The Dancers ©

ᴥThe Secret Doorᴥ

Sapphire is the first one when we’re in our room to talk about the boys. “Thyme’s eyes are so beautiful.” My sisters and I look at Sapphire like she’s crazy. “Have you ever seen anyone with eyes so red? His eyes were redder than the darkest red rose in Agate’s summer garden.”

            Amber huffs as she says, “Yes, and I don’t think I want to see eyes like that any time soon. However, there were certain light brown eyes I wouldn’t mind looking at again.” I give Amber a warning look which she completely disregards. “And I will see him again. Once Dad is on his trip, I will see Basil a lot.”

            Emerald replies, “And what makes you so sure? What if Dad finds some way to still keep tabs on us even if he isn’t here?”

            Amber’s eyes look like fire in the dying sunlight shining in our room as she whispers, “Then we crush those tabs into little pieces.” Her whispers are furious and harsh as she says, “I don’t care what we have to do. I will see Basil again. I want to.” Then just as quickly as her harsh voice came, it returns to her insufferable one. “And you’re one to talk Em. Weren’t you talking to that guy by the name of Corey?” she asks.

            “His name is Coriander. And I had no choice but to talk to him. He was sitting right across from me. It would have been rude not to exchange a few words,” she says with her eyebrows knit together. “And besides, I don’t want to see him anytime soon. We have no common interests. None! He’s such a—”

            “Slacker?” I add. Emerald nods. Emerald and Coriander’s conversation was pretty stale. In fact, after they failed pinpointing any interests with one another, the Mayor started to talk in depth to Dad about the packing and traveling plans.

            “Too bad,” answers Amber by sticking out her tongue childishly at Emerald. “You’ll just have to deal when Basil come over.”

            “What?” I ask my younger sister. She rolls her eyes at me.

            “Tomorrow at school, I’m going to ask him over. You know that he’s going to our high school too right?” she says with her hands on her hips.

            “I’m still stuck on the sentence when you said that you were going to ask him over. Do you know Dad would seriously kill—someone if we did?” I turn around and shake my head as memories flash behind my eyes.

            I’m running away from Dad at fourteen for not doing my chore of washing the dishes. He bellows my name over and over and over. Then, I’m seeing red, blue, and green stars after my beating at twelve years old. Blackness overtakes my vision as I pray for the pain to be taken away. And this morning, being healed from serious kicking bruises by none other than Castor.

I sit down on my bed and feel so much pain, but no tears escape. I don’t cry because I have no tears. I don’t feel human anymore.

            Amber’s hand wraps around mine as she says, “Okay, fine. I won’t invite Basil over here. But, I want to invite him somewhere, so where should we go with them?”

            “We’re not going nowhere with them Amber. I’m not going to give Dad a reason to hurt any of you.” I stand up over my other sisters as I say, “And if I hear any of you inviting them anywhere you will have to answer to me.” I look at Amber in particular as I ask, “Understand?”

            She runs to her bed and stuffs her head in her pillow and screams into it. Talk about immature. The younger sisters walk towards her and rub her back as she continues to scream in her pillow.