Striped Colors

Prologue

Stanley stood there, in front of his whole entire family. Yet he couldn't utter a single word.
He found it hard to breathe. Let alone speak. He scraped his tuxedo sleeve across his cheek, trying to pull himself together. He'd have to speak to others sometime soon; he needs to sound decent while doing so.

But how will he go on? Dad never understood him like Mother did.
Sweet, sweet mother...only she gave kisses that worked like magic, and only she would cook his favorite dish. Dad didn't know. Dad will never even try.

"Just keep strong, Stan. You knew this day would come. It just....came a little earlier than expected." Dad mumbled, resting a large, weary hand on Stanley's shoulder. "You know she asked you not to cry, Sta--"
"I-I Kn-know! Just.....ugh...dad.." Stanley whispered. His father was always right, but that didn't mean he wanted him to be.
Stanley sobbed as quiet as he could, but still was the loudest of all mourners. He even gained stares from the vacant eyes of the younger cousins who were only attending because of his aunts and uncles. Half of them never met the wonderful woman Stanley was blessed to call 'mother'.

Stanley wished he could just scream at everyone in the whole memorial service, because they didn't know, they probably dont care as much as Stanley did. They never visited mother, why are they doing so now? Stanley's father wasn't able to understand. He was hardly ever going to see him because he'll have to work. He'll be all alone.

Stanley sighed mournfully, one hand covering his now soul-less eyes. Every tear that would spill out were his last bits of joy left.

It was Stanley's turn to go up on the podium and say some words to his 'family' members about his loving mother...

He staggered up to the podium. He clenched his fists upon the fine wood, and breathed.

"L-Lucy Gonther was a very caring woman. Mom. Friend. She d-died peacefully, but to my father and I, it was painful. She was the only one that a-ac-accepted me, l-listened to me, understood me. It's not fair at all that she had to d-die like this," He started choking up, trying not to cry and make his father, or his mother, disappointed. "It's not fair. T-the fact that her...only... her only son, watched her d-die at his arms. I loved mother, I want her back. Please..."

With that Stanley fell to the ground, crying his eyes out uncontrollably.

Everyone left, patting Stanley on the back while he cried in front of his mother, hugging at her pearl white casket. Even his father left, which left him completely alone, except for his mother's soul. And the whole time, his father was really watching him through a crack between the doors.
×~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~×
Somewhere else, way out yonder, there was a boy, eagerly scribbling into a worn down book, with his favorite quill pen gliding across the thin paper.
A slight smile was etched across his face. Once he'd realized he was grinning, he cleared his expression.

Knock knock Knock!
A servant had come to check on him yet again. Is there ever a moment where he'd be left alone???
"Excuse me, Daniel S-sir..."
Daniel jumped and quickly hid his journal(he knew it was actually his diary, but Daniel refused to believe that).

"Ahahah...hi, Mary-Lou..." he whispered ever-so-quietly, softer than a breath. Sometimes Daniel wondered if everyone even heard him properly. Maybe that's why he can't hold a conversation for very long...

Mary-Lou sighed loudly. "Uhm. Hey. Do you...er...wanna do, like, anything today? Or, are you gonna stay cooped up in here again, readin' that wierd old boo-". Daniel cut her short.

"Ah..I... I think I should just...stay inside... The kids don't like me." he mumbled, rubbing his arm sheepishly.

"Oh, heavenly lord...EVERYONE WANTS TO MEET YOU, DANIEL! THE GIRLS ARE ITCHING TO JUST HEAR YOU SPEAK!!...er..Suh-Sir Daniel, sir." she blurted out.

Daniel managed a quiet smile. If only Mary-Lou knew....
Yes, the girls wanted to meet him, the baby daughters of the fathers who neighbored him around his street. But, around the village, there were plenty of jealous, poor boys who'd absolutely LOVE to smash Daniel's head in.

Yet, instead of telling someone who was more than willing to listen to Daniel's problems, he simply stared at Mary-Lou's dark brown face, her dark hazel eyes becoming wide with concern.
'Its not unusual for me not to talk,'
Daniel thought.
'So how come Loo's the only one who always looks like she never knew that?'

"Hngh...." He grumbled. "I'm just going to school now..."

"Oh, I'll gladly walk you there!" Mary-Lou beamed.
As much as Daniel would rather not have Mary-Lou tag along, he knew she was only trying to be helpful to him; to care for him a little extra.

And that sure wasn't something she was paid to do.

So, Daniel swiftly nodded and grabbed Mary-Lou's baggy dress sleeve.
They walked out the house and into the village, everything going so fast, yet feeling so slow with someone actually accompanying Daniel for a change.

But everything changed when Daniel saw his bully, just 50 yards away. He stared right at him with cold eyes; just about ready to kill.

His heart skipped three beats as the tall beast took a step closer to him.