The Life of Me

Page 10

Dai

Cheyenne is hot! At least, she is to Dai.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout Dai?" her oh-so-annoying brother Kawau sang on this fine morning. "Sleeping and kicking your ass. Any more stupid questions?" she replied groggily. "Nope, just wondering if you were thinking about that painter girl, ya know, the one I shouted Mrs Parker at? She's hotter than da sun! 'Course, I already gots my girlfriend, I rechin' that she was yours!" he laughed childishly. Dai flushed, which was difficult to see on her chocolate skin. "Kawua!! I-I don't like her like that! She's more of a, uh, friend?" she said, more like a question. "Mhm... Sure you do..." he teased. "Shut up, you asshole!" Dai whined.

"Dai Addison Parker! I will not have swearing in this house, young lady! I know you can hear me!" her father shouted angrily from the kitchen.

"But Papa! Kawau is teasing me about still being single! At least make him stop!!" Dai whined back. Kawau groaned. "But Papa! Dai is turning 17 and is still single! At least make her focus on other girls' butts!!" Kawau said, staring victoriously at Dai. "Kawau! You knew I didn't want to come out like that!" she hissed.

"Oops, it must have slipped my mind."

"Papa!! Kawau said I'm straight from hell!"

"Both of you shut it until dinner! We're having tacos! Kawau, you can have a burrito if you'd like!" their father joked loudly. The siblings flushed darker. They locked eyes for a second. "You like the same sex!" they exclaimed at the same time. "No! You do!" they shouted again. "Dinner's ready!" their father shouted from the kitchen, his Kiss the Chef apron a bit dark from multiple summer barbeques, which both of them loved. No worries, no sex, no kissing with yelling that "Ew! You're gay!" shit going around. They smiled at the thoughts.

"So, are you leaning towards both? Or one?" Mr Parker asked them as they sat down at dinner. "Uh, what?" Kawau said, sitting down to his taco and burrito. "Do you like the taco or the burrito?" he asked again slowly. "The burrito," Kawau said automatically. Mr Parker nodded. "What about you, Daylight?" His pet name for her was silly. "Taco, I guess," she said. They ate dinner in silence, the first time since their mother had gone to prison for sexual actions against them.

"Remember when I kissed that girl? Back when I was 12? She had a beautiful rose drawn on her. Oh wow, she was hot! I wish I could see her again. Told me her name was Chey," Dai sighed dreamily. Kawau nodded. "Remember when I slapped that boy's ass? When I was 14? You was 12? God damn that boy had a hot ass. Right after basketball. Said winner get to do whatever he wanted to the loser. I won, I slapped his ass hard! He turned around and punched me, square in the mouth! Lost my tooth to that straight bitch! Called me sick. Asked me what my name was. Told him it was Kawau. Said his was Kev." Kawau smiled sadly, his missing tooth showing clearly. A crystal tear fell from his obsidian eyes.

"I remember punching the shit outta that guy. Called him an ass that didn't deserve to be slapped by anyone, much less by my brother!" Dai laughed as she wiped away the tears of her older brother's eyes. "We need to stay together, as a family, if we plan to be happy," she whispered softly. Kawau nodded slightly.

"Thanks, sis Daylight," he whispered.

"Thanks, bro Nightlight," she responded.