratching my eyebrow.  Dae would purposefully fail to be humorous.  Occasionally, when he fell, he'd look over at me and smirk.  And if he was feeling particularly cocky that day, he'd even wink.  Usually, I would just go back to reading my book and play it off like nothing happened ; to hide my rosey cheeks.  One day, Dae and I were walking around the boundaries of the forest.  I was talking about how beautiful the outdoors were with no other people.  How the plants danced and the wildlife sang.  I opened myself up to him and he laughed.  He chuckled to himself while I was talking.  I stopped cold and he walked a couple steps before stopping.  He laughed a little and he said, "What's wrong?".  I just sort of scoffed and started walking out toward the field.  "Hey! What'd I say?" He said.  "You're laughing at me.  Forgive me if I find that a little rude," I said sarcastically.  "Sorry, I just- All the girls I know hate the outdoors," he said, stepping closer to me.  "They hate getting dirty.  All they wanna do is stay inside." That seemed preposterous to me.  There was so much joy out in the world and they didn't want any part of it.  I was kind of on my own in that thinking.  That thinking as a girl, anyway.  "You're not like everybody else.  I just found it funny how different you are, that's all," Dae said, still with a laughing spirit.  "So who I am is funny to you?  Okay, ya I totally get it," I scoffed.  "Whoa, somebody needs to chill," he said, walking over to meet Skylar for their first match.  I didn't care if Dae was trying to compliment me or just innocently noticing something, it was rude and I wasn't going to let him go so easily.  I didn't want to give him any attention for however many matches they'd do that day.  Even though I wanted to look at the way his hair moved through the wind, even though I wanted to see his heart melting smile and sparkling eyes ; I had to stay strong and not let him win.  He kept looking up at me, trying to make me forgive him with just a smirk.  (He knew my weaknesses.)  I just kept staring down at my book.  I hadn't turned a page in three and a half matches.  The book wasn't very interesting anyway.  It came to the tie-braking match and I decided to actually watch that one.  I stood up and brushed myself off.  They fought with everything they had.  I would've too if the price was the others' desert.  I was only up and close for a few moments before Dae had grounded my brother.  Dae was praising himself while Sky sat up and tried to catch his breath.  "Alright, alright.  You win," sky said, pausing to stand up.  "You get my desert." Dae looked triumphant for a moment, especially with the sun shining on his face.  He smirked and winked and I suppressed the blood from rushing to my cheeks.  I rolled my eyes and turned to face Sky.  Dae kept looking at me, though.  His look lingered longer than I would've liked.  He was waiting for a reaction from me.  I refused.  He lightly laughed and looked at Sky.  "Nah," Dae said.  Sky and I were both equally confused.  Dae LOVED my Mother's deserts.  I didn't know anybody that wouldn't want any extra if they could get their hands on it.  Dae looked back at me and said, "I think your sister deserves the extra desert.  After all, she had to put up with us her whole life.  She should be appreciated once in a while." I loved Mother's deserts and would have gladly taken an extra, but I couldn't let Dae win.  And besides, I ate enough anyways, I didn't need any extra food to make me fat.  "I'm good. Can't have too much food, might be bad for my health." I started walking towards home.  Dae stood in amazement and then jogged up in front of me.  He stopped and faced me.  He stared and then he frustratingly proclaimed, "Bad for your HEALTH?!" Dae stopped me again when I tried to keep walking.  "If ANYTHING, you would need more food for your health.  You are a healthy, amazing and beautiful young lady," Dae said, turning pink and biting his tongue.  That would have been a lovely color pink to have a dress in.  Skylar chuckled, as did I, under my breath.  Dae stuttered, "What I mean is ; you deserve that extra desert and extra desert, you. Shall. Have." Dae finally turned to go inside.  "What I really mean is ; I love you, Fallon!  I want you to have my food, beloved," Skylar said, mockingly.  I heard Dae roll his eyes from outside.  I started to say, 'He has never said anything like that and certainly doesn't feel that way.' But Sky continued by mocking me, saying, "Oh, Dae! My dearest, I've spent all of my days staring at you in awe and now you finally show your love with an extra desert.  It couldn't mean more to me.". He mocked both of us.  Skylar laughed while Dae and I did not.  Of course, Dae had to pipe in to mock me too, saying, "Fallon doesn't talk like that!  It's more like 'Oh, Dae.  I love you but I'll pretend I hate you and deny my feelings. *sob* I'm too fat for you and the desert." I was pretty fed up with them so I may or may not have shoved Skylar and opened a door on Dae's head.  Anyways, dinner was rather quiet.  Usually there was more talking and laughter. 
After I had cleaned up, Dae came and leaned all cool like up against the doorway.  He stared at me like I had to admit he was right about something.  Like I had to proclaim my love for the boy.  I decided that I couldn't take anymore of his cockiness.  I went up, close to his face and grabbed the collar of shirt and pulled him down as I rose up on my tiptoes.  I pulled him closer, then... "If I cared about you, if I loved you as more than just another brother, I would not act the way I do when I'm around you.  Understand me?  You mean nothing to me.  You make all of your jokes and flash me smiles and you wink at me.  But you're just making a fool out of yourself.  I. Don't.  Need.  You.  I don't love you and you're NOT my DEAR. Is that clear?" I waited.  Dae gulped, swallowing everything I had just said to him and completely missing every bit of it.  He leaned in closer to me and closed his eyes and... I punched him in the nose.  "OW! What was that for?!" Dae said, stumbling.  I felt a little guilty for punching him so I wasn't just gonna leave him there.  I pried his hands off of his nose to take a look.  "Is it broken," Dae said, whimpering a little.  I rolled my eyes.  "I'm flattered that you think I'm strong enough to brake a nose, but, no, it's not broken." Dae smiled.  He saw that I was actually checking his nose.  He gave a look that reeked of flattery and pity.  "Awww, you do care about me," Dae said, looking at me.  I stammered,"N-no, I just don't want you to-" "Be hurt?" Dae cut in.  He smiled at me generally for once and took my hands from his face.  "Wherever we're going, whatever we face, I know I'll come home to the girl who thinks of me as a brother and tried to break my nose.  Twice." We both laughed.  He still held my hands as he said, embracing me, "I'll miss you."