**EDITED: 5/14/17**
"You can't go! What if you get hurt or worse, killed?" I yelled, pulling on my brother's arm trying to prevent him from leaving. My brother looked down at my small form; his green eyes mirroring my own. Tears threatened to spill, sorrow filling both of us. He faced me and put his hands on my shoulders.
"Nothin' is gonna hurt me, Belle. I promise," He sighed. "But I have to do this. We can't let the Union beat us, now can we? I'll write you every week, alright?" I sniffed and pouted, but nodded solemnly. I threw my arms around him, his honey-blonde hair that was the exact shade as mine tickled my nose. I noted that they were probably going to make him cut his hair, something I knew Jasper wasn't going to be happy about.
"I'm gonna miss you, Jasper." I whispered.
"I'll miss you too, Annabelle." He withdrew from the hug before getting on his horse, waving at me one last time before riding off to lie and join the Confederate Army.
That was the last time I saw my brother, Jasper Whitlock. I was only 15 when he left, unable to completely grasp Jasper's reasoning for joining the army, for leaving me. Jasper joined the army before he was 17. He managed to charm his way in, a trait that we both shared. We both were able to get our way with just a few words, and me batting my eyelashes.
It was only after he left that I began growing up, not having my brother to shelter me from the world. And with growing up, comes mistakes.