"Siblings"

11

I don't understand him sometimes. It's like he's playing games or tricks on me.

He has come to me twice in the past week asking to escape out into the wilderness again.

I never deny him.

But there's also that girl. Ester. He hasn't spoken to her yet, but I see them together all the time. Spending time with her at lunch and sometimes in the mornings after we get dropped off by the bus.

I guess I should be glad he's making friends.

"So people can go to their," he stops and gestures to the field, "safe place and not have a reason right?"

The question took me off guard at first because neither of us had spoken since we got down here.

It was now late afternoon and the sun was beginning to set leaving swirls of yellow and pink in the sky. I was walking along the shore to the lake, trying my best not to fall in, and Oliver had his head stuck in between the pages of his journal. Writing, I assumed. We had just gotten home from school, and as soon as Father was out of hearing range, Oliver leaned in and asked if we could escape. I didn't question anything, just grabbed his hand and our sweaters and flew out the door.

I stumbled a bit before stopping my walking along the edge completely and turned to him.

"I mean, I guess." I shrugged. "Like I said, everyone has their reason no matter what it is. Different or the same. It;s just all up to the person I guess." I was hoping that answered his question because if I was being honest with myself, I didn't even have a real answer.

He nodded his head and mumbled something to himself before continuing with his nonsensical writing. It was silence for a while longer before he spoke up again.

"Do you wanna know why I feel the need to come?" he asked. Now I was completely listening. I looked at him fondly and nodded signaling that I did, in fact, want to know. I've wanted to know for some time now, just never felt it was the right moment to ask him about it. After all, I had talked about how a person's reason is a secret. That's why they never share it and no one ever knows what their safe place is. Then again, if Oliver was willing to share his reasoning aloud, I wasn't going to stop him.

"I need to process these things. There are these feeling that I have and I have no clue what they are or what they mean or anything about it really." he still hasn't looked up from his journal. "It scares me."

"Well," I started to butt my way in, "what is it you're feeling?"

"That's the thing. I don't know! I just feel feelings. I don't know..."

My mind started to churn with ideas of what this crazy boy was on about.

"What makes you feel that or those 'feelings'?" I asked trying to get more clarification on the subject.

He shook his head and scribbled something down.

"Her eyes..." he whispered.

I choked on my own breaths and stumbled yet again before leaning down next to him on the grass.

"Her...her as in Ester? Is that who this is about?" I asked. He looked at me with wide eyes and an expression that read shock. "She's practically the only girl I ever see you hang around. You've even brought her home before." By now he was full on blushing, a deep pink shade dusting over his cheeks.

He sighed, closing his journal finally and placing it on the ground next to him."I don't know what to do or how to handle this. It's something I've never experienced before."

I didn't know how I was supposed to help him out in this situation. I, too, have never had this problem before. They are always issues with stress, or my nightmares but never anything about feelings for another person.

"Well...does she know?" I asked trying to get more information. He shook his head and proceeded to bury his head in his hands, ruffling his hair.

"It's so strange, Melanie. It's all so new to me."

I sat down next to him on the grass and put my hands on my knees to help steady myself.

"And you're telling me this why?" It had come out much harsher than I intended, so I quickly placed a hand on his shoulder to offer some juxtaposition.

"I know it's supposed to be some sort of secret thing, but I feel like at least someone should know. And it sure as hell isn't going to be Father," he chuckled. I smiled slightly along with him.

"She's really amazing," he started. "I-I really really like her," and once again, he was blushed uncontrollably. I rested my head on his shoulder softly and he put him on top mine.

We were just staring out into the lake now. No one daring to speak and break the beauty of nature's silence. The sun was beginning to set when we had first arrived to by now it was far past the horizon. A few streaks of pink were still painted across the sky and the clouds were small and had broken, only letting a couple stars shine through.

Soon, I broke away from our position for fear that if I sat under the beautiful sky any longer, my eyelids would start to close. Oliver was resistant at first when getting up, the thought that he wanted to stay in this spot forever clear in his mind.

Unfortunately, I had to take his hand and pull him up off the dry grass, despite his silent protest, and guide us back towards the sidewalk that leads us home.

We walked side by side in the dimness of the night for halfway before I decided to speak again.

"Don't ever be afraid to tell me those things. I will always listen. Even if it seems like I don't"

He smiled at the ground, hugging his sweater tighter around himself (if that was even physically possible). Yet, he didn't say anything in response.

It wasn't until we were already climbed back into the warmth of my room that he whispered as he was exiting.

"Thank you for showing me the safe place."

*

*

Okay. So. This is a much shorter chapter than normally.

And.

I also feel terrible for updating so late. It does take a time to write these things, especially since I'm in this thing called 'school'.

so yeah.

Enjoy and vote! :)