A VOICE CALLED ME BACK FROM THE HAZE OF A DAYDREAM. I snapped back to reality, my eyes focusing on golden irises. An amused smile was tugging at the corners of Dio's lips, just hinting a smile. Dio knew what I was about to ask. Before I'd even opened my mouth, he was responding to my unspoken question. "I asked what you thought about the book," he said.
I glanced down at the table where a book lay open to what looked like its final pages. I skimmed the contents and found them familiar. It was Frankenstein; I'd read it already. Dio had a thirst for knowledge that had him frequenting the library. Although we had only met a few days ago, I felt as though I already knew Dio through the books he enjoyed. We'd even begun to read together. It was a slower process, but it meant that we could discuss the book without fear of spoiling each other.
"I thought it was a sad story," I said. "Frankenstein's monster did not ask to be born the way he was, but he found himself isolated since his creation. He simply wanted a companion who might understand him, but Frankenstein destroyed that one chance at happiness. Perhaps the monster was doomed to be alone ever since his creation. Even the one who made him abandoned him without hesitation . . .
"So you sympathize with the monster," Dio hummed. "I suppose I can understand that. I just wonder how you reached that conclusion when we're not even halfway through the book yet."
I looked at him blankly before I understood what he meant. "I knew you weren't paying attention," Dio chuckled at my expression. "If you were, you would have seen me skimming through to the end of the book before I asked you that question. But it appears you've already read this book. You could have said that earlier."
My face flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to spoil the book for you."
"It's alright, I didn't find it particularly interesting anyways." Dio said. "I think Frankenstein was a fool and a coward. He created that monster, but then he ran from it until there was nowhere else to turn. He should have just killed the beast instead of running away."
"So you don't sympathise with the monster?" I asked.
"I guess I feel sorry that his creator was so horrid."
I chuckled. This was what I enjoyed about reading with Dio. Whether our opinions were similar, completely contrasting, or a mix of both, Dio's thoughts were always interesting. "I think you should finish the book," I said. "You might end up liking it after all. It depends on your sense of justice."
"I'll pass. I think you've already spoiled it for me," Dio said.
"I didn't! You're not even at the part where the monster tells his side of the story!"
"There you go, spoiling it again!" Dio exclaimed, throwing up his hands in mock exasperation. Our laughter harmonized in the air for a moment before fading into a silence that was promptly broken. "Now, are you going to tell me what's been on your mind? It clearly wasn't the book."
"Well . . . I shouldn't meddle in family affairs, but Jonathan thinks you hate him."
"That's what's bothering you?"
"Yes, I know it's stupid," I sighed, "but I think you two would be able to get along well if you try. I just can't understand what's stopping you from being friends."
"I believe it's because JoJo is jealous." Dio said. "My higher grades and more refined manners have certainly caught father's attention. JoJo confronted me for all the praise I've been receiving from father."
I frowned. That didn't sound like Jonathan at all. He'd been trying so hard to get Dio to like him despite the blonde's cold-shoulder responses. If anything, Jonathan would probably congratulate his brother for his accomplishments rather than confronting him.
Dio seemed to take my frown as concern. "Don't worry, Freya. I have no hatred towards Jonathan over this. I know that he is angry with me, but it's hardly my fault that I'm more intelligent than he is. It makes sense that he'd feel jealous. He was an only child before, so having another sibling that he needs to share attention and time with is probably difficult for him. Not to mention he has someone to be compared to now so he probably feels self conscious," Dio explained.
When he put it like that . . . "You might be right," I sighed. If Jonathan did feel like Dio was stealing the spotlight, then perhaps he had exaggerated Dio's actions to make him appear less likable to me. After all, Dio really didn't seem as bad as Jonathan had painted him. It was hard to believe Jonathan would do tarnish Dio's name over simple jealousy, but after Dio had planted that idea in my mind, I couldn't weed out the possibility that he was correct..
A couple of days passed and I decided I should spend more time with Jonathan to alleviate any jealousy the boy might be feeling. After all, I had been spending a little more time reading with Dio than being around JoJo. I figured I should change that.
I found Dio first; his crown of golden hair was easy to recognize. He walked confidently towards a fenced of area, pulling on a pair of boxing gloves with a slow delibrance. I approached to ask if he knew where his brother was, but there was no need to ask. The boy I was searching for was Dio's opponent.
Dio easily bested his brother with a rather harsh punch to the face. His agility and power won him the match in mere seconds. Jonathan was already on the ground by the time I was within earshot. He clutched his eye, kneeling alone as Dio was swarmed by a crowd of impressed boys. "I'll teach you how I won," Dio said. "But there's one condition: you can't share what I tell you with Jonathan."
I frowned and stepped forward to help Jonathan. That was when Dio noticed me. "Freya!" Dio exclaimed. I met his gaze with a frown, but Dio didn't seem to care. A smile stretched across his features. "I just won a boxing match against my brother," he boasted.
My frown deeped at the pride written across Dio's features. "Congratulations," I said dryly. "Aren't you going to help JoJo up?"
"Why would he?" One of the guys in the group spoke up with a laugh.
I ignored the boy's comment, continuing to speak to Dio. "It's good sportsmanship to shake hands with your opponent after a sporting match. Besides, Jonathan is your brother. Even if you have a fight you should still help each other out."
"It was hardly a match," Dio chuckled. "I crushed him like an insect."
I felt a rush of anger. "You're right," I said. Dio beamed at the apparent praise before I continued. "It's quite obvious now that you care about him just as much as a child cares about stomping on ants." I turned to Jonathan and beckoned him with a wave of my hand. "Come on, let's leave."
The crowd and Dio fell silent, just watching us. I ignored the feeling of all their eyes following my every movement. "Hmph. He can't fight and he needs his girlfriend to take care of him? How weak," someone in the crowd jeered.
I had been planning to leave silently, but at the boy's comment, I stopped and aimed a glare towards the source of the comment. "Jonathan is NOT weak," I said. "There's no shame in leaning on others when you're hurt. And you, Dio," I glared at the blonde. "Jonathan has really been trying to befriend you. He's worked really hard to treat you as family and make you feel welcome here. You should do better than laugh at him when he's hurt. I thought you were trying to get along with him. If that was true, then why are you acting like this?"
Dio's eyes were cold when he spoke. "I'm not acting like anything. JoJo lost, so he should take it like a man. Just leave him, you're hurting his pride. You don't need to stoop down like this for him."
I growled. "I'm not 'stooping down' for anyone, I'm helping my friend. And there is a difference between taking blows and being kicked while you're down." But based on the look of disdain on Dio's face, it didn't seem like he would understand. I turned and started walking, tugging a confused Jonathan along.
"Freya, thank you . . ." He trailed off.
I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I should have believed what you said about Dio. I mean, I did believe you. I just thought you were over-exaggerating. Dio really didn't seem that awful," I sighed. I'd heard all his worries and every account of Dio being unnecessarily harsh, yet I ignored them because it didn't fit the image I had of the blonde boy. "What Dio did today wasn't right."
I wanted to think that Dio was just riding the high of victory, but Jonathan had already told me that Dio was cruel. What happened today was just proof of Jonathan's words. But still, it was difficult to stomach the realization that Dio wasn't exactly what I had thought. It hit me like a punch in the face. This whole time, I'd wanted to believe he was better than Jonathan's words, better than laughing at his injured brother.
Jonathan frowned. "In a fight, there must be a victor," he reasoned. "Dio was right. I should accept my loss as a man. Dio probably didn't mean to slip his thumb into my eye."
I furrowed my brow. "That kind of thing isn't an accident. Dio looked like he knew what he was doing. He's been in fights before," I said. "He wouldn't make a mistake like that."
Unspoken words hung in the air. 'He did it on purpose,' they said. But Jonathan denied it. "No, he didn't mean it," he said.
"Why do you keep defending him?" I snapped. "You should be angry that your own brother did something like that!"
"I don't want to ruin your friendship with Dio," Jonathan admitted. I paused at his words. "I know that the two of you have become close. Even though you've only known him for a few days, I don't want to ruin your friendship. And despite what happened, he is still my brother. I should be forgiving. I'm sure he didn't mean it, so don't hold it against him."
I exhaled a deep sigh. "You're too forgiving," I chided. Yet my anger was fading at Jonathan's words. He was the one who was hurt, not me, so I wanted to trust in what he said. Especially since I hadn't trusted him when he told me about Dio.
I recalled Dio's words and couldn't help wonder if maybe Dio was the one who was jealous. Jonathan had everything Dio didn't. Friends, a caring family, a comfortable household and a simple life. On the other hand, Dio was everything Jonathan wanted to be. He was refined, had good grades in school and better manners than Jonathan could manage. He was the picture perfect young man. At least, on the outside. I never would have guessed that Dio was hiding such a vile personality, but now I understood. I'd seen a new side to Dio. I just hoped what I'd seen today was a part of him rather than who he truly was.