Dawn

VI

© 2014 by Mpule Clarke/cheeky_gurl

~EDITED~

Chapter 6

Daniel

I ran my hand through my hair for the tenth time since I was stood on the perch of the step hesitating to ring the doorbell.

"Hey," she said softy, tugging at the hem of her loose cardigan.

"Hey," I smiled nervously at her "Ready?"

"Yah."

I took her warm hand and led her to my car.

"So how's stuff?" I asked picking my words carefully, I knew how she could get.

"Um," bitten lip and nervous laugh "everything is fine, I guess."

I nodded tentatively at this.

Another wave crashed onto the shore and another moment passed for me to tell Dawn the truth.

"So," she breathed rubbing her hands together as a chilly wind blew "do you have a-any siblings?"

I guess I knew why she stumbled on the word "Are you cold?" I asked instead my eyes trained on her but her face was forward, facing the gleaming dark of the ocean, she shook her head.

"You do have...? Right?" her hands were under her thighs now pressing against the worn wood of the board walk.

"Um," I coughed "Yeah, I do actually, I have an older brother who's, um, married."

"Oh," was all she said as her shoulders fell.

I blew it, I had the chance to tell her the truth and I blew it. Daniel just spill it! But I didn't and it was too late now because she changed the subject and we were talking about movies and music and other things I already knew about her. She didn't know that I knew because I was a selfish asshole and I just didn't want her to leave me again.

The whole time when I was with Dawn all I could feel was the weight of being watched from a distance. I shuddered at the thought of the coffee shop guy 'I know a lot of things'. A shudder rippled through me as I stepped off of her porch a few minutes after her door shut behind her.

I remember the day she got called out of class, I never saw her until a few days later, and when I did she was barely alive; a live zombie. She only blinked and nodded and grunted. She didn't speak to anyone, not even me, I was the plague. She never looked me in the eye whenever she passed me in the halls or at church or in class. Every time I saw her she looked hollow and empty, I wanted to help her but I didn't know what I'd be helping her with... Until I heard the announcement the day she didn't come to school.

"Good day students," the solemn voice of headmistress Caesar sounded through the speakers during lunch "I am sorry to inform you about the great loss of one of our own and a great part of this institution they were. A moment a silence will be respected."

I remember thinking, screaming at myself for not figuring it out. My best friend's family died and I hadn't figured it out until a week later on the day of the funeral where I was at school and not there, comforting her.

The next day at school I remember seeing her and the first thing I did was walking up to her and hugging, I complimented her on her hair cut.